Determining what level of exploitation is enough to qualify as “trafficked” leaves most migrants out of assistance

One of the darker aspects of globalisation has been the growth in human trafficking, from poorer to richer countries. While many government programs have been put in place to try and address this problem, they often do not reach all those who need help. Using examples from the Dominican Republic and the United States, Denise Brennan writes that how ‘trafficked’ people are designated by governments means that many of those who are trafficked, as well as migrants who need assistance, are often left out. She argues that antitrafficking measures should address the entire spectrum of how migrants can be abused and offer protections to a range of migrant workers who are exploited — not just the most extreme cases.