A Systematic Review of Consent, Coercion, and Compassion : Understanding the Responses of Trafficked Women

Janaanie, Janaanie and Tharshini, N. K. (2025) A Systematic Review of Consent, Coercion, and Compassion : Understanding the Responses of Trafficked Women. Hong Kong Journal of Social Sciences, 65 (Spring). pp. 50-71. ISSN 1021-3619

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Abstract

The purpose of this research: is to examine the complex interplay of consent, coercion, and compassion in shaping the lived experiences and responses of trafficked women — a pervasive global issue with profound human rights and social implications. Methodology: Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive and systematic literature search was conducted, resulting in the inclusion of 33 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2024. Records were identified through multiple academic databases, screened for eligibility, and evaluated against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A qualitative synthesis focused on the factors that entrap women in human trafficking networks and the continuum between perceived voluntary participation and coercive circumstances. Main Findings: The findings reveal that sociocultural determinants, including economic vulnerability, gendered power imbalances, and institutionalized coercion, critically facilitate the recruitment and retention of women in trafficking contexts. Identified rehabilitation strategies include trauma-informed care, comprehensive legal assistance, and community-based reintegration programs. This review highlights the critical need to balance accountability mechanisms for perpetrators with survivor-centered, compassion-based support systems for victims. Applications: These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and advocacy groups seeking to develop more effective, victim-sensitive anti-trafficking interventions and support frameworks. Novelty/Originality: This review contributes a novel conceptual lens by critically analyzing the blurred boundaries between consent and coercion, and by emphasizing the role of compassion as both a protective and empowering factor in the recovery and reintegration of trafficked women, as this aspect remains underexplored in existing literature.

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