ABSTRACT
Policing human trafficking and commercial sex in Kiribati
Human trafficking and using girls for commercial sex is a global phenomenon that is adversely affecting all countries, irrespective of size and background. Kiribati is no exception. The field of study on criminology considers human trafficking as criminal behaviour that breaks society’s criminal law. As far as Kiribati’s context is concerned, human traffickers target young girls for leisure and commercial sex purposes by foreign fishing vessel crews. Notably, police intervention is critical to address the growing problem of human trafficking and commercial sex in Kiribati. Unfortunately, the lack of government policies on identifying and protecting trafficked victims limits the work police can undertake to address this transnational crime. This study uses the Southern criminological agenda to argue the reasons behind the rising problem of human trafficking and commercial sex activities in Kiribati. It also explores the official response of the Kiribati Police Service (KPS) to human trafficking and commercial sex crimes and the challenges Kiribati’s law enforcement bodies face in addressing these transnational crimes.
