Data Collection – Unstructured and In-depth Interviews

Data, as the basic material with which researchers work (Durrheim, 1999: 45), necessitates access to documents, people and places as a prerequisite for successful research (Denscombe, 2002: 70). Leedy and Ormrod (2013: 74) distinguish a good researcher as someone who is eclectic and willing to draw on whatever sources seem to offer productive methods or evidence for addressing the research problem. As pointed out in Chapter 2, the veracity of claims regarding the scope, nature and extent of human trafficking for sexual exploitation in the South African context has been widely questioned by some prominent scholars. It was therefore important for the researcher to generate an understanding of the essential nature of the multipronged investigation of human trafficking for sexual exploitation through those who had first- hand experience of the phenomenon of interest (Usher & Jackson, 2014: 188).

Lester (1999: 2) argues that a variety of methods can be used in phenomenologically based research. These include interviews, conversations, participant observation,

action research, focus meetings and analysis of personal texts. Lester highlights a general principle of minimum structure and maximum depth whilst underscoring the establishment of a good level of rapport and empathy as critical to gaining depth of information (Lester, 1999: 2). In line with this sentiment, the researcher’s background and exposure to human trafficking issues since 2002 have allowed for numerous relationships to develop over the past 16 years. As part of an intricate network of well- connected and experienced counter-human trafficking stakeholders, these relationships served as a catalyst for access to the relevant participants that were included in this study and for achieving the desired level of depth as mentioned by Lester (1999: 2).

The extent to which the researcher continued with data collection was dictated by the notion of data saturation. Saturation, according to Corbin and Holt (2011: 116), represents the point in the research process where the researcher establishes that categories are completely and well developed in terms of their properties and dimensions. The authors highlight that data collection cannot go on forever and much of what a researcher discovers after a while becomes superfluous. Despite the resources available to the researcher in terms of the AQIP scholarship he had received, he had to make a judgement, based on time and money, about when to stop collecting data (Corbin & Holt, 2011: 116).

Notwithstanding that new forms of qualitative data continually emerge in literature, Creswell (2013: 157-158) argues that all forms of data can be grouped into four basic types of information: observations, interviews, documents and audio-visual materials. Unstructured and in-depth interviews were the primary method of data collection utilised by the researcher. The diversity of participants, and their experiences and perspectives offered, fed into the researcher’s endeavours to be eclectic (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013: 74) and to add validity to the findings of the research through triangulation (Creswell, 2013: 251).

Flexibility in terms of structure, content, question wording and order is considered the chief strength of unstructured interviews in qualitative research (Kumar, 2014: 177). An example of an unstructured interview is phenomenological interviewing, which is described by Marshall and Rossman (2011: 148) as a specific type of in-depth interviewing grounded in the philosophical tradition of phenomenology. It is concerned

with the study of lived experiences and the way in which those experiences are understood to develop a worldview. Whilst resting on the supposition that there is a structure and essence to shared experiences that can be narrated, the purpose of phenomenological interviewing is to describe the meaning of a concept or phenomenon that several individuals share (Marshall & Rossman, 2011: 148).

Lengthy interviews, usually between one and two hours in length, are a fundamental data-collection technique on which phenomenological researchers depend (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013: 145). After numerous conversations, field notes and meetings and after attending the SANPAD academic programme, which contributed to the conceptualisation of this study, the researcher began the interviews with selected participants in March 2015. Following agreement with participants on the date, time and place of the interview, the researcher proceeded by introducing himself, which was followed by an initial rapport-building conversation. The conversation revolved around a discussion of the purpose of the research, the informed consent form (ANNEXURE 4) and the process that would follow subsequent to the interview, which included the use of a professional transcriptionist and maintaining confidentiality.

An ‘actor attribute’ form (ANNEXURE 5) was also completed during the initial rapport- building conversation with participants, which included basic biographical details, their years of experience with the issue of human trafficking, professional background information, and their motivations for working in this specific field. One question in the actor attribute form was: ‘what informs your work (experience) on this issue?’ The answers to this question provided some insightful information. For victims of trafficking and professionals and perpetrators in the sex trade, this question was contextually translated and phrased to mine a combination of information. For victims of trafficking, their motivations for continuing in counter-human trafficking efforts, and for professionals and perpetrators in the sex trade, their motivations for participating in the sex trade were mined. Furthermore, for both victims of trafficking and actors and perpetrators in the sex trade, their motivations for disclosing and engaging in this research were unearthed. Some of these responses are included in Chapter 4, where the different participants and their respective subsystems are introduced. The actor attribute form was, on occasions, completed subsequent to the interview when time was limited or when unforeseen circumstances necessitated this.

A voice recorder was used to record interviews, with each interview characteristically starting with the researcher reminding participants that the conversation was being recorded. The interview was prompted by the following open-ended questions:

 What have you experienced in terms of the investigation of human trafficking for sexual exploitation?

 What contexts/situations have typically influenced/affected your experiences of the investigation of human trafficking for sexual exploitation?

