Decoding Trafficking Films: Advocate Perspectives On Human Trafficking Portrayals

Author

• Avery Mock, Clemson UniversityFollow

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communications

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. James N. Gilmore

Committee Member

Dr. Erin Ash

Committee Member

Dr. Andrew Pyle

Abstract

The crime of human trafficking is often used as a plot point in popular action films in the United States, however, many of these portrayals do not fully represent the truth of the crime, how it occurs, and who the victims are. Nonprofit organizations often combat this misrepresentation to re-educate the public, in addition to aiding survivors and fighting for legislation. Previous research has looked into false representations of human trafficking in both news and fictional media, as well as public and advocate sentiments of popular film portrayals. This thesis aimed to better understand the ways in which anti-trafficking advocates decoded popular film portrayals of the issue, specifically using Hall’s encoding-decoding model (1980) as a guiding framework. For this thesis, I conducted semi-structured interviews with advocates working in anti-trafficking nonprofits in order to learn their perceptions of four different films’ portrayals. In conducting these interviews, three main themes emerged, which can be described as 1) negotiated representation 2) consequences for advocacy work and public understanding and 3) advocate uses of popular films. The first theme highlighted a negotiated decoding by advocates which revealed that while films got the actual work of human trafficking wrong, the emotional toll of the experience was still present. The latter themes showcase how the films often cause confusion for the public in understanding the crime, however ultimately advocates can use the portrayals as a launchpad to drive conversations and re-education. This research lays the foundation for further studies into how popular culture can both highlight and obscure the complex issue of human trafficking, as well as points to a future of advocate voices in film portrayals.

Recommended Citation

Mock, Avery, "Decoding Trafficking Films: Advocate Perspectives On Human Trafficking Portrayals" (2026). All Theses. 4707.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4707