Over the past two decades, the authors, together and separately, have conducted a large number of research studies in Europe, the former Soviet Union and South-East Asia. Most of these studies have involved in-depth interviews with trafficking victims and practitioners from different fields of work (social work, psychology, criminal justice, education, health, etc.). These studies have been conducted with men, women and children trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labour, begging, criminal activities and forced marriage. Most of this research has been focused specifically on victims’ experiences of interventions—identification, protection, assistance, reintegration and access to justice. Much of our research has been applied in nature, targeting policymakers and practitioners to contribute to improved interventions for trafficked persons. In this chapter, we share ethical and methodological issues that have come up in these different research projects and some of what we have learned along the way.