The textural and structural dimensions of the questions (see: Creswell, 2013: 193-194) were explained by the researcher before the subsequent conversation began. Consistent with hermeneutic phenomenology, the researcher entered the interview space assuming that the experience shared by a participant is an account of their understanding of their experience and recognised that the whole experience would never be told or heard as truth is never fully revealed (Crowther et al., 2016: 3). Van Manen (2014: 54) notes that people generally share opinions, views and perceptions much more easily than sensitive experiential accounts. Care was therefore taken from the outset of initial communications with participants about the research study, until the actual interview to build a deep sense of trust and understanding in order to reach those sensitive experiential landscapes that each participant had journeyed. The researcher listened attentively as participants described their everyday experiences related to the investigation of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and remained alert for subtle yet meaningful cues in participants’ expressions, pauses, questions and occasional sidetracks (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013: 145). Despite the use of audio- recording to capture the interviews, the researcher continued to make notes, personal reflections and observations in his PhD Field Note Journal (Arthur & Nazroo, 2003: 132-133).

As the research was a phenomenologically informed study that was conducted in the context of a multicultural environment with participants from various nationalities, cultures and backgrounds, the researcher employed a variety of micro skills for effective communication, as emphasised by Usher and Jackson (2014: 189). These included being respectful, active listening, use of questioning in various forms, clarity in speaking, reflective communication, being comfortable with silence and allowing enough time for participants to respond. Application of the TED principle (Walker,

2017), which stands for Tell, Explain and Describe, proved to be a handy tool during the interview and allowed the interviewees to relax and communicate more effectively with the researcher. The TED principle was usually applied when initial ‘surface level’ responses emerged (Legard, Keegan & Ward, 2003: 141), and during the second and third wave of iteration when the researcher reflected on his field notes and sought clarity regarding relevant aspects of interviewee responses. The researcher also had a complex systems characteristics form (ANNEXURE 6) at hand, which he reflected upon at the end of each interview and which contained the main tenets of complex systems theory explicated in Section 5.8. The complex systems characteristics form allowed for the identification of relevant theoretical themes that emerged during the interviews and complemented the phenomenological philosophy with a deeper understanding of the lived experiences shared by the participants (see: Van Manen, 2014: 67).

The unstructured and in-depth interviews allowed for flexibility, interactivity between researcher and interviewees, and a range of probes that facilitated a depth of answers in terms of penetration, exploration and explanation (Legard et al., 2003: 141). The typical interview represented an informal yet focussed conversation where the participant did most of the talking, with the researcher doing most of the listening (see: Spence, 2016: 3; Usher & Jackson, 2014: 189; Leedy & Ormrod, 2013: 146). The 91 interviews were made up of:

 81 face-to-face interviews with 85 participants. Three of the 81 face-to-face interviews consisted of 2 or more participants being interviewed simultaneously. These included Participants NGO 4 and NGO 5, who requested to be interviewed together as they felt more ‘comfortable’ in doing so. Time constraints and official responsibilities on the part Participants DSD 5 and DSD 6 were provided as reasons for being interviewed together. Participants CS 7, CS 8 and CS 9 were all homeowners in a suburb where human trafficking activities were taking place and they requested that the interview with them was conducted as a collective;

 One conference call with two participants (INT 4 and INT 5) who were not available for face-to-face interviews. Participant INT 4 preferred to participate in the research together with Participant INT 5, who was no longer positioned in South Africa. The relevant documentation (proposal, ethical clearance, informed consent and actor

attribute form) was forwarded to the participants, after which a date was arranged for the conference call and interview. The completed informed consent forms were emailed back to the researcher;

 Three Skype interviews with Participants STP 2, MED 2 and MED 3 respectively. The relevant documentation (proposal, ethical clearance, informed consent and actor attribute form) was forwarded to the participants, after which a date was arranged for the Skype call and interview. The completed informed consent forms were emailed back to the researcher. Participant MED 3 provided an elaborate response of her experience with the phenomenon via email, which served as the platform for the aforementioned Skype interview. All Skype interviews conducted in this research were also recorded and subsequently transcribed; and

 One comprehensive email response and subsequent telephone interview with Participant NPA 5. This was preceded by the relevant documentation (proposal, ethical clearance, informed consent and actor attribute form) being forwarded to the participant. The completed informed consent form was emailed back to the researcher. An in-person conversation subsequently followed with Participant NPA 5, during which the substance of the telephonic interview and email conversation was affirmed.

A number of important annotations were made during the interviews, which the researcher deemed important to document. In one interview (STP 5), the researcher made a note during the closing minutes of the interview regarding a possible exaggeration on the part of the interviewee, who offered an explanation that, at least for the researcher, could not be considered reasonably frank. The researcher reflected on Crowther et al. (2016: 3), who refer to cases of exaggeration that speak to what is understood and felt as important by the teller to highlight in any given moment. Coming to “grasp the mind of the participant” is therefore not possible, nor can the researcher

“recover the past as it actually was” (Koch, 1998: 1188). One participant (NPA 6) was

not comfortable with the interview being voice-recorded. This was communicated by the participant to the researcher during the initial rapport-building conversation. A PhD Field Note Journal entry was made accordingly, with the request also documented on the signed informed consent form dated 27 May 2015. Extensive notes were made during the interview, with additional interview notes made during subsequent counter-

trafficking task team meetings. The final transcription was sent via email to the participant (NPA 6) for perusal, which the participant approved.

