ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the legal regimes devised by European migrant-receiving countries, within the structures of the European Union (EU), to deal with migrant women who have experienced the kind of exploitation which is now commonly labelled 'trafficking in women'. The 'awkward aliens' refers to the apparent 'mismatch' between the notions that underlie existing legal strategies to address migrant exploitation in destination countries and the actual experiences of women who have faced the global realities of 'trafficking'. The chapter explains current trafficking framework came about owing to a combination of historical reasons and contemporary concerns, and that one of the factors that helps explain the relative success of the trafficking framework is its flexible nature. The framework which has emerged reflects a particular view of the problem of migrant exploitation and the role of institutions, structures and processes necessary to counter it.
