"The Trafficking of Women in China” Is gender a defining vulnerability factor?

Abstract: This thesis critically analyzes the aspect of women’s vulnerability factors in human trafficking in China. The analysis is based on a previous research overview that brings up the most important aspects and relates to the discussion on women’s vulnerability to the two trafficking forms, bride and sex trafficking. The theoretical framework consists of two interconnected feminist theories; feminist political economy and gendered relational approach. Both theories represent women and identify women’s subordination and gender as a defining factor. The feminist political economy approach looks at the totality of society, and sheds light on gender discriminating structures in the patriarchal Chinese society, gendered relational approach focuses on the gendered power relations and arises of women’s vulnerability from loss of social security, which makes them vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking. Part of the analysis places the vulnerability factors within the bigger picture of the Chinese States prevention and anti trafficking work. The thesis concludes that gender is a vulnerability factor, from patriarchal historical and cultural teaching there is a prevailing unequal gender power relation, where women in many areas of the Chinese society are being discriminated. Although gender is a determining factor, with rising poverty and the impact of policies by the Chinese State along with socioeconomic issues it has also shown to increase female victims in trafficking. These are therefore also important factors to include. There is a great need to further understand women’s vulnerability factors and address these to sincerely combat trafficking in China.