Professional Interactions with Sex-Trafficked Migrant Women in Spain

Everyday Discretion, Practices, and Challenges

Bibliographic Data

ID18102429
AuthorsChiara Gunella (0000-0003-2876-8145, Universitat de Barcelona, corresponding author), F Mancinelli (0000-0001-8142-614X, Universitat de Barcelona)
Year2026
Pages1-23
Publication date2026-05-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Human Trafficking (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2332-2705 • E-ISSN: 2332-2713
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23322705.2026.2669809
OpenAlexW7160617426
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited66

In Spain, multiple actors support migrant women who have experienced sex trafficking, including professionals from social work, healthcare, law enforcement, and advocacy. This study examines how these professionals translate policies of protection and control into everyday practice, examining how discretion is exercised and the factors that shape it. Drawing on 32 interviews and a street-level bureaucracy lens, the study shows that intervention logics vary according to organizational culture, institutional stigma, and the emotional and cultural frames of both professionals and survivors. The findings indicate a need for stronger inter-institutional collaboration, more critical reflection on the concepts of the “ideal victim” and “ideal survivor,” ongoing training, and culturally grounded practice. The study contributes to improving cross-institution cooperation and survivor-centered practice in line with SDG 5 and SDG 16

Agency (philosophy) · Ethnic group · Everyday life · Government (linguistics) · Immigration · Qualitative research · African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues · Feminism, Gender, and Intersectionality · Sex work and related issues

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