The spatial dynamics of freedom of foreign movement and human trafficking

Abstract Some existing human trafficking research has examined how trafficking laws and regulations deter traffickers. This research, however, has paid little attention to how states’ freedom-of-movement policies influence human trafficking. Existing policy debates suggest two possible effects. Europe’s experiences with open borders have led to claims that freedom of movement decreases the likelihood that traffickers are detected, thus making human trafficking in and out of states more likely. By contrast, movement restrictions could create an environment in which people become more vulnerable to traffickers. We use data from 182 countries from 2001 to 2017 to test whether freedom of movement increases or decreases human trafficking flows. We find that it is necessary, theoretically and empirically, to consider freedom of foreign movement both locally and in a state’s neighborhood, because freedom of movement increases human trafficking when the local and neighborhood practices diverge from each other.