D-ISN/RAPID: Data Collection for Human Trafficking Recruitment and Responses in Forced Migration

This Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant will support collection of time-sensitive qualitative and quantitative data regarding online trafficking recruitment and response activity for a vulnerable population subject to involuntary displacement because of the conflict in Ukraine. Anecdotal evidence suggests that man-made and natural disasters create and exacerbate vulnerabilities that lead to exploitation by human trafficking networks. Since late February 2022, over 8 million Ukrainians have sought refuge outside the country's borders, 90% of whom are women and children; an additional 10 million are internally displaced. Loss of stable housing, employment, and social support networks are all key risk factors for human trafficking. As a result of the invasion, a myriad of websites and social media chat groups have emerged targeting housing and employment opportunities. While such online forums connect millions to much needed information, they also pose fertile ground for trafficking recruitment. This project has three main aims, namely (1) to collect data on where and how people are being recruited; (2) to document which services/resources potential trafficking targets are seeking; and (3) to interview and collect data on evolving interventions used by international and local organizations operating hotlines and shelters. The investigators will use their established connections to collect the following quantitative and qualitative data: public bulletin websites that offer information on housing and job information, social media websites, and international assistance organizations. The project will deploy web scraping tools to collect data from the online sources and will conduct structured interviews with non-governmental assistance organizations. The generated datasets will be collected, curated, and archived at computing facilities at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and shared widely with the broader research community. The project will involve graduate students and provide them exposure to interdisciplinary research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.