International measures against trafficking in persons in Latin American countries: a bibliometric analysis in Scopus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51798/sijis.v6i3.1079Keywords:
Trafficking, international cooperation, law, bibliometrics, Latin AmericaAbstract
Human trafficking is a critical global problem, with millions of victims affected annually by various forms of exploitation. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis to evaluate the current state and future trends of research on human trafficking, using scientific databases such as Scopus. An exploratory review methodology was applied, analyzing 147 documents, with the search terms: "human trafficking", "human trafficking" and "human exploitation". The results show that the United States and Brazil lead the research efforts, followed by the United Kingdom. Among the key factors addressed are socioeconomic vulnerability, forced migration and institutional weakness in the protection of human rights. Although most studies focus on sexual exploitation and forced labor, bibliometric analysis reveals underexplored areas, such as the role of emerging technologies in prevention and detection, and the use of artificial intelligence in mapping criminal networks. This article offers a comprehensive bibliometric analysis on trafficking, providing crucial information on emerging trends such as "human rights", "international cooperation" and "public policies", and their role in shaping effective strategies for prevention and comprehensive care.
References
Ambagtsheer, F. (2019). Combating human trafficking for the purpose of organ removal: Lessons learned from prosecuting criminal cases. In The Palgrave International Handbook of Human Trafficking (Vol. 2, pp. 1733–1749). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63058-8_99
Ariail, D., Smith, K., & Smith, L. (2024). Human Trafficking and Gender Inequality: How Businesses Can Lower Risks and Costs. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm17090418
Aronne, L., Horn, D., Roux, C. (2025). Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2416394
Astudillo-Torres, M. (2019). Aplicación de la Realidad Aumentada en las prácticas educativas universitarias. Revista Latinoamericana de Tecnología Educativa - RELATEC, 18. https://doi.org/10.17398/1695-288x.18.2.203
Awerbuch, A., Gunaratne, N., Jain, J., & Caralis, P. (2020). Raising awareness of human trafficking in key professional fields via a multidisciplinary educational approach. International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, 13, 159–169. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHRH-07-2019-0053
Awosusi, O., Olagbaju, O., Ogbuleke, L. (2021). Human trafficking and tales of “backway” returnees in the gambia. In Human Trafficking in Africa: New Paradigms, New Perspectives (pp. 215–237). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82163-0_11
Barrick, K., Pfeffer, R., Tueller, S., Bradshaw, M., & Aranguren, N. (2025). Labor Trafficking in Construction: Is Working in the Aftermath of a Natural Disaster a Risk Factor?. Journal of Human Trafficking, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322705.2025.2492514
Bender, A. (2025). Re-conceptualizing trafficking-in-persons victimization using latent class analysis: Results from a community study in Cape Town, South Africa. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 11, 101336. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SSAHO.2025.101336
Bonner, H., Crowe, A. (2022). Mental health programming for law enforcement: a first look at trends and perceptions of effectiveness. Journal of Crime and Justice, 45, 552–566. https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2022.2045209
Bouche, V., Van, D., Kamdem, A. (2025). Trafficker or Trafficked? Predicting Victim versus Offender Status of Female Defendants in Federal Sex Trafficking Prosecutions Using the T.R.A.P. Typology. Victims and Offenders. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2024.2440763
Broad, R., Lord, N., Duncan, C. (2022). The financial aspects of human trafficking: A financial assessment framework. Criminology and Criminal Justice, 22, 581–600. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895820981613
Bryant, K., Larsen, J., Gordon, E. (2019). Combating human trafficking: Challenges to the criminal justice system and what practitioners need to know. In Routledge International Handbook of Human Trafficking: A Multi-Disciplinary and Applied Approach (pp. 159–188). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315277035-7
Carbajal, L. (2024). La trata de personas y su implicancia con la función preventiva del delito en Ayacucho, Perú. Comuni@cción: Revista de Investigación En Comunicación y Desarrollo, 15, 134–141. https://doi.org/10.33595/2226-1478.15.2.915
Chavez, R. (2024). Government strategies for the prevention of human trafficking for sexual and labor exploitation in the Amazonas region. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2439542. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2439542
