Respondent-Driven Sampling: An Overview in the Context of Human Trafficking

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is both a sampling strategy and an estimation method. It is commonly used to study individuals that are difficult to access with standard sampling techniques. As with any sampling strategy, RDS has advantages and challenges. This article examines recent work using RDS in the context of human trafficking. We begin with an overview of the RDS process and methodology, then discuss RDS in the particular context of trafficking. We end with a description of recent work and potential future directions.