500 results on '"Human Trafficking"'
Search Results
2. Factors Influencing Domestic Human Trafficking in Africa: Protocol for a Scoping Review.
- Author
-
Belaid L, Sarmiento I, Dion A, Rojas Cardenas A, Cockcroft A, and Andersson N
- Subjects
- Humans, Africa epidemiology, Human Trafficking prevention & control, Human Trafficking legislation & jurisprudence
- Abstract
Background: Human trafficking is a human rights violation in every region of the world. The African continent is not spared. Every year, millions of people experience significant health and social consequences. International organizations and governments combating human trafficking are hindered by a lack of knowledge about what factors influence domestic (within-country) human trafficking., Objective: This study aims to conduct a scoping review to collate and synthesize literature on factors influencing domestic trafficking in Africa., Methods: We will follow Arksey and O'Malley's framework to answer the question about reported influences on domestic human trafficking and their relative weight. The search strategy will explore PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 2 independent researchers will select quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods studies that examine relationships influencing domestic human trafficking. We will document our results by following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. We will extract a list of all reported relationships between identified factors influencing domestic human trafficking in each study. Based on a discourse analysis approach, we will weigh the strengths of the relationships based on how frequently they are reported across the included studies. We will summarize the findings as fuzzy cognitive maps depicting the relationships reported in the literature. The maps represent the influences between concepts (nodes) linked by arrows (edges) going from each cause to its outcomes. These maps are helpful visual summaries of the factors associated with domestic human trafficking, allowing a comparison with maps to be created by stakeholder groups., Results: This project received financial support in March 2023. We expect to start the project in March 2024. We recruited 2 research staff members to conduct the scoping review and expect to publish the results in March 2025., Conclusions: The review will provide a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing domestic human trafficking in Africa. The overlap of human trafficking with other forms of exploitation, the limited literature on domestic human trafficking, and the likely diversity of factors are challenges for the review. We propose strategies to address these challenges., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/56392., (©Loubna Belaid, Ivan Sarmiento, Anna Dion, Andrés Rojas Cardenas, Anne Cockcroft, Neil Andersson. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 18.11.2024.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Experiences and impact of moral injury in human trafficking survivors: a qualitative study.
- Author
-
Williamson V, Murphy D, Katona C, Curry C, Weldon E, and Greenberg N
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Adult, Male, Morals, Young Adult, Middle Aged, United Kingdom, Psychological Distress, Human Trafficking psychology, Survivors psychology, Qualitative Research
- Abstract
Background: Research in recent years has increasingly highlighted the relationship between exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) and poor mental health outcomes. Human trafficking survivors often report exposure to many traumatic and PMIEs and given the complexities of trafficking exploitation, survivors may be especially vulnerable to moral injury. Despite this, no research has investigated experiences of PMIEs and moral injury in human trafficking survivors. The objective was to explore survivors' experiences of PMIEs, the impact of PMIEs on wellbeing and functioning and the factors that may influence outcomes following PMIEs., Method: Participants were seven human trafficking survivors from diverse backgrounds who had settled in the UK. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone. Data were analysed using thematic analysis., Results: Human trafficking survivors were found to experience multiple PMIEs, including transgressive acts committed by others and betrayal by trusted loved ones or those in positions of authority. Experiencing PMIEs contributed towards considerable psychological distress, including intense feelings of shame, anger and worthlessness, and negatively impacted survivors daily functioning. Formal support, especially practical help (e.g. warm clothing) and social support groups, were experienced as particularly beneficial., Conclusions: This study provides some of the first evidence that human trafficking survivors may be vulnerable to moral injury and indicates the impact that exposure to PMIEs can have on functioning. Future work is needed to ensure that statutory organisations consider the potential for causing moral injury when interacting with human trafficking survivors and clinical care teams are equipped to provide tailored guidance and support., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethical approval King’s College London Research Ethics Committee (HR-20/21-18272). Human ethics and consent to participate All participants provided informed consent to participate. This study was reviewed and approved by King’s College London Research Ethics Committee (HR-20/21-18272) in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Practitioners' perspectives on working with families of minors experiencing sex trafficking: Family risk factors and implications for family based interventions.
- Author
-
Nichols AJ, Oberstaedt M, Slutsker S, and Gilbert K
- Abstract
Purpose: The current study explored family risk factors for sex trafficking of minors and the implications for family based interventions post identification., Methods: Drawing from 30 interviews with social service and criminal justice professionals in a Midwestern metropolitan area, this qualitative study focused on their perspectives and experiences working with families of minors involved in sex trafficking. A small research team conducted an inductive analysis of transcribed audio recorded interviews. Coding of the transcribed interviews involved multiple phases, including open and selective independent co-coding processes., Results: Results indicated that parents were often unaware of their child's involvement in a sex trafficking situation, and did not recognize warning signs. Family risk factors, including child sexual abuse and parental substance use disorder, preceded children's experiences with sex trafficking and continued to present challenges post-identification. Inaccessibility of resources to meet basic needs was an environmental risk factor impacting families and their children as well. Furthermore, family members' ability to provide a supportive relationship and structure for their child following sex trafficking involvement was also described as challenging., Conclusions: Implications for prevention of retrafficking through family based interventions include providing sex trafficking related education to family members, facilitating development of supportive relationships, discussing the importance of providing structure following a sex trafficking situation, and providing individually tailored resources to family members to address substance use disorders, mental health challenges, and basic needs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no competing interests associated with this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. The Sentosa Nurses: Historical Context for Policies to Protect Internationally-Educated Nurses from Human Trafficking.
- Author
-
Rosario AA
- Abstract
This article presents a historical analysis of the Sentosa nurses, a group of nurses recruited from the Philippines in 2005 and 2006 to work in a health-care facility on Long Island, New York. The international nurse recruitment company that hired them underpaid them, assigned them to work in unsafe conditions with low nurse-to-patient ratios, and breached other parts of their contracts with the nurses. When the nurses decided to resign and break from their contracts early, the recruitment company retaliated, initiating civil, administrative, and criminal charges against the nurses. The Sentosa nurses' story reflects that by the end of the first decade of the 2000s, the international nurse recruitment industry grew not only in size, but also in power, leaving internationally-educated nurses vulnerable to exploitation. More recent reports from 2019 of the labor trafficking of internationally-educated nurses are not new. Instead, a historical perspective reveals an ongoing pattern of deceptive practices and informs recommendations for stricter policies that ban recruiters from using liquidated damages provisions or breach-of-contract fees to trap nurses in exploitative work environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author is a member of the PNAA and received a Graduate Student Scholarship from the organization in 2022. The manuscript solely reflects the views of the author. The PNAA was not involved with the study design, data analysis, interpretation of the data, or writing of the report, and the PNAA did not stipulate restrictions on the submission of this manuscript for publication.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. "It's Not Love, Baby Doll. It's Science": Experiences of Trauma Bonding Among Survivors of Sex Trafficking.
