Twitter and human trafficking: Purposes, actors and topics in the Spanish-speaking scene

Sierra-Rodríguez, Alba and Arroyo-Machado, Wenceslao and Barroso-Hurtado, Domingo Twitter and human trafficking: Purposes, actors and topics in the Spanish-speaking scene. Comunicar, 2022, vol. 30, n. 71, pp. 79-91. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English abstract

Human trafficking is a phenomenon linked to several forms of exploitation, such as sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced marriage, begging, forced criminal activity, or organ removal. There are different debates about a potential overrepresentation of some of these exploitation purposes, such as the sexual one, in the discourses underlying international regulations, news or institutional campaigns. This may have consequences on the identification of some of the population affected by this phenomenon and the assistance provided to them. The aim of this paper is to analyse the temporal evolution of the purposes of exploitation, actors and topics most represented in the activity on human trafficking and exploitation on Twitter during the 2011-2020 period. The results show that sexual exploitation is the purpose most represented in Twitter activity and the fact that international organisations and the criminal prosecution of the crime of human trafficking have progressively become more relevant. Furthermore, the networks of topics suggest that sexual exploitation seems to be linked to the notion of prostitution. This may have consequences for the displacement of other purposes of exploitation or the approaches centred on the promotion of human rights to less relevant positions, as well as for the construction of certain images of victims of human trafficking.

Spanish abstract

La trata de personas es un fenómeno vinculado a diferentes finalidades de explotación, como la sexual, laboral, para el matrimonio, la mendicidad, la comisión de delitos o la extracción de órganos. Existen numerosos debates que remiten a una posible sobrerrepresentación de algunas de estas finalidades, como la sexual, en los discursos presentes en normativa internacional, prensa escrita o campañas institucionales. Esto puede derivar en posibles consecuencias sobre la detección de parte de la población afectada por este fenómeno y la atención que se le proporciona. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar la evolución temporal de las finalidades de explotación, actores y temas más representados en la actividad sobre trata de personas y explotación acontecida en Twitter durante el periodo 2011-2020. Los resultados arrojan que la explotación sexual es aquella con una mayor presencia en la actividad en esta red social, así como que los organismos internacionales y la persecución penal del delito de trata se tornan progresivamente más relevantes. Además, las redes de comunidades de temas analizadas sugieren que la explotación sexual parece estar vinculada a la idea de prostitución en los tuits publicados. Todo ello puede tener consecuencias sobre el desplazamiento de otras finalidades de explotación o de enfoques como los centrados en la promoción de Derechos Humanos a posiciones menos relevantes, así como sobre la construcción de determinadas imágenes de víctimas de este fenómeno.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Trafficking; sexual exploitation; Twitter; social media; social media analysis; prostitution; Trata; explotación sexual; Twitter; redes sociales; análisis de redes sociales; prostitución
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BJ. Communication
G. Industry, profession and education.
G. Industry, profession and education. > GH. Education.
Depositing user: Alex Ruiz
Date deposited: 21 Mar 2022 07:29
Last modified: 21 Mar 2022 07:29
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/42975

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