A Balancing Act : Understanding the Gap Between Experienced Realities and The EU Policies Towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings Through an Ontological (In)Security Lens

Abstract: The issue of human trafficking is, as stated by the EU, a crime that alters the fabric of our society and is a severe violation of human rights. However, the migration crisis within the EU has fueled a rise of the right across the continent. This rise reflects feelings of anxiety amongst citizens towards migration and resulting in hardening migration policies, increasing the vulnerability of migrants. It is this duality this study aims to understand by the introduction of ontological security. To understand the reality of victims, a qualitative content analysis revealed the ontological (in)securities of victims. Overall, they feel a lack of control and autonomy. This lack of control becomes highly visible in regards of obtaining a residence permit. The ontological (in)security felt by victims in this aspect, might be due to the ontological insecurity of the EU and its member states. The anxiety created by migration needs to be managed, resulting in an ambiguous policy. As found through a qualitative content analysis, the EU indicates a differentiation in EU victims and non-EU victims. This ambiguity is a result of the balancing act between the EU’s ontological security and the anxieties of its member states.