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Human Trafficking and Gender Inequality: How Businesses Can Lower Risks and Costs

Author

Listed:
  • Donald L. Ariail

    (Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA)

  • Katherine Taken Smith

    (College of Business, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA)

  • Lawrence Murphy Smith

    (College of Business, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA)

Abstract

Human trafficking continues to be a profitable multi-billion dollar business. People are either callous toward human rights or they are unaware of the crime occurring. Many businesses may unknowingly facilitate human trafficking by providing services, such as transportation, hotels, or haircuts, or purchasing products from unfamiliar sources that secretly use forced labor. To be socially responsible, a business must establish effective enterprise governance policies that help prevent and detect trafficking. A business can incur legal fines, damage to its reputation, incur lost business, and be subject to litigation, all as a result of human trafficking. Worldwide, estimates are that 50 million people are being trafficked. Human trafficking is especially harmful to females, both adult women and girls, who comprise about 70 percent of all trafficking victims. Gender theory helps explain this disproportionate impact on women. This study provides an overview of human trafficking, an empirical analysis of the relationship of gender inequality to trafficking, and specific steps that a business can take to help prevent this crime, protect its reputation, and avoid fines and lost business.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald L. Ariail & Katherine Taken Smith & Lawrence Murphy Smith, 2024. "Human Trafficking and Gender Inequality: How Businesses Can Lower Risks and Costs," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-21, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:17:y:2024:i:9:p:418-:d:1482535
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Janice Byrne & Salma Fattoum & Maria Cristina Diaz Garcia, 2019. "Role Models and Women Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurial Superwoman Has Her Say," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(1), pages 154-184, January.
    2. Todd Broker & David Durr & Lawrence Murphy Smith, 2019. "Analysis of the global energy industry, climate change and financial matters: the need for effective corporate governance," International Journal of Corporate Governance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(3/4), pages 185-208.
    3. Hannah Michelle Russell & Donald L. Ariail & Katherine Taken Smith & Lawrence Murphy Smith, 2023. "Religiosity and Risk: Association of Judeo-Christian Ethicality with a Sustainable Business Environment," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-19, September.
    4. Smith, Katherine Taken & Betts, Teresa, 2015. "Your company may unwittingly be conducting business with human traffickers: How can you prevent this?," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 225-234.
    5. Stefan Linnhoff & Hannah M. Martin & Katherine Taken Smith & L. Murphy Smith, 2014. "A descriptive analysis of ethics codes, CSR and efforts to combat human trafficking," International Journal of Corporate Governance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(3/4), pages 156-177.
    6. Kristen K. Shanine & Kimberly A. Eddleston & James G. Combs, 2019. "Same Boundary Management Preference, Different Outcome: Toward a Gendered Perspective of Boundary Theory Among Entrepreneurs," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(1), pages 185-205, January.
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