ABSTRACT
Trafficking in human beings is a growing phenomenon with an expanding body of literature. This article provides a content analysis of 191 incidents of human trafficking that were reported in electronic international print media stories. The purpose of this study is twofold: to create a greater understanding of the trafficking act and the actors involved and to assess the implications of how trafficking is framed in the media. The results of this study indicate the need for a better understanding of all actors, including female human trafficking offenders and male trafficked individuals. In addition, there is a need for additional analysis in order to understand why current trends in research tend to sustain popular media representations without adequate exploration of qualified incidents of human trafficking.
