Effectiveness of Social Marketing Campaign, & Town Hall Meeting as a Public Relations Strategy for Combating Human Trafficking in Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the effectiveness of intensified social marketing campaign and intensified town hall meeting as a public relations strategy for combating human trafficking in Nigeria. The rate of human trafficking had intensified in 21st century. The specific objectives were to assess the extent to which intensified social marketing campaign can influence combating human trafficking in Nigeria and to assess the extent of the effect of intensified town hall meeting on combating human trafficking in Nigeria. The population of the study is 9446 drawn from the postgraduate students of University of Nigeria Nsukka. The sample size is 400 using Taro Yamani sample size determination method. For the validity of the instrument, the questionnaire was vetted by research professionals based on face validity in terms of relevance to the subject matter, objective of the study, coverage of the content areas, appropriateness of language usage and clarity of purpose. The value of the test of reliability is 0.840 which was conducted using Cronbach's Alpha. Primary data was adopted for the study. Simple linear regression data analyzing techniques was applied. Hypothesis one revealed that intensified social marketing campaign will significantly influence combating human trafficking in Nigeria (r = 0.930; t = 39.710; F= 1.577E3; p < 0.05). It was also revealed that intensified town hall meeting has a significant effect on combating human trafficking in Nigeria (r = 0.974; t = 67.676; F= 4.580E3; p < 0.05). The study recommends that the media should conduct social marketing campaign by intensifying massage bombardment to expose the negative aspects of human trafficking by airing how culprits have been convicted as well as the pain victims go through in the quest to satisfy their materialistic motives abroad. In similar vein, NAPTIP should heighten the organization of town hall meeting to meet with community members to educate them thoroughly about human trafficking as a crime against humanity.