- Author
-
Casassa K, England G, and Karandikar S
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Adult, Crime Victims psychology, Young Adult, Object Attachment, Community-Based Participatory Research, Middle Aged, Human Trafficking psychology, Survivors psychology
- Abstract
Trauma bonds between sex trafficking survivors and their traffickers or other perpetrators are one of the most complex and least understood concerns facing survivors. This community-based participatory research phenomenological study sought to understand how survivors have experienced trauma bonding. The sample consisted of 19 female survivors who were all participants in or graduates of a human trafficking specialty docket. Two themes emerged from the data. The first theme is the source of the trauma bond, namely who survivors had trauma bonds with. The second theme is features of trauma bonds, which included three subthemes: survivors have experienced trauma bonds (a) as involuntary, (b) as having lingering power, and (c) as consisting of both love and hate. These findings contain significant implications for practice, policy, and future research., (© 2024 Springer Publishing Company.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Working With Youth Who Have Experienced Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Voices From the Field.
- Author
-
Helpingstine C and Kenny MC
- Subjects
- Humans, Adolescent, Female, Male, Adult, Young Adult, Human Trafficking, Qualitative Research, Sex Work psychology
- Abstract
Little is known about the experiences of service providers working with youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). In this qualitative study, 12 service providers shared their experiences working with youth who have experienced CSE. Thematic analysis was used to develop key themes that included the challenges posed by working with this population, including the breadth of necessary services and the type of support that is needed for this work. Participants shared the importance of being prepared to work with this population and learn from those with lived experience. The complexity of cases and the difficulty engaging youth who had experienced CSE were also themes. These results can inform service providers who work with youth about the common challenges in working with this population and prepare the next generation of service providers for this difficult work. Training service providers, managing their expectations, and getting them ready for their role will be critical for successful intervention with youth who have experienced CSE., (© 2024 Springer Publishing Company.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Corrigendum: Reframing human trafficking awareness campaigns in the United States: goals, audience, and content.
- Author
-
Savoia E, Piltch-Loeb R, Muibu D, Leffler A, Hughes D, and Montrond A
- Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1195005.]., (Copyright © 2024 Savoia, Piltch-Loeb, Muibu, Leffler, Hughes and Montrond.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Increased Emergency Department Identification of Young People Experiencing Trafficking During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.
- Author
-
Panda P, Deng Y, Fang A, Ward V, Wang E, Newberry J, Mathur M, and Patel A
- Abstract
Objective: Human trafficking is a public health issue affecting young people across the United States, and trafficked young people frequently present to emergency departments (EDs). The identification of trafficked young people by pediatric EDs during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well understood. We examined trends in the identification of young people with current or lifetime experiences of trafficking in US pediatric EDs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: We performed an interrupted time-series analysis using the Pediatric Health Information System database, which includes data from 49 US children's hospitals, to determine differences in rates of trafficked young people identified in pediatric EDs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: We included 910 patients; 255 prepandemic (October 1, 2018, through February 29, 2020) and 655 during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2020, through February 28, 2023). We found a 1.92-fold increase in the incidence rate of identified trafficked young people at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 (incidence rate ratio = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.47-2.51; P < .001), followed by a decrease over time., Conclusions: The observed increase in identified trafficked young people during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic should alert pediatric ED providers to the opportunity to identify and provide services for trafficked young people as an important part of improving preparedness for future disease outbreaks. Our observed identification trends do not represent the true incidence of trafficked young people presenting to pediatric EDs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future work should seek to better understand the true occurrence and the health and service needs of trafficked young people during emergencies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Risk Prediction Model for Child Sex Trafficking Among Female Child Welfare-Involved Youth: Welfare-Involved Female Sexual Exploitation Risk Assessment Tool.
- Author
-
Prakash J, Goel R, Mu Y, Rosner B, and Stoklosa H
- Abstract
Background: Female child welfare-involved youths who are removed from the home are at risk of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). The aim of this study was to develop a prediction model to identify those at greatest risk of trafficking. Methods: Data were from the Florida Department of Children and Families' Florida Safe Families Network Database. A Cox proportional hazard regression of 60 cases and 3857 controls generated the proposed risk model. Results: Factors found to be associated with a higher risk of trafficking were quantified into point scores, generating the Welfare-Involved Female Sexual Exploitation Risk Assessment (WISER) tool with a cutoff of 20 points: first out-of-home placement at ≥15 years of age (11 points); run away from home in past year and age <15 years (40 points) or ≥15 years (16 points); English spoken as other language (14 points); on a psychotropic drug (17 points); congregate first placement (14 points); runaway/abducted status first "placement" (16 points); psychiatric facility experience (9 points); residential facility experience (7 points); and no time in temporary shelter (9 points). Of those who experienced CSEC, 92% had a WISER score above 20. Discussion: The WISER tool achieved good discrimination and calibration ability with a receiver operating characteristic for the validation data set of 0.923. The WISER tool can (1) inform risk assessment for CSEC among child welfare-involved females and (2) identify youths at greatest risk before they are harmed by trafficking.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Establishing a community-academic nursing partnership to lead a healthcare response during a human trafficking extraction operation.
- Author
-
Barnett K, Saye J, and Beidler SM
- Subjects
- Humans, Community Health Nursing, Cooperative Behavior, Female, Human Trafficking prevention & control
- Abstract
A community-academic nursing partnership formed to care for the urgent healthcare needs of individuals extracted from human trafficking during a multidisciplinary team operation. During past human trafficking extraction operations, law enforcement and the state sexual assault nurse examiner coordinator recognized the need to meet the patients' immediate physical and emotional needs while providing essential comfort to the newly extracted individuals. To meet the immediate holistic healthcare needs during the recovery operation, the nursing faculty partnered with a local nonprofit community clinic to provide onsite trauma-informed, patient-centered healthcare and comfort items. The healthcare team consisted of advanced practice nurses, mental health nurses who triaged the patient's immediate psychological needs, sexual assault nurses who collected forensic specimens, and nurses with expertise in substance use disorder who evaluated the patient's treatment needs. The patient's physical comfort was met by providing hygiene kits, blankets, socks, food, and drinks. Trauma-informed language was utilized to help the patient feel safe and to convey respect for the patient's autonomy in making decisions during the extraction process. The innovative community-academic nursing partnership laid the groundwork for providing healthcare to future human trafficking extraction operations with plans to incorporate nursing students and graduate nursing students to increase the number of patients served while providing a rich learning experience to the students., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. The relationship between commercial sexual exploitation and foster care placement in the U.S.: A scoping review.
