COUNTERING THE ‘SCOURGE’: The time for evidence and reason on human trafficking

Since the late 1990s South African media have drawn attention to the problem of human trafficking and called for state intervention to stop the practice. Reports by several non-governmental organisations have referred to the growing plague of human trafficking, particularly that of women and children for purposes of sexual exploitation. A recent, in-depth study of the sex work industry in Cape Town by the ISS and SWEAT calls into question allegations that there is large-scale trafficking into the sex work industry and suggests that a law enforcement approach may not be the most appropriate way to counter the problem.