Cooper, F. I., van Bemmel, S. R., van der Leun, J. P., & Kunst, M. J. J. (2024). Factors that influence the criminal justice response to human trafficking: a systematic review of North American and European studies. Crime, law and social change, 82(3), 623-658. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-024-10161-x
Corthay, E. (2019). identification of victims of human trafficking: definition, importance, and states’ obligations. indonesian journal of international law, 16, 235–272. https://doi.org/10.17304/ijil.vol16.2.752
Coster, J. (2020). Combatting Human Trafficking Holistically through Proactive Financial Investigations. Journal of International Criminal Justice, 18, 87–106. https://doi.org/10.1093/jicj/mqaa013
Cunha, A., Gonçalves, M., Matos, M. (2022). An assessment of Portuguese social professionals awareness of human trafficking. European Journal of Social Work, 25, 512–524. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2021.1934413
Deeb-Swihart, J., Endert, A., Bruckman, A. (2019, May). Understanding law enforcement strategies and needs for combating human trafficking. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300561
Edwards, E., Middleton, J., Cole, J. (2024). Family-Controlled Trafficking in the United States: Victim Characteristics, System Response, and Case Outcomes. Journal of Human Trafficking, 10(3), 411–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322705.2022.2039866
El-Kady, R. (2024). The complex landscape of human trafficking: A comprehensive exploration with emphasis on legal safeguards for victims in Egyptian and Arab legislation. In Modern Insights and Strategies in Victimology (pp. 118–140). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-2201-7.ch006
Fallo, M., Kiling, I., Wijaya, R., Yulianto, J. (2025). Social rehabilitation process of human trafficking victims in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia: gathering insights from the professionals. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/29949769.2025.2469912
Fernandez, A. (2024). El derecho a la vida y a la libertad: un estudio de la esclavitud moderna en Venezuela. CUHSO, ISSN-e 2452-610X, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2024, 34(2), 35.
Fraga-Graells, E., Povedano-Montero, F., Alvarez-Peregrina, C., Villa-Collar, C., Arance-Gil, A., & Sánchez-Tena, M. (2022). Bibliometric study of refractive surgery and dry eye scientific literature. Archivos de La Sociedad Espanola de Oftalmologia, 97, 323–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oftal.2021.10.003
Gauci, J. P. (2023). Relationship Between Asylum and Trafficking: J. Gauci. In Selected Topics in Migration Studies (pp. 61-63). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19631-7_10
Gerassi, L., & Nichols, A. (2021). Educación Social Trabajo que Aborda T Tráfico de personas con fines de explotación sexual: un marco interseccional de prácticas antiopresivas. Revisión Anti-Trafficking, 2021(17), 20–37. https://doi.org/10.14197/atr.201221172
Gezie, L. D., Yalew, A. W., Gete, Y. K., & Samkange-Zeeb, F. (2021). Exploring factors that contribute to human trafficking in Ethiopia: a socio-ecological perspective. Globalization and health, 17(1), 76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-021-00725-0
Gezie, L., Yalew, A., Gete, Y., & Samkange-Zeeb, F. (2021). Exploring factors that contribute to human trafficking in Ethiopia: a socio-ecological perspective. Globalization and Health, 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-021-00725-0
Gibbs, J. C., & Strohacker, E. R. (2023). Prostitution, renamed? Police perceptions of human trafficking. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 17. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paad093
Hultman, L., Liyanage, H. R., & Wieselgren, H. (2025). Principled and pragmatic: Reconciling competing arguments for ICC attention. European Journal of International Relations, 31(2), 411-434. https://doi.org/10.1177/13540661241311235
Islam, F. (2024). Human trafficking law enforcement over the victims and offenders: The perspective of anti-trafficking stakeholders. Victims & Offenders, 19(8), 1512-1540. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2023.2227964
Judge, S. M., & Kawahito Doherty, Y. (2025). The Demographic Characteristics of Federal Trafficking Defendants: Who are the Offenders?. Journal of Human Trafficking, 11(2), 179-202. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322705.2022.2104572
Khan, Z., Kamaluddin, M. R., Manap, J., Rajaratnam, S., Mohd, M., Chong, I. M., ... & Setiyani Subardjo, R. Y. (2025). Exploring the role of technology in human trafficking in Pakistan: A qualitative study of lived experiences of victims. PloS one, 20(3), e0320088. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320088