- Author
-
Dunnigan AE and Fusco RA
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Sex Work psychology, Sex Work statistics & numerical data, Sexual and Gender Minorities psychology, Sexual and Gender Minorities statistics & numerical data, United States epidemiology, Vulnerable Populations psychology, Vulnerable Populations statistics & numerical data, Child Abuse, Sexual psychology, Child Abuse, Sexual statistics & numerical data, Foster Home Care psychology, Foster Home Care statistics & numerical data, Human Trafficking psychology, Human Trafficking statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: There is evidence youth in foster care may be vulnerable to commercial and sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in the U.S. Youth in care may show vulnerabilities such as running away, identifying as sexual/gender minorities, or exhibiting complex behavioral and mental health needs. However, the nature and nuances of the relationship between CSEC and foster care placements has been largely unexamined., Objectives: This review explores the literature on trafficking among foster care youth to establish what is known about risk factors, vulnerable populations, and leverage points for prevention and intervention., Methods: This scoping review was conducted using PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Eight databases were searched, and the screening process resulted in 16 final articles in the analysis., Results: Sixteen articles were screened into the current study. In reviewing the content, a few distinct themes emerged. First, the articles focused on three different populations of CSEC youth. Second, there was variability in the definitions of CSEC used by scholars. Third, there was a range of terms used to describe youth who were trafficked. Finally, there were broad differences in study methodology. This included the data sources used and the array of outcomes explored (e.g. substance use, mental health diagnoses, housing stability)., Conclusions: It is important for scholars to use common language and definitions when studying the sex trafficking of minors. Developing national databases and improving state and federal data sharing is needed to inform prevalence estimates and explore various pathways to youth experiencing CSEC., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Digital Traps: The Critical Role of Online Encounters in the Entrapment of Minors in Sex Trafficking.
- Author
-
Baird K and Connolly J
- Subjects
- Humans, Adolescent, Female, Male, Child, Crime Victims psychology, Interpersonal Relations, Human Trafficking psychology, Minors psychology, Internet
- Abstract
We are grateful to the Editors of TVA for the opportunity to respond to the commentary on our systematic review of the sex trafficking of minors, specifically regarding the initial recruitment location. Upon revisiting the 7 out of 23 reviewed studies that address recruitment locations, we find that the discrepancy with the commentators' views stems from differing interpretations of the term "initial." We affirm that these seven studies, which include the internet as a prominent initial recruitment site, are valid and appropriate for inclusion. We also emphasize that, irrespective of recruitment location, we and the commentators share deep concerns about the severe impact of sex trafficking on minors, recognizing it as a heinous crime against vulnerable populations. Traffickers use both online and in-person methods to manipulate and exploit youth. Our review highlights the internet as a primary platform for traffickers to form relationships with minors, comparable in danger to in-person interactions. The 23 reviewed papers focus on documenting these predatory relationships and the critical role of supportive, healing relationships in prevention and intervention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2025
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Examining Individual and Contextual Correlates of Victimization for Juvenile Human Trafficking in Florida.
- Author
-
de Vries I, Baglivio M, and Reid JA
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Male, Adolescent, Florida, Risk Factors, Child, Crime Victims statistics & numerical data, Crime Victims psychology, Human Trafficking statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Despite extant literature on individual-level risk factors for sex trafficking among children and adolescents, little is known about the impact of social and ecological contexts on risk of human trafficking victimization. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlates signaling risk of human trafficking victimization at the individual, family, social, and community levels utilizing a sample of 40,531 justice-involved male and female youth, a small fraction of whom were suspected or verified victims of human trafficking between 2011 and 2015 ( N = 801, including 699 female and 102 male youth). Using this sample, we examined differences across individual, family, social, and community characteristics of youth involved in the juvenile justice system who have a history of trafficking victimization and youth without such histories. Series of logistic regression analyses were conducted using varying control groups, created through exact matching and randomized matching groups to address sample imbalances. These analyses indicate that, at the individual level, youth who had experienced childhood adversities were more likely to report human trafficking victimization. Sex differences were found regarding risk factors pertaining to the family and broader socio-ecological contexts. Female youth who had witnessed family violence had an antisocial partner or antisocial friends, or resided in a community with a greater proportion of the population being foreign-born or speaking English less than very well were at heightened risk for human trafficking victimization. Little evidence was found for community-level risk factors of victimization in this specific sample of justice-involved youth. These findings encourage more research to unpack the multilevel correlates of victimizations at the individual, family, social, and community levels, recognizing potential differences between female and male youth regarding the factors that put them at heightened risk for juvenile sex trafficking victimizations. Practice and policy should direct awareness and prevention measures to social and ecological contexts., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interests with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Empowering School Nurses: Enhancing Child Trafficking Awareness and Preparedness in American Public Schools.
- Author
-
Peck JL, Hettenhaus K, King K, and Rigby K
- Subjects
- Humans, Child, Oklahoma, Schools, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Female, United States, Male, School Health Services organization & administration, School Nursing methods, Human Trafficking prevention & control
- Abstract
Child trafficking poses a momentous public health threat to students in public schools. Although school nurses are exceptionally positioned to identify and respond to trafficking, most lack training and resources in this critical area. This project aimed to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted intervention on school nurse preparedness and practices related to child trafficking in an Oklahoma public school district. The project involved Unbound Now's nationally accredited training program for school nurses, implementation of the Fuentes et al.'s Toolkit for Building a Human Trafficking School Safety Protocol (HTSSP ) funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , and facilitation of a roundtable discussion to initiate community collaboration. The results of the pretraining Fraley and Aronowitz School Nurses' Awareness and Perceptions Survey (SNAPS) illuminated variations in school nurses' knowledge and awareness of child trafficking, demonstrating the need for continued training. Post-training evaluations exhibited highly positive feedback, suggesting its effectiveness in meeting the training's objectives. Following the community stakeholder roundtable, the lead school nurse employed the HTSSP toolkit and directed efforts in successfully constructing and implementing a district-wide policy of procedures to respond to suspected cases of human trafficking. However, the project's limitations include a small sample and a single-school district focus. Despite these limitations, this project delivers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing school nurse preparedness in addressing trafficking. This project serves as a foundation for future initiatives to improve students' safety and wellbeing in public schools., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Beyond Victim Identification: A Practitioner's Guide to Designing a Youth Anti-Sex Trafficking Advocacy Program.
