Intersectional Standpoint Methodology: Toward Theory-Driven Participatory Research on Human Trafficking

Human trafficking research has increased over the last 20 years; however, the limited use of empiricism and theory in human trafficking research fuels criticism that extant human trafficking research lacks rigor and legitimacy. This deficit complicates researchers' ability to limit bias and employ measurable variables, ultimately hampering the creation of knowledge and evidence-based interventions for practitioners engaged in work on micro- and macrolevels. In an effort to address these liabilities in research, the authors propose an intersectional standpoint methodology (ISM) for human trafficking scholarship. At its foundation, the proposed qualitative methodology maintains that (a) the individual's standpoint is critical to understanding oppression, (b) structural obstacles in political and social systems lead to further oppression, (c) oppressed persons' storytelling and lived experiences are critical, and (d) any knowledge about oppressed groups obtained through qualitative inquiry ought to be applied to macrosystems to create change. This proposed methodology identifies measurable variables by which to explore the trafficking experience and is positioned to enhance scholarly activities with survivors through community-based participatory research.