ABSTRACT
A new form of the commoditisation of human beings, called 'human trafficking for ransom', emerged in 2009. It involves the 'abduction, extortion, sale, torture, sexual violation and killing of men, women and children' for the purpose of extortion. This form of trafficking utilises information and communication technologies (ICTs) as part of its modus operandi. This chapter assesses how ICTs have impacted on the forms of human trafficking, with particular reference to their enabling of a new form of trafficking, human trafficking for ransom. It focuses on the disruptive nature of ICTs, especially in terms of their ability to spread the impact of traumatising information to whole communities and the diaspora globally. A new form of human trafficking, initially identified as 'Sinai trafficking' in reference to the location where it was first observed, was defined in 2012 by Van Reisen et al. Sinai trafficking has been extensively described in exploratory research by the Israeli organisations, the African Refugee Development Centre (ARDC).