- Author
-
Twis MK, Cimino AN, and Plunk M
- Subjects
- Humans, Adolescent, United States, Child, Female, Male, Social Work, Consumer Advocacy, Program Development, Patient Advocacy, Human Trafficking prevention & control, Crime Victims
- Abstract
Thousands of youth are sexually trafficked each year in the United States. In order to address this concern, anti-trafficking advocates often emphasize the importance of uniform screening protocols to assist with the identification of survivors. Unfortunately, an oft-overlooked component of sex trafficking identification is what to do once a victim has been identified, and how to best meet survivors' complex needs. In this article, the authors provide social work practitioners and other advocates with best practice guidelines for how to design and evaluate anti-sex trafficking advocacy programs for children and youth. These guidelines include considerations related to direct services with clients, community partnerships, and organizational capacity, as well as recommendations for how to begin and then evaluate programming. Regardless of the form selected for the program, all anti-sex trafficking programs should be designed to provide effective, client-centered follow-up and advocacy once a positive identification is made in the community. The recommendations included in this paper are based upon extant literature, the authors' practice experience with survivors, and insights from anti-sex trafficking program evaluations.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. Exploring the Role of Prior Sexual Abuse in the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Boys and Young Men.
- Author
-
Connella A, Valentine C, Stone S, and Reid JA
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Adolescent, Child, Young Adult, Sex Work statistics & numerical data, Human Trafficking, Crime Victims statistics & numerical data, Child Abuse, Sexual statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Although there has been a large body of research conducted on girl and young women victims of commercial sexual exploitation, boy and young men victims do not receive the same attention. The scant research that exists demonstrates mixed findings on the prevalence of boys and young men as victims of commercial sexual exploitation. For example, some studies find they are not as likely to be victims and others find they are victimized equally, or in some cases, potentially even more so than girls and young women, depending on location. ECPAT published a study in 2013 that revealed a lack of awareness and misclassification of boys as victims and the lack of services available to help them. The purpose of this study is to replicate the ECPAT study and determine what changes might have occurred over the past decade. We consulted with key individuals involved in serving boys and young men and conducted a survey of anti-trafficking service agencies to gather current information on the boys/young men being referred to them for care, the dynamics of their victimization, their most pressing needs, the services/programs being offered, and gaps in service in their respective locations. Among other relevant findings, one commonality among the boys and young men served by the responding agencies was a history of sexual abuse. Findings inform service providers and contribute to advocacy efforts and policy recommendations at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. From not knowing, to knowing more needs to be done: health care providers describe the education they need to care for sex trafficked patients.
- Author
-
Mason R, Recknor F, Bruder R, Quayyum F, Montemurro F, and Du Mont J
- Subjects
- Humans, Ontario, Female, Male, Adult, Needs Assessment, Interviews as Topic, Middle Aged, Human Trafficking, Qualitative Research, Health Personnel education
- Abstract
Background: Sex trafficking is highly prevalent, pernicious, and under-recognized. When an individual is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation within the borders of a single country, it is termed domestic sex trafficking. Sex trafficked persons can experience severe physical and mental health outcomes requiring medical attention and treatment. However, health care providers often fail to identify sex trafficked patients, missing opportunities to provide needed care and support., Methods: In this qualitative study, we interviewed 31 health care providers (physicians, nurses, and social workers) working in Ontario, Canada to learn what they identified as their specific education and training needs to recognize and care for sex trafficked persons. Interviews were conducted over Zoom, recorded, and transcribed. Coding of the transcripts followed a standard framework for qualitative studies. Codes related to the education and training needs of providers were identified as a core issue suited to further analysis., Results: Three themes related to providers' education and training needs emerged. These acknowledge basic (Foundational knowledge), as well as more specific learning needs (Navigating the encounter). The final theme, ("It just seems so much bigger than me") suggests that even with some knowledge of domestic sex trafficking, participants still experienced considerable distress and multiple challenges due to gaps in the broader system impacting the provision of appropriate care., Conclusions: Participants voiced their need for specialized sex trafficking education as well as role specific training to combat their sense of inadequacy and provide better care for their patients. Participants' education needs ranged from requiring the definition of domestic sex trafficking and the frequency of its occurrence, to the various circumstances associated with increased risk of recruitment into sex trafficking. In terms of desired training and specific skills, participants wanted to learn how to identify a person being sex trafficked, broach the subject with a patient, know what to do next including access to local resources and referrals, as well as connections to other critical services, such as legal and housing. The results can be used to inform the design and content of education and training on sex trafficking for health care providers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Raising Awareness about Sex Trafficking among School Personnel.
- Author
-
Savoia E, Liu A, Leffler A, Nadril Churchill LK, and Su M
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Male, Adult, Surveys and Questionnaires, Middle Aged, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Educational Personnel, Adolescent, Awareness, United States, Schools, Young Adult, Child, Human Trafficking prevention & control, Human Trafficking statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: We aimed to (1) understand the level of knowledge about sex trafficking of minors among school personnel and the determinants of such knowledge and (2) test the efficacy of short educational videos in increasing knowledge (awareness level) about sex trafficking of minors among school personnel., Methods: We employed an online survey to gather responses from 741 school personnel living in the US. The McNemar test was used to test for differences in knowledge before and after exposure to the videos. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of knowledge based on the respondents' characteristics., Results: Predictors of knowledge about sex trafficking were years of experience in working with youth, level of education, and being a female. Exposure to the educational videos improved school personnel's basic knowledge about this crime and interest in seeking additional educational material., Conclusion: School personnel have a high level of awareness of risk factors for sex trafficking but less awareness of the definition of sex trafficking in children. Exposure to short educational videos can increase awareness in the short term. There is a need to develop more comprehensive training initiatives for school personnel on sex trafficking. However, training alone is not sufficient, and there is also a need for developing school protocols and programs to provide adequate support to victims of this crime.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. A Teach-the-Teacher Module for Human Trafficking Bedside Instruction.
