Life Interrupted: Trafficking into Forced Labor in the United States

Abstract

Reviews the book, Life Interrupted: Trafficking into Forced Labor in the United States by Denise Brennan (2014). The book situates human trafficking on a continuum of exploitation and abuse of migrant workers and provides a rich and timely examination of the many ways that forced labor differs from this dominant prostitution narrative in the United States. Organized in two parts, the book chronicles the experiences of a small number of formerly trafficked persons and supplements these narratives with interviews from legal advocates, service providers, and government officials in eight U.S. communities. Brennan masterfully weaves together the experiences of formerly trafficked people as they are recruited into and endure trafficking, leave situations of exploitation, seek services, and rebuild their lives after trafficking. Brennan masterfully connects the plight of victims of forced labor to larger questions about U.S. labor practices and immigration policies. Fighting human trafficking requires commitment beyond public service announcements, documentaries, and feel-good benefits. Preventing forced labor requires us to fundamentally rethink U.S. immigration policies and the many ways the abuse of vulnerable people is excused in the name of profit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)