Sex trafficked women in Taiwan : an examination of the trafficking process and implications for policy

Abstract

Research on the trafficking of women in Taiwan has hitherto largely explored the perceptions and roles of governmental officials and non governmental organisations. Very rarely has research focused on the lived experiences of women who have experienced sex trafficking, as reported by the women themselves. This thesis considers how sex trafficking operates in Taiwan through analysis of the current policy context and empirical data from semi structured interviews carried out with trafficked women and a number of key professionals working on combating sex trafficking in Taiwan. It outlines the processes of recruitment, transportation and coercion deployed in the trafficking process, and examines the similarities, as well as some differences, in the experiences of women who were smuggled into Taiwan or who came through `fake marriage', as well as those who came for `true marriage' or tourism. Mechanisms of control and regulation have been identified through analysis of the accounts of these women's experiences which provide a context for understanding their involvement in prostitution. The accounts of the women were contrasted with government policy and the ways professionals defined sex trafficked women. Based on this analysis, I recommend that the mechanisms through which women said they were controlled, forced and/or deceived have not been sufficiently acknowledged by policy makers, and that an important consequence of this under-acknowledgement is that law enforcement officials can fail to investigate the whole range of the trafficking process, which may lead to some women not being identified as being trafficked and not being given access to appropriate services and support as a result. This prompts a broader consideration of definitions of and policy frameworks on sexual trafficking in Taiwan and, related to this, the implications for relevant professionals, in particular the need to explore more fully the background of women who present themselves as having been trafficked.