- Author
-
Young A, Findlay S, Cole M, Cranford JA, Daniel M, Alter H, Chisolm-Straker M, Macias-Konstantopoulos WL, Wendt WJ, and Stoklosa H
- Subjects
- Humans, Iowa, Surveys and Questionnaires, Emergency Medicine education, Teaching, Students, Medical statistics & numerical data, Retrospective Studies, Education, Medical, Undergraduate methods, Human Trafficking prevention & control, Curriculum
- Abstract
Introduction: Human trafficking (HT) is a public health issue that adversely affects patients' well-being. Despite the prevalence of trafficked persons in health care settings, a lack of educational modules exists for use in clinical contexts. We developed a 50-minute train-the-trainer module on HT., Methods: After piloting the workshop for faculty, fellows, and residents ( n = 19) at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) national conference, we implemented it in medical students' curricula during their emergency medicine clerkship at the University of Iowa ( n = 162). We evaluated the worskhop by (a) a retrospective pre-post survey of self-reported ability to (1) define HT, (2) recognize high-risk signs, (3) manage situations with trafficked persons, and (4) teach others about HT, and (b) a 3-month follow-up survey to assess longitudinal behavior change., Results: In both contexts, results demonstrated improvement across all learning outcomes (pre-post differences of 1.5, 1.3, 1.9, and 1.7 on a 4-point Likert-type scale for each learning objective above, respectively, at the SAEM conference and 1.2, 1.0, 1.3, and 1.3 at the University of Iowa; p < .001 for all). In the 3-month follow-up, we observed statistically significant changes in self-reported consideration of and teaching about HT during clinical encounters among learners who had previously never done either ( p < .001 and p = .006, respectively)., Discussion: This train-the-trainer module is a brief and effective clinical tool for bedside teaching about HT, especially among people who have never previously considered HT in a clinical context., (© 2024 Young et al.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. [Medicolegal assessment of human trafficking victims. Descriptive study of a series of forensic cases in Catalonia (Spain)].
- Author
-
Cano E, Mateu A, Bertomeu A, Xifró A, Barbería E, and Aguilar I
- Subjects
- Humans, Spain, Female, Retrospective Studies, Male, Adult, Middle Aged, Young Adult, Adolescent, Child, Forensic Medicine legislation & jurisprudence, Human Trafficking legislation & jurisprudence, Human Trafficking statistics & numerical data, Crime Victims statistics & numerical data, Crime Victims legislation & jurisprudence
- Abstract
Background and Objective: Human trafficking or contemporary slavery is the recruitment and transfer of people by force or deception for sexual, labour or other types of exploitation. Although the violence, abuse and deprivation that trafficking entails are a threat to the health of its victims, in Spain the clinical or forensic data available in this regard is scarce. At the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Catalonia (IMLCFC), a unit specialized in the forensic assessment of these victims was created. The objective of this work was to describe a series of forensic cases of trafficking victims., Material and Method: Retrospective study of victims in judicial cases opened for an alleged crime of human trafficking registered in the IMLCFC until 06/30/2023., Results: 57 different victims were registered. The majority were women (71.9%). The average age was 30.5 years (s.d. 10.31). All the victims were foreigners, mostly from Latin America (45.5%). The exploitation was mainly sexual (61.4%). There were some sociodemographic differences and in the conditions and consequences of trafficking between victims of sexual exploitation and the rest. Mental health problems were very common in all victims at the time of the assessment (87.5%)., Conclusions: The consequences of trafficking on health, especially mental health, are notable and the forensic assessment of victims is valuable in judicial proceedings. It is necessary to deepen our knowledge of the phenomenon in our environment., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Advancing Equity for Immigrant Children Who Have Experienced Human Trafficking.
- Author
-
Bala A, Crisp J, Knighton T, Torres MIM, and Song S
- Subjects
- Humans, Child, United States, Adolescent, Health Equity, Female, Human Trafficking prevention & control, Emigrants and Immigrants
- Abstract
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest No conflicts of interest to report.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Human Trafficking Awareness in the Emergency Care Setting: Joint Position Statement.
- Author
-
Braun B
- Subjects
- Humans, Awareness, Human Trafficking
- Abstract
Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. A public health approach to modern slavery in the United Kingdom: a codeveloped framework.
- Author
-
Such E, Campos-Matos I, Hayes K, McCoig A, Thornton S, and Woodward J
- Subjects
- Humans, United Kingdom, Health Policy, Public Health, Enslavement, Qualitative Research
- Abstract
Objectives: Modern slavery is a public health challenge. The objective of this research was to build and refine a public health approach to addressing it., Study Design: This was a participatory qualitative study with a proof-of-concept exercise., Methods: Nine deliberative workshops with 65 people working across the antislavery sector. Thematic analysis of qualitative data. Of the nine workshops, two were proof of concept. These explored and tested the public health framework devised., Results: Participants contributed to the development of a public health framework to modern slavery that included multiple elements across national, local, and service levels. There were six 'C's to national components: policy that was coherent, co-ordinated, consistent, comprehensive, co-operative and compliant with international law. Local components centred on effective local multiagency partnerships and service design and delivery focussed on trauma-informed, flexible, person-centred care., Conclusions: A public health approach to modern slavery is a promising development in the antislavery field in the United Kingdom and globally. It was well supported by workshop participants and appeared to be operable. Barriers to its implementation exist, however, including the challenge of intersectoral working and an incongruent policy environment., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Closing the Educational Gap on Human Trafficking: There's No Better Time Than Now!
- Author
-
Olivieri SS, Diamond-Caravella ML, and Etcher LN
- Subjects
- Humans, Adult, Male, Female, Emergency Service, Hospital, New York, Nurse Practitioners education, Middle Aged, Education, Distance methods, Surveys and Questionnaires, Human Trafficking prevention & control, Emergency Nursing education
- Abstract
Introduction: Human trafficking is a heinous crime and violation of human rights affecting between 25 and 27 million adults and children globally each year. Current immigration and refugee policy could exacerbate the human trafficking public health crisis. Health care providers working in emergency department and urgent care settings interact with human trafficking victims and provide life-changing care. Research identifies a significant need for coordinated, consistent, and standardized education on human trafficking. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of online educational training in human trafficking on the knowledge and self-confidence of registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in the emergency department and urgent care settings in New York., Methods: An asynchronous, online education module was designed for emergency department and urgent care registered nurses and nurse practitioners to address key components of human trafficking identification, assessment, and treatment. Using a 1-group pretest/posttest design, participants completed an existing published survey tool before and 6 weeks after education., Results: Findings revealed statistically significant improvement (P < .05) in knowledge and confidence regarding components of identifying, assessing, and treating victims of human trafficking. Data demonstrated 63.8% of participants had never received human trafficking training, and 80% reported no history of contact with patients known or suspected of being trafficked., Discussion: Results in this study demonstrate the need for increased standardized education regarding HT for frontline health care workers., (Copyright © 2024 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Child Trafficking: What School Nurses Need to Know.