Lázaro, R., & Jubany, O. (2025). Flex, adapt, thrive? Navigating work mutations and the well-being of police officers supporting gender-based violence victims in Catalonia. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 19. https://doi.org/10.1093/POLICE/PAAE125
Lee, J., Park, S., Jang, S., Reyes, K., Garcia, F., Canila, C., Oraño, J., Ballesteros, A. J., Muhartini, T. (2024). Differential impacts of health systems and sociocultural environment on vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from four Asia-Pacific countries. BMC Public Health, 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18949-1
Leopardi, N., Hovde, A., & Kullmann, L. (2020). The Intersection of Child Trafficking and Health Care: Our Unique Role as Pediatric Clinicians. In Pediatric Clinics of North America (Vol. 67, pp. 413–423). W.B. Saunders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2019.12.005
Levine, E. C., & Smith, D. (2025). Measuring the Impact of Services for Human Trafficking Survivors: Tracking Clinically Significant Improvement Across Outcomes. Journal of Applied Social Science, 19(1), 115-130. https://doi.org/10.1177/19367244241305048
Mancebo, I. (2018). Victimología: en busca de un enfoque integrador para repensar la intervención con víctimas. Victimología: En Busca de Un Enfoque Integrador Para Repensar La Intervención Con Víctimas, 311–336. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/libro?codigo=726035
Matos, M., Sousa, J., Caridade, S., & Dias, I. (2025). Sexual exploitation: Professionals’ and stakeholders’ perceptions of prevention, assistance, and protection for victims in Portugal. Social Sciences, 14(3), 167. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030167
Motseki, M. M., & Mofokeng, J. T. (2022). An analysis of the causes and contributing factors to human trafficking: A South African perspective. Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1), 2047259. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2047259
Moya, C. (2021). Tendencias político-criminales frente a la trata de personas y sus consecuencias típicas. Boletín Mexicano de Derecho Comparado, 54(160), 305–335. https://doi.org/10.22201/IIJ.24484873E.2021.160.15977
Nichols, A., Preble, K., Cox, A. (2024). A State-Level Analysis of Demographic Characteristics and Sex Trafficking Experiences of Survivors. Journal of Human Trafficking, 10(1), 51–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322705.2021.2016268
Niumai, A. (2022). Current Trends in Human Trafficking, Modus Operandi, and Law in India. In Gender, Law and Social Transformation in India (pp. 37–54). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8020-6_3
Nordin, R., Jeyabalan, R. (2019). Protection of the Rights of the Victims of Human Trafficking: Has Malaysia Done Enough? Journal of Southeast Asian Human Rights, 3, 300–316. https://doi.org/10.19184/jseahr.v3i2.9231
Nulhaqim, S., Deliarnoor, N., Suryaningsih. (2021). Tech Tools for Anticipating Human Trafficking in Archipelago State. International Journal on Advanced Science, Engineering and Information Technology, 11, 1084–1091. https://doi.org/10.18517/ijaseit.11.3.11265
Nyulas, J., Dezsi, Ș., Niță, A. F., Magyari-Sáska, Z., Frey, M. L., & Horváth, A. (2025). Twenty-Five Years of Scientific Production on Geoparks from the Perspective of Bibliometric Analysis Using PRISMA. Sustainability, 17(5), 2218.
Pajón, L., & Walsh, D. (2020). Proposing a theoretical framework for the criminal investigation of human trafficking crimes. Policing: a journal of policy and practice, 14(2), 493-511. https://doi.org/10.1093/POLICE/PAY031
Pham, C. (2022). Combatting the trafficking of Vietnamese nationals to Britain: Cooperative challenges for Vietnam and the UK. Social Sciences, 12(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12010010
Querol, A., & Lerner, A. (2024). The vulnerability of minors after a child trafficking situation. Journal of Human Trafficking, 10(1), 103-120. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322705.2021.1996126
Rahman, R., Halim, H., Abdullah, M. H., Razali, N. A., & Hussin, N. I. (2023). Trafficking and Prostitution of Indonesian Women in Malaysia: Insights from the Victims. Journal of the International Society for the Study of Vernacular Settlements, 10(10), 288-300. https://doi.org/10.61275/ISVSej-2023-10-10-18
Recknor, F., Ruggiero, E., Jensen, E. (2022). Addressing human trafficking as a public health issue. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 113(4), 607–610. https://doi.org/10.17269/S41997-022-00642-8
Ricard-Guay, A., Hanley, J. (2019). The challenge of addressing both forced labor and sexual exploitation. In The Palgrave International Handbook of Human Trafficking (Vol. 1, pp. 287–302). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63058-8_16
Rui, X., Hui, C., Lingling, W. (2022). An Exploration into Human Trafficking and Post-Trafficking from the Perspective of Relational Geography. Tropical Geography, 42, 1419–1429. https://doi.org/10.13284/j.cnki.rddl.003555
