How the Concept of the Ideal Victim of Trafficking Contributes to Re-victimize Vulnerable Populations-Human Trafficking in the People’s Republic of China Analyzed Through the Lenses of Feminist Victimology

The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate how the concept of the ideal victim of crime contributes to re-victimize significant populations exploited by human traffickers. The argument is that seeing women trafficked in the sex industry as the norm together with a focus only on “women and children” as victims/survivors contribute to further hide-and therefore re-victimize-men and young boys. The People’s Republic of China is analyzed as a country-case study to exemplify how upholding the concept of an ideal victim impedes the protection of a large part of victims/survivors and at the same time hinders the possibility of seeing and judging many criminals as middlemen/women and/or as traffickers engaged in the exploitation human beings. This is not to say that trafficking only occurs in China. The People’s Republic of China is only an example of a country where this crime happens. Trafficking is a crime occurring globally. The concept of the Victimological Other will be instrumental in highlighting some of the victims/survivors that don’t receive the help and protection they deserve as de facto injured parties of the trafficking crime. The concept of the Criminological Other will also be partially examined to shed some light upon some criminals that are not enough studied. Chinese laws and case studies have been translated and analyzed through the lenses of feminist victimology. The ultimate argument of this thesis is that being recognized as a victim/survivor of trafficking and consequently receiving proper protection, compensation, care and rehabilitation are fundamental rights of every human being regardless of provenience, age, class, gender and sex and regardless of the sector where the exploitation takes place