- Author
-
Peck JL, Rigby KB, Hettenhaus KP, and King KY
- Subjects
- Humans, Child, Child Abuse prevention & control, United States, School Nursing, Human Trafficking prevention & control, Nurse's Role
- Abstract
Human trafficking is a severe form of child abuse and maltreatment. Cases are pervasive and no demographic, socioeconomic status, community, or school is immune. The most effective response to human trafficking in school settings requires increased awareness and establishing policies, protocols, and procedures that support collaborative response to suspected human trafficking. School nurses are well equipped to lead these efforts. While the National Association of School Nurses acknowledges the importance of the role of the school nurse in child trafficking response in their Human Trafficking Position Statement, resources to aid school nurses in coordinated recognition and response efforts remain limited. This article reviews clinical guidance on human trafficking through a school-based lens, highlights indicators that should alert school nurses to the risk of trafficking, outlines best practices for response to abuse and exploitation, and provides additional tools and resources available to aid school nurses in their approach to caring for children experiencing trafficking.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Do Social Service Interventions for Human Trafficking Survivors Work? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Author
-
Schroeder E, Yi H, Okech D, Bolton C, Aletraris L, and Cody A
- Subjects
- Humans, Social Support, Crime Victims psychology, Crime Victims rehabilitation, Female, Male, Human Trafficking psychology, Survivors psychology, Social Work
- Abstract
Human trafficking leaves victims with long-term social, psychological, and health effects. Research in this area is still nascent, and there are limited studies that show the effectiveness of existing services for survivors. This study fills the gaps in knowledge of the effectiveness of existing programs through a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Inclusion and exclusion criteria retained 15 studies using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses method, containing 16 populations. Included studies examined programs and/or interventions providing direct services to human trafficking survivors using quantitative pre- and post-intervention measurements published from January 2010 to June 2022. Outcomes among survivors were grouped into five categories: (a) mental health, (b) physical health, (c) social support or social behavior, (d) personal development, and (e) other. Roughly half ( n = 31, 51.66%) of the outcomes across the 15 studies were statistically significant. Most measured constructs showed a moderate effect size (E.S.; n = 31, 51.67%). In all, 21 constructs (27.91%) met high E.S. levels, and eight (13.33%) met the criteria for a low-level effect. Analyzing different intervention types, physical-based interventions represented the smallest subset and the largest mean effect size ( n = 5, g = 1.632, 95% CI [0.608, 2.655]) followed by standardized therapy ( n = 23, g = 1.111, 95% CI [0.624, 1.599]), wrap-around services ( n = 14, g = 0.594, 95% CI [0.241, 0.947]), and peer and support group modalities ( n = 18, g = 0.440, 95% CI [0.310, 0.571]). A meta-regression showed that non-U.S.-based interventions were significantly more effective than U.S.-based interventions ( z = -2.25, p = 0.025). While only 15 studies contributed to this analysis, the current study ushered in new avenues regarding future research, policies, and practice in services for survivors of human trafficking., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Impacts of the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis on Caring for Sex-Trafficked Persons.
- Author
-
Recknor F, Kelly CE, Jacobson D, Montemurro F, Bruder R, Mason R, and Mont JD
- Subjects
- Humans, Ontario, Female, Male, Public Health, Social Work organization & administration, Interviews as Topic, Adult, Pandemics, Middle Aged, COVID-19 epidemiology, Human Trafficking, SARS-CoV-2
- Abstract
Background: Sex trafficking of persons, a pervasive public health issue disproportionately affecting the most marginalized within society, often leads to health as well as social consequences. Social service provision to meet the resulting needs is critical, however, little is known about the current pandemic's impact on providers' capacity to deliver requisite care., Method: To examine social service providers' perspectives of care provision for domestically sex-trafficked persons in Ontario, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 providers and analyzed these using Braun and Clarke's analytic framework., Results: Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social service care provision were connected to individuals' increased vulnerability to trafficking, difficulties safely and effectively providing services to sex-trafficked persons amid pandemic restrictions, and reduction in in-person educational activities to improve providers' capacity to serve this client population. Securing safe shelter was particularly difficult and inappropriate placements could at times lead to further trafficking., Conclusion: The pandemic created novel barriers to supporting sex-trafficked persons; managing these sometimes led to new and complex issues. Future efforts should focus on developing constructive strategies to support sex-trafficked persons' unique needs during public health crises.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. The Modern Slavery Core Outcome Set: A Survivor-Driven Consensus on Priority Outcomes for Recovery, Wellbeing, and Reintegration.
- Author
-
Jannesari S, Damara B, Witkin R, Katona C, Sit Q, Dang M, Joseph J, Howarth E, Triantafillou O, Powell C, Rafique S, Sritharan A, Wright N, Oram S, and Paphitis SA
- Subjects
- Humans, Enslavement psychology, Human Trafficking psychology, Consensus, Adult, Female, Male, Delphi Technique, Survivors psychology
- Abstract
There is no consensus on the outcomes needed for the recovery and reintegration of survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking. We developed the Modern Slavery Core Outcome Set (MSCOS) to address this gap. We conducted three English-language reviews on the intervention outcomes sought or experienced by adult survivors: a qualitative systematic review (4 databases, 18 eligible papers, thematic analysis), a rapid review of quantitative intervention studies (four databases, eight eligible papers, content analysis) and a gray literature review (2 databases, 21 websites, a call for evidence, 13 eligible papers, content analysis). We further extracted outcomes from 36 pre-existing interview transcripts with survivors, and seven interviews with survivors from underrepresented groups. We narrowed down outcomes via a consensus process involving: a three-stage E-Delphi survey (191 respondents); and a final consensus workshop (46 participants). We generated 398 outcomes from our 3 reviews, and 843 outcomes from interviews. By removing conceptual and literal duplicates, we reduced this to a longlist of 72 outcomes spanning 10 different domains. The E-Delphi produced a 14-outcome shortlist for the consensus workshop, where 7 final outcomes were chosen. Final outcomes were: "long-term consistent support," "secure and suitable housing," "safety from any trafficker or other abuser," "access to medical treatment," "finding purpose in life and self-actualisation," "access to education," and "compassionate, trauma-informed services." The MSCOS provides outcomes that are accepted by a wide range of stakeholders and that should be measured in intervention evaluation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Parental Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material: A Critical Review.
