The transnational nature of human trafficking means that many different countries grapple with the same problem. Despite the commonality of the problem, definitions of smuggling and trafficking in human beings vary widely, resulting in divergent laws and challenges for researchers studying the problem. The author examines the definitions of smuggling and trafficking in human beings provided in two different United Nations protocols and illustrates that the differences that exist between the concepts of smuggling and trafficking exist only on paper. In reality, trafficking is complex and nuanced and thus difficult to conceptualize and measure via the usual empirical routes. The United Nations Global Programme Against Trafficking in Human Beings is discussed and the author presents the results of a United Nations pilot study on the trafficking process and the role of organized criminal networks in human trafficking, which was conducted in the Philippines, Japan, and Malaysia from July 1999 through May 2002. Results of victim interviews in each country revealed the highly mobile nature of human trafficking, the role of debt in victim exploitation, and the range of deceit, coercion, and exploitation involved, especially during the initial contact and upon arrival in the destination country. The response of the criminal justice system in the Philippines is examined as the author argues that only a minority of trafficking victims are likely to report their victimization to officials. Recommendations for the protection and assistance of women victimized by human trafficking are provided, including the recommendation that governments work closely with non-governmental organizations specializing in victim support. Notes, references