Date of Graduation

8-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Sociology (MA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Sociology and Criminal Justice

Advisor/Mentor

Gruenewald, Jeffrey A.

Committee Member

Niño, Michael D.

Second Committee Member

Allison, Kayla

Keywords

Human trafficking; Media coverage; Media framing

Abstract

This study examines what makes mainstream news media representations of human trafficking cases newsworthy, and how news media choose to frame sensationalized human trafficking stories. While there have been several notable studies examining news media framing of human trafficking as a social issue more generally, prior research has yet to empirically investigate how the news media cover specific human trafficking cases, thus overlooking what types of attributes make cases newsworthy. This is an important gap in research as the types of cases that get covered, or ignored, by news media, and how stories frame various aspects of these crimes, informs how the public understands human trafficking as a social problem. Drawing from crime novelty and cultural deviance perspectives, the current study asks (1) what makes human trafficking cases newsworthy? (2) how do the human trafficking cases considered most newsworthy choose to portray victims and offenders? To answer these questions, a media distortion analysis (Research Question 1) and framing analysis (Research Question 2) are conducted using data from the Human Trafficking Study (HTS) and available print news media stories associated with specific cases of human trafficking in the United States between 2010 and 2022. Findings reveal that human trafficking cases with the most novel characteristics are more likely to receive sensational media coverage. In addition, findings suggest that victim and offender innocence in the news media can be affected by specific characteristics. Particularly, victims who may be involved in a sexual field of work may be more likely to experience victim blaming as compared to others. Implications for future research and policy, along with study limitations, are discussed.

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