- Author
-
Salter M and Wong T
- Subjects
- Humans, Child, Female, Male, Human Trafficking, Parent-Child Relations, Crime Victims psychology, Child Abuse, Sexual, Parents psychology
- Abstract
The aim of this review is to summarize the available empirical research on parental production and to explore the discursive positioning of parental perpetrators within scholarship on child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Academic databases were searched using a combination of relevant terms, and the review was expanded as new terms were identified. The review identified 66 scholarly articles, papers, or books that referred to parental production of CSAM published since 1970. To explore how parental offenders have been positioned within this literature over time, the review is presented according to a chronological summary, drawing out key themes and empirical insights. The review showed that parental CSAM production is common, more likely to involve pre-pubescent victims, more severe abuse, female as well as male perpetrators, and produces high-demand illegal content with serious long-term sequelae. However, the review found that the focus of child trafficking and sexual exploitation scholarship on "commercial" and profit-driven abuse has marginalized and obscured parental CSAM production as a serious policy challenge. These findings warrant a reorientation of research, policy, and practice approaches to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation, as well as a reflection on the resistance of researchers and policymakers to acknowledging the problem of family-based sexual exploitation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Responding to human trafficking among refugees: prevalence and test accuracy of a modified version of the adult human trafficking screening tool.
- Author
-
Tambini Stollwerck EA, Rollmann I, Friederich HC, and Nikendei C
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Male, Adult, Prevalence, Germany epidemiology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Young Adult, Middle Aged, Mass Screening methods, Adolescent, Refugees statistics & numerical data, Human Trafficking statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: Human trafficking is a human rights violation and urgent public health challenge. It involves the exploitation of a person by means of force, intimidation or deceit and causes severe health risks. Though it occurs all over the world, its true extent is still unknown. Refugees are especially vulnerable to human trafficking due to language barriers and difficult living conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and design a screening tool to identify survivors of all forms of human trafficking among refugees in a German state registration and reception centre., Methods: In cooperation with the local authorities and the Ministry of Justice and for Migration Baden-Württemberg, we interviewed newly arrived refugees at an initial reception centre in Southern Germany to assess the prevalence of human trafficking. We used both a combination of the Adult Human Trafficking Screening Tool and a publication by Mumma et al. to assess all forms of human trafficking., Results: In total, 13 of the 176 refugees had experienced trafficking, which corresponded to a prevalence of 7.3% (95%-CI = [3.5%, 11.3%]). Across all languages the questionnaire had a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 84.0% at a recommended cut-off of six positive responses. The recommended cut-off differed slightly for the Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, and English version. In an exploratory descriptive analysis on subregions, refugees from West Africa had a substantially higher prevalence (33.3%, 8 out of 24) for human trafficking within our sample, especially women. However, when we excluded this region from our analysis, we found no significant gender difference for the rest of the sample., Conclusions: The high prevalence of trafficking in most regions, regardless of gender, suggests that more effort is needed to identify and protect all trafficked persons. The designed screening tool seems to be a promising tool to detect an especially vulnerable group of refugees and provides assistance in identifying survivors of human trafficking., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. HOOKED: How Human Traffickers Leverage Substance Use for Control.
- Author
-
Aljadeff G and Titchen K
- Subjects
- Humans, Substance-Related Disorders, Human Trafficking
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. The Reconsecration of the Self: A Qualitative Analysis of Sex Trafficking Survivors' Experience of the Body.
- Author
-
Juraschek E, Legg A, and Raghavan C
- Abstract
The understudied bodily harm women experience after commercial sex (CS) may be partially explained by the prominence of Cartesian mind-body dualism in psychological science. Accordingly, we qualitatively explored the mind-body relationship among 79 female sex trafficking survivors. Survivors reported long-term negative alterations in feelings about the body, sex, and physical touch posttrafficking and these negative outcomes did not differ across women who self-perceived as consenting and women who self-perceived as forced. Implications for future research are presented, particularly on measuring dehumanization in CS which contributes to extensive harm even in the absence of physical aggression., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Corrigendum: Reframing human trafficking awareness campaigns in the United States: goals, audience, and content.
- Author
-
Savoia E, Piltch-Loeb R, Muibu D, Leffler A, Hughes D, and Montrond A
- Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1195005.]., (Copyright © 2024 Savoia, Piltch-Loeb, Muibu, Leffler, Hughes and Montrond.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. PEARR tool training and implementation: building awareness of violence and human trafficking in a hospital system.
- Author
-
Roe-Sepowitz D, Bracy K, Gibbs H, Stafford RL, Bernardin B, and Stoklosa H
- Abstract
Introduction: Health professionals have an opportunity to assist patients who are experiencing many types of violence, including human trafficking; however, current approaches are often not person-centered. The Provide privacy, Educate, Ask, Respect and Respond (PEARR) Tool, a recognized screening tool in the U.S., is a structured conversation guide for health professionals on how to provide trauma-sensitive assistance to patients who may be experiencing such violence, including human trafficking. This is the first study to evaluate the PEARR Tool and its use in hospital settings., Methods: A U.S.-based health system adopted the PEARR Tool as part of its Abuse, Neglect, and Violence policy and procedure. To support successful adoption, the health system also developed educational modules on human trafficking and trauma-informed approaches to patient care, including a module on the PEARR steps. In October 2020 and June 2021, a voluntary "PEARR Tool Training and Implementation Survey" was distributed to emergency department staff in three hospitals. The survey consisted of 22 questions: eight demographic and occupation related questions; five questions related to the education provided to staff; and, nine questions related to the use of the PEARR Tool in identifying and assisting patients., Results: The overall findings demonstrate a general increase in awareness about the prevalence of human trafficking, as well as a significant increase in awareness about the implementation of the PEARR Tool. However, the findings demonstrate that most respondents were not utilizing the PEARR Tool between October 2020 and June 2021. Most reported that the reason for this was because they had not suspected any of their patients to be victims of abuse, neglect, or violence, including human trafficking. Of those that had utilized the PEARR Tool, there was a marked increase in staff that reported its usefulness and ease of access when caring for patients., Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic posed many challenges during this study, including delays in staff education, changes in education format and delivery, and strains on staff. Initial data regarding the use of the PEARR Tool is promising; and additional research is recommended., Competing Interests: HG and RS were employed by CommonSpirit Health. HS was employed by HEAL Trafficking. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Roe-Sepowitz, Bracy, Gibbs, Stafford, Bernardin and Stoklosa.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Validation of the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults © in Kenya.
