Gaining a Fuller Picture of Sex Trafficking in Manitoba: A Case Study of Narrative-Based Research Utilizing 'Low Tech' Thematic Analysis

This article explores narrative-based, person-centered research, carried out by the author for his PhD dissertation, titled "Modern Day Slavery and the Sex Industry: Raising the Voices of Survivors and Collaborators While Confronting Sex Trafficking and Exploitation in Manitoba, Canada." The article describes interview dynamics considered and accounted for, including positionality of the researcher and the narrative-based research methodology. The author provides detailed description of the grounded, inductive, "old school," low technology data analysis process used, some of the challenges encountered, and recommendations for similar studies in future. The key challenges arose from the positionality of the researcher and the need to protect the participants from potential repercussions. The recommendations relate to the relevance of narrative-based research, limited transferability of the results of such research, and the value of a more open-ended interviewing style.