Trafficking in human beings: knowledge of Portuguese college students

Abstract

Trafficking in human beings is a global problem, and countries worldwide have joined efforts and built strategies to fight this phenomenon. This study sought to examine the knowledge of Portuguese college students regarding trafficking in human beings. The study was conducted with 223 students from different Portuguese universities. The results revealed that college students presented high levels of knowledge about the phenomena's dynamics, trafficker profile and criminal dynamics and trafficking in human beings’ trajectories. Conversely, the students revealed lower levels of knowledge concerning trafficking in human beings’ purposes, the victims’ characteristics, and the victimization dynamics, and also trafficking in human beings’ specificities in Portugal. This knowledge is influenced by age, studying area and through contact with various sources other than academic institutions, which suggests a low compliance by the academic institutions with the third National Action Plan against trafficking in human beings, implemented in Portugal from 2014 to 2017.