More than Modern Day Slavery : Stakeholder Perspectives and Policy on Human Trafficking in Florida

In recent years, Florida has acquired a reputation as fertile ground for human trafficking. On the heels of state and federal anti-human trafficking legislation, a host of organizations have risen to provide a range of services. In this thesis, I discuss findings from 26 interviews conducted with law enforcement, service providers, legal representatives and trafficked persons to contextualize the variability in the way anti-trafficking work is conceptualized by stakeholders across the state. Additionally, I explore how conflicting organizational policies on the local, state, and federal levels impact stakeholder collaboration and complicate trafficked persons\u27 attempts to navigate already complex processes of social/health services and documentation. Lastly, I provide policy recommendations that attempt to address the major issues associated with anti-trafficking work identified through the analysis of participant interviews