Saffanah, T., Rasito, D., & Yuliatin. (2024). Strengthening Law Enforcement and Public Awareness to Combat Human Trafficking in Indonesia: Challenges and Solutions. Al-Ahkam: Jurnal Ilmu Syari’ah Dan Hukum, 9, 91–112. https://doi.org/10.22515/alahkam.v9i2.9686
Samanta, S., Singhar, S., Gandomi, A., Ramasubbareddy, S., & Sankar, S. (2020). A WiVi Based IoT Framework for Detection of Human Trafficking Victims Kept in Hideouts. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 12405 LNCS, 96–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59615-6_7
Schroeder, E., Edgemon, T., Aletraris, L., Kagotho, N., Clay-Warner, J., & Okech, D. (2022). A Review of Prevalence Estimation Methods for Human Trafficking Populations. In Public Health Reports (Vol. 137, pp. 46S-52S). SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549211044010
Shimazaki, Y. (2023). Considering the Effectiveness and Achievement of SDGs Towards Combating Human Trafficking. Sustainable Development Goals Series, Part F2748, 133–145. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4859-6_9/TABLES/1
Shuranova, L., Vistořín, R., Vacková, J., Švestková, R., Prokešová, R., & Němečková, K. (2025). unmasking shadows: illuminating barriers and transformative interventions in human trafficking for social work advancement in albania. a literature review. in clinical and preventive medicine (pp. 176–188). State Institution of Science “Research and Practical Center of Preventive and Clinical Medicine” State Administration Department. https://doi.org/10.31612/2616-4868.2.2025.20
Stammers, T. (2022). Organ Trafficking: Why Do Healthcare Workers Engage in It? Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 31, 368–378. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0963180121000931
Sundarakumar, M., Sankar, S., Ramasubbareddy, S., Vinodhini, V., & Balamurugan, B. (2023). IoT Smart Environment: A Comprehensive Study on Challenges and Solutions. In Convergence of IoT, Blockchain, and Computational Intelligence in Smart Cities (pp. 26–40). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003353034-2
Tillyer, M., Smith, M., & Tillyer, R. (2023). Findings from the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. Journal of Human Trafficking, 9, 398–407. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322705.2021.1925493
Tomás, J. (2019). Trafficking in Human Beings for Sexual Exploitation and Media Discourses. In Sexuality, Oppression and Human Rights (pp. 75–85). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9781848884243_007
Tomita, M., Schwartz, A., & Ungureanu, R. (2020). Effects of involving specialists in human trafficking victim support and protection. Revista de Cercetare Si Interventie Sociala, 71, 360–376. https://doi.org/10.33788/rcis.71.22
Twis, M., Preble, K. (2020). Intersectional Standpoint Methodology: Toward Theory-Driven Participatory Research on Human Trafficking. Violence and Victims, 35, 418–439. https://doi.org/10.1891/VV-D-18-00208
Watt, M. (2019). A complex systems stratagem to combating human trafficking. In The Palgrave International Handbook of Human Trafficking (Vol. 1, pp. 763–782). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63058-8_46
Varela, A. (2016). El Movimiento Migrante Mesoamericano. Una aproximación desde la sociología de la acción colectiva a un ejemplo de luchas migrantes. Amnis. https://doi.org/10.4000/amnis.2854
Villalba-García, L., Cujabante-Villamil, X., & Sierra-Gutiérrez, W. (2025). Criminalidad, resiliencia y legislación: una visión comparada de la trata de personas en Honduras y Colombia. Novum Jus, 19(1), 103–127. https://doi.org/10.14718/NOVUMJUS.2025.19.1.4
Visser, A., Preez, P., & Simmonds, S. (2019). Reflections on Life Design Narrative Inquiry as a Methodology for Research With Child Sex Trafficking Survivors. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 18. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919857553
Volodko, A., Cockbain, E., & Kleinberg, B. (2020). “Spotting the signs” of trafficking recruitment online: exploring the characteristics of advertisements targeted at migrant job-seekers. Trends in Organized Crime, 23, 7–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12117-019-09376-5
Waas, B. (2020). How to improve monitoring and enforcement of international labour standards? In International Labour Organization and Global Social Governance (pp. 79–95). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55400-2_4
Yaman, E. (2024). Child-Centered Anti-Trafficking Approaches in Mediterranean Migration Routes: Italy and Turkey. Social Sciences, 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120700
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Diego Lorenzo Panduro Ruiz, Sabrina Moises Hidalgo, Anita Valentina Tuanama Delgado, Joao Paulo Tananta Martel, Jade Suyoshi Chávez Ramírez, Carlos Daniel Putpaña Chashnamote, Nieves del Pilar Pizzan-Tomanguillo
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
