Investigating human trafficking from the Andean Community to Europe: the role of goodwill in the researcher-gatekeeper relationship and in negotiating access to data

Author: Van Dyke, Ruth

Abstract: This research note describes different gatekeepers to quantitative data on victims of human trafficking in Europe. It explores how the researcher–gatekeeper relationship must be negotiated, and in particular, explicates how the notion of ‘goodwill’ might help foster a research relationship and collaboration. I identify that goodwill might be measured as a continuum, and argue that it can be fostered but at other times is constrained by factors outside of the researchers’ control. I conclude that goodwill is an important resource to help negotiate access with gatekeepers to hard-to-reach data.

Keywords: gatekeepers, hard-to-reach quantitative data, goodwill, human trafficking