A Perfect Storm: Bride Trafficking from Myanmar to China

The trafficking of women and girls from Myanmar to China for the purposes of forced marriage and forced childbearing is a serious and under-researched social problem. It occurs as a result of a high demand for women and girls for forced marriage in China, and a high supply of vulnerable women and girls in Myanmar.

This thesis will make an empirical contribution to understanding of this problem. It is expected that findings will also speak to broader conceptual debates regarding modern slavery, human trafficking, forced marriage, and bride trafficking. The research questions are as follows:

1. What are the different typologies of bride trafficking from Myanmar to China?
2. How is bride trafficking from Myanmar to China changing?
3. How do Chinese perpetrators - or "husbands" - perceive the practice of bride trafficking from Myanmar to China?

Primary research is conducted online in collaboration with partner NGOs in Myanmar. This includes expert interviews, victim case management data, and online forums where Chinese men discuss purchasing a Burmese bride.