- Author
-
Chenneville T, Reid JA, Wasilewski S, and Adeli S
- Subjects
- Young Adult, Humans, United States, Kenya, Reproducibility of Results, Surveys and Questionnaires, Emotions, Psychometrics, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic psychology
- Abstract
Recently validated among a sample of young adults in the United States, the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults
© is a much-needed instrument for assessing trauma bonding, which refers to the emotional attachment that often develops between perpetrators and victims of violent and exploitive crimes and is common among survivors of sex trafficking. To assess its utility with other populations, this study aimed to validate the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults© with a sample of young adults in Kenya. An anonymous survey containing demographic items, the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults© , and 12 items from an open-source measure of posttraumatic stress disorder was administered to 538 young adults aged 18 to 29 in Kenya using Qualtrics XM. Findings from an analysis of psychometric properties suggest that the Trauma Bonding Scale for Adults© is a valid and reliable measure of trauma bonding that may be useful in a global context., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interests with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Empowerment at Work?: Examining Employment-Based Economic Empowerment Initiatives for Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation.
- Author
-
Corple DJ
- Subjects
- Humans, Empowerment, Survivors, Sexual Behavior, Employment
- Abstract
Many organizations serving survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) have begun economic empowerment programs, providing financial literacy education, vocational training, and/or employment opportunities for survivors. Yet, very little research has examined these programs, especially those that employ survivors. This project draws on a qualitative, multi-method study of 15 organizations that serve and employ CSE survivors to examine how economic empowerment is constructed through organizational discourse and practices, what tensions emerge in these processes, and how organizational actors frame and respond to them. The findings outline the components of "economic empowerment" and explicate the key tensions of authority-autonomy and compassion-accountability., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Patient Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation: Why Physicians Need to Be Trauma-Informed.
- Author
-
Franchek-Roa K, Vala A, Goldman J, Dell A, Presson AP, Eppich K, and Hobson WL
- Subjects
- Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Retrospective Studies, Physicians psychology, Education, Medical, Graduate methods, Female, Internship and Residency methods
- Abstract
Introduction: Many people experience trauma, and its cumulative effects throughout the life span can alter health, development, and well-being. Despite this, few publications focusing on interpersonal trauma include a holistic understanding of the nature and widespread exposure of trauma experiences for patients. We developed an educational resource to teach residents about identifying and intervening with patients who experience trauma across the life span using a trauma-informed care (TIC) perspective., Methods: We created a 4-hour educational session for residents that included didactics, a virtual visit with a domestic violence shelter, a discussion with a person who had experienced trauma, and role-playing. A pretest/posttest retrospective survey assessed resident confidence level in identifying and intervening with patients who may have experienced trauma. We used the Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare pretest and posttest scores and the Kruskal-Wallis test to compare responses by residency type and year. Free-text questions were analyzed for thematic content., Results: During the 2021-2022 academic year, 72 of 90 residents (80%) from four residency programs attended and evaluated the session. More than 90% of respondents reported the session met their educational needs and provided them with new ideas, information, and practical suggestions to use in their clinical endeavors. The results demonstrated significantly increased confidence on most of the metrics measured., Discussion: This session significantly improved residents' confidence in identifying and intervening with patients who have had trauma experiences using a TIC perspective, which may lead them to provide improved patient care to those who have experienced trauma., (© 2024 Franchek-Roa et al.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Recommendations to Improve Services and Supports for Domestically Sex Trafficked Persons Derived from the Insights of Health Care Providers.
- Author
-
Du Mont J, Montemurro F, Bruder R, Kelly CE, Recknor F, and Mason R
- Abstract
Health care providers are highly likely to encounter persons who have been domestically sex trafficked and, therefore, possess valuable insights that could be useful in understanding and improving existing services and supports. In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 health care providers residing and working in Canada's largest province, Ontario. Results were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's analytical framework. Across providers, a key theme was identified: "Facilitators to improve care", which was comprised of two sub-themes, "Address needs in service provision" and "Center unique needs of survivors". From these results, eight wide-ranging recommendations to improve services and supports were developed (eg, Jointly mobilize an intersectoral, collaborative, and coordinated approach to sex trafficking service provision; Employ a survivor-driven approach to designing and delivering sex trafficking services). These recommendations hold the potential to enhance services in Canada and beyond by reducing barriers to access and care, facilitating disclosure, aiding in recovery, and empowering those who have been domestically sex trafficked., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 Du Mont et al.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Intimate Partner Violence and Human Trafficking Screening and Services in Primary Care Across Underserved Communities in the United States-Initial Examination of Trends, 2020-2021.
- Author
-
Lin SC, Chang KSG, Marjavi A, Chon KY, Dichter ME, and DuBois Palardy J
- Abstract
Objectives: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) began collecting data on intimate partner violence (IPV) and human trafficking (HT) in the 2020 Uniform Data System (UDS). We examined patients affected by IPV and HT served by HRSA-funded health centers in medically underserved US communities during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: We established a baseline and measured trends in patient care by analyzing data from the 2020 (N = 28 590 897) and 2021 (N = 30 193 278) UDS. We conducted longitudinal ordinal logistic regression analyses to assess the association of care trends and organization-level and patient characteristics using proportional odds ratios (PORs) and 95% CIs., Results: The number of clinical visits for patients affected by IPV and HT decreased by 29.4% and 88.3%, respectively, from 2020 to 2021. Health centers serving a higher (vs lower) percentage of pediatric patients were more likely to continuously serve patients affected by IPV (POR = 2.58; 95% CI, 1.01-6.61) and HT (POR = 6.14; 95% CI, 2.06-18.29). Health centers serving (vs not serving) patients affected by IPV were associated with a higher percentage of patients who had limited English proficiency (POR = 1.77; 95% CI, 1.02-3.05) and Medicaid beneficiaries (POR = 2.88; 95% CI, 1.48-5.62), whereas health centers serving (vs not serving) patients affected by HT were associated with a higher percentage of female patients of reproductive age (POR = 15.89; 95% CI, 1.61-157.38) and urban settings (POR = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.26-2.37)., Conclusions: The number of clinical visits for patients affected by IPV and HT during the COVID-19 pandemic declined. Delayed care will pose challenges for future health care needs of these populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. "He Loves Me Hard and Then He Abuses Me Hard": How Service Providers Define and Explain Trauma Bonds Among Sex