GSD PhD student presents paper on human trafficking at Criminology Conference

A PhD candidate within our GSD doctoral programme recently presented a paper discussing the ethical and methodological challenges of her research at the Annual Western Society of Criminology Conference, which was held from 5–7 February 2026 in Denver, Colorado.

Terry Odhiambo, who was awarded a Chancellor’s International Scholarship to research the nexus between climate change, forced migration, and human trafficking in Kenya, presented a paper titled “Researching Human Trafficking in Kenya: Navigating Ethical and Methodological Challenges” as part of the conference’s Ethical Considerations and Innovations in Research Methodology panel. Discussions during this session centred on students’ experiences navigating research ethics processes and the challenges of conducting ethical research in complex contexts.

Terry shared her experiences conducting fieldwork in Kenya, highlighting the ethical and methodological challenges she has faced whilst engaging with human trafficking survivors, key informants, and gatekeeping organisations such as NGOs that work on prevention, protection and reintegration of human trafficking victims and survivors. Her paper reflected the importance of trauma-informed practice, the emotional labour of interviewing, the role of narrative choice in shaping disclosure, and the ethical tensions during research.

Terry commented:

“I’m grateful to the GSD department and the Warwick Humanities Research Fund for supporting my participation in this conference. Researching human trafficking in the context of climate change requires deep ethical care, especially when working with survivors and the organisations that protect them. Sharing my reflections on trauma-informed practice, gatekeeping, and the challenges of researching hidden topics was an important opportunity to contribute to wider conversations about methodological reflexivity and responsible knowledge production.”

You can find out more about Terry’s research and latest publications by visiting her personal profile here.