In the first section, I review the scholarly literature on human trafficking, paying specific attention to where my research addresses the weaknesses in the literature. My paper focuses on the experience of the laborer and how that experience can be evaluated on a continuum of exploitation: from the most successful possible conditions to the worst outcome (forced labor).7 I attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the labor continuum by focusing on Latin America, specifically the cases of Bolivia, Chile and Peru. Studying this region is important since most research on human trafficking is focused on the United States and Europe.8 In the second section, I discuss my research design, including the definition of key concepts, the data and methods used and the rationale for case selection. The third section reports the findings of my research based on the independent variables of labor enforcement,type of industry, and race and ethnicity. In the concluding section, I analyze my findings across cases, discussing the broader implications and the potential forfuture research.