Just Estimating The Prevalence Of Human Trafficking

Published: Oct. 14, 2022, 11 a.m.

In episode 1 of our Human Trafficking Research season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Rebecca Pfeffer and Dr. Kelle Barrick, both research criminologists at RTI International, to discuss how human trafficking researchers use creative statistical approaches from other scientific disciplines to paint a comprehensive and meaningful picture of human trafficking prevalence across various communities. The scope of human trafficking is often over or underestimated by the public, which can have deleterious effects on resource allocation and intervention strategy. Currently, researchers are employing quantitative methods to calculate accurate estimations of human trafficking prevalence, as well as qualitative methods to better understand the depth of survivor experience. Listen along as Dr. Pfeffer and Dr. Barrick discuss their ongoing projects, the importance of a holistic approach to research, and how to estimate the prevalence of human trafficking more accurately. This episode is funded by RTI International’s Justice Practice Area.