Working with and doing research on the experiences of victims of trafficking require a number of ethical considerations, which the researcher adhered to and which will be discussed in more detail in Section 3.4: ‘The ethical dimension of the study’. No minors, whether participants in general or victims of trafficking, were included in this research. Extensive notes on practical interview arrangements, discussions and dynamics during interviews with victims were made in the PhD Field Note Journal to meet the aforementioned ethical requirements.

The first interview was conducted with a participant (VOT 1) that was known to the researcher. An established relationship of trust existed and therefore the researcher was aware, through previous engagements, that the participant showed emotion and became passionate when sharing her experiences. The researcher arranged for a qualified counselling psychologist, Andria*14_{, who was a friend and experienced in} working with complex trauma, to accompany him to the interview. The participant (VOT 1) was consulted and agreed to the presence of the psychologist during the interview. The participant chose her ‘favourite restaurant’ as the interview venue. During the final stages of the interview, the participant became emotional after sharing her frustration, which emanated from a lack of urgency by authorities to investigate her case. Andria* was able to console and helped VOT 1 to reflect on her emotion through a number of clarifying questions emanating from extensive note-taking during the interview. The researcher had a number of subsequent conversations with the participant, who communicated a sense of empowerment when talking about her experience whilst finding meaning and comfort in working with children and serving others.

Participant VOT 2 was also known to the researcher. The interview with VOT 2 was conducted at her place of residence and in the presence of her husband, whom she described as her best friend. The participant’s husband freely contributed to the conversation and, at times, was requested by VOT 2 to provide context and personal insights from his vantage point. What stood out for the researcher during this interview was the frequent use of humour by VOT 2 to describe severe harm and unsettling

experiences. The presence of her husband clearly contributed to the safe environment and richness of information that was gathered during the interview. The researcher remained in contact with VOT 2 through his role with the NFN. She still found meaning and purpose in community service and human trafficking-prevention activities.

Participant VOT 3 was introduced to the researcher by members of the counter- trafficking community. An initial telephonic conversation was the first contact made with VOT 3, during which the purpose of the research was communicated. An initial date, time and place were not agreed upon during the first telephonic conversation as it merely served as an introduction and rapport-building endeavour. During a subsequent telephonic conversation, the participant (VOT 3) mentioned that her employer knew of the researcher and that she therefore felt comfortable to meet in person. The interview with VOT 3 took place in a coffee shop, chosen as the venue by the participant and located adjacent to her place of employment. Before the interview began, the researcher again confirmed whether the participant was at ease to engage in the interview on her own. She responded in the affirmative and highlighted the purpose of the research as the impetus for her participation. The researcher made a follow-up phone call to the participant after the interview as a gesture to enquire how she was doing. A number of subsequent telephonic conversations with the participant followed, which addressed a combination of issues related to her well-being, work in counter-human trafficking and updated reflections on the research.

Participant VOT 4 was introduced to the researcher by Participant CS 3. Participant CS 3 had been involved in providing assistance to VOT 4 after her eight-year ordeal at the hands of traffickers. The interview with VOT 4 was conducted at the place of her employment and in the presence of her confidant CS 3. CS 3 freely contributed to the conversation and, at times, was requested by VOT 4 to provide context and personal insights from her vantage point. VOT 4 credited her faith in God, a support network at church and friends such as CS 3 for her ongoing well-being, her ability to serve others and her endeavours to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking.

Participant VOT 5 was introduced to the researcher during a meeting between the NFN and the support personnel of the care facility where she was accommodated as a victim of trafficking. The purpose of the meeting was to network and discuss possible

collaboration and partnerships between the care facility, who provided psychosocial services to victims of trafficking, and the NFN. Owing to alleged experience of corruption by the SAPS and the broader criminal justice system, neither VOT 5 nor the support personnel at the care facility had any intention of approaching the authorities to pursue VOT 5’s matter criminally. The researcher shared some insights gleaned from his ongoing research and enquired whether VOT 5 would be interested in participating in the research, contingent upon a subsequent informed decision by her and the support personnel. The informed consent form was emailed for their perusal whereafter the support personnel responded via email the following day stating that VOT 5 would be happy to participate. A date was identified for two weeks later and the researcher again confirmed consensus from all parties before the interview took place in the presence of a support team member. Participant VOT 5 was vocal about her sense of being loved and cared for by the support personnel, credited her faith in God as the source of being hopeful about the future and shared her ambitions of reaching out to others who continue to be trapped in the claws of human trafficking.

The length of interviews ranged on a continuum from 27 minutes as the shortest, with Participant SAPS 13, to 2 hours 39 minutes as the longest, with Participant STP 5. The average length of the interviews was 75 minutes. Audio recordings of the interviews were saved on a password-encrypted personal computer, with duplicate copies saved on an external hard drive. The diverse group of participants, and the complex, multi-angled experiences they shared regarding the investigation of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, made a novel contribution towards achieving the aim of this research.