“Patriarchal Value” and Trafficking North Korean Women into China for Forced Marriage: Evidence from Court Judgments
Shuqin Mei, LLM, PhD(c), CUHK | September 22 | 9:45-10:45 am
Topic: Research, International | Knowledge Level: Intermediate
Although scholarship about human trafficking has increased in the last two decades, no literature analyzes the trafficking of North Korean women for forced marriage in China based on Chinese official documents. Drawing on data from the China Judgement Online (CJO) website, a sample of 66 court documents involving 222 traffickers and 192 buyers from 2014 to 2020 was used. Using a content analysis approach, based on manual collation and data collection, this study contributes to the marriage trafficking literature by exploring (a) the identity characteristics and motivations of traffickers, buyers, and victims, (b) the trafficking procedure, and (c) the division of labor among traffickers and patterns of penalties imposed on the traffickers. The findings imply that both traffickers and buyers mainly have low education, no stable employment, and are geographically concentrated in northeastern China. The trafficking process can be divided into recruitment, border crossing, transportation, matchmaking, transfer, and transaction. Sentence type and length are related to the victims’ number, while fines are not. China’s demand for women victims is closely tied to a patriarchal culture. Finally, the implications for research and policy will be discussed.
Presentation Objectives:
· Enhance understanding of trafficking in North Korean women for forced marriage in China through analysis of court documents
· Provide important recommendations for policymakers and researchers