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Social Photo-Elicitation: The Use of Communal Production of Meaning to Hear a Vulnerable Population

Aakash Gautam, Chandani Shrestha, Deborah Tatar, Steve Harrison

TL;DR

This study examines the reintegration of sex-trafficking survivors in Nepal, using a communal social photo-elicitation method within a protected living program to surface voices often unheard in conventional interviews. The authors adapt photo-elicitation to emphasize collective meaning-making, revealing that survivors’ social capital arises from peer sisterhood and craft-based activities, while underscoring risks of stigma and privacy concerns. They offer design implications for CSCW/HCI that leverage crafts and communal spaces to build social ties, while incorporating obfuscation to protect identity. The work highlights ethical considerations and argues for cautious, governance-informed intervention that respects survivors’ dignity and safety, contributing to broader discourses on technology-enabled reintegration in vulnerable communities.

Abstract

We report on an initial ethnographic exploration of the situation of sex-trafficking survivors in Nepal. In the course of studying trafficking survivors in a protected-living situation created by a non-governmental organization in Nepal, we adapted photo-elicitation to hear the voices of the survivors by making the technique more communal. Bringing sociality to the forefront of the method reduced the pressure on survivors to assert voices as individuals, allowing them to speak. We make three contributions to research. First, we propose a communal form of photo-elicitation as a method to elicit values in sensitive settings. Second, we present the complex circumstances of the survivors as they undergo rehabilitation and move towards life with a ``new normal''. Third, our work adds to HCI and CSCW literature on understanding specific concerns of trafficking survivors and aims to inform designs that can support reintegration of survivors in society. The values that the survivors hold and their notion of future opportunities suggest possession of limited but important social capital in some domains that could be leveraged to aid reintegration.

Social Photo-Elicitation: The Use of Communal Production of Meaning to Hear a Vulnerable Population

TL;DR

This study examines the reintegration of sex-trafficking survivors in Nepal, using a communal social photo-elicitation method within a protected living program to surface voices often unheard in conventional interviews. The authors adapt photo-elicitation to emphasize collective meaning-making, revealing that survivors’ social capital arises from peer sisterhood and craft-based activities, while underscoring risks of stigma and privacy concerns. They offer design implications for CSCW/HCI that leverage crafts and communal spaces to build social ties, while incorporating obfuscation to protect identity. The work highlights ethical considerations and argues for cautious, governance-informed intervention that respects survivors’ dignity and safety, contributing to broader discourses on technology-enabled reintegration in vulnerable communities.

Abstract

We report on an initial ethnographic exploration of the situation of sex-trafficking survivors in Nepal. In the course of studying trafficking survivors in a protected-living situation created by a non-governmental organization in Nepal, we adapted photo-elicitation to hear the voices of the survivors by making the technique more communal. Bringing sociality to the forefront of the method reduced the pressure on survivors to assert voices as individuals, allowing them to speak. We make three contributions to research. First, we propose a communal form of photo-elicitation as a method to elicit values in sensitive settings. Second, we present the complex circumstances of the survivors as they undergo rehabilitation and move towards life with a ``new normal''. Third, our work adds to HCI and CSCW literature on understanding specific concerns of trafficking survivors and aims to inform designs that can support reintegration of survivors in society. The values that the survivors hold and their notion of future opportunities suggest possession of limited but important social capital in some domains that could be leveraged to aid reintegration.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 35 sections, 3 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Reflexivity and Commitments
  3. Related Work
  4. Vulnerable Communities and HCI
  5. Broader Impact Beyond HCI
  6. Prior Use of Photo-elicitation and Probes
  7. Methodology
  8. Context
  9. The Partner Organization
  10. Participants
  11. Methods
  12. Initial Ethnography and Interviews
  13. Social Photo-Elicitation Method
  14. Analysis Method
  15. Findings
  16. ...and 20 more sections

Figures (3)

  • Figure 1: The photo depicts a collection of handicrafts including cushion, shawls, poncho, and necklaces. Multiple participants had taken photographs of the shelf so they are grouped together. The text reads, "We hope that you will buy the handicraft products that we have made."
  • Figure 2: The sister-survivors used different angles and compositional techniques to hide their identity in the photo-book.
  • Figure 3: A set of pouch made from old sari clothes and knitted decorative products created by the sister-survivors. The translated text reads "One can easily work on these while sitting at home."