Trust, Rapport, and Ethics in Human Trafficking Research: Reflections on Research with Male Labourers from South Asia in Singapore
This chapter discusses the complexities and challenges of conducting in depth research with trafficked persons. I draw on recently completed research with South Asian male workers in the construction, shipyard, and landscaping sectors to illustrate these issues. The chapter argues that standard ethical considerations (such as formal processes that recognize and attempt to manage risk and vulnerability) are not adequate in and of themselves when conducting research with trafficked persons. The chapter therefore expands on five interconnected ethics principles that extend beyond formal procedures. These include: respect, responsibility, reflexivity, reciprocity, and good relationships. Arguably these principles embrace a process oriented approach to human trafficking research, rather than an outcome oriented approach. The chapter also reflects on some of the concrete challenges in adhering to such principles, drawing on the project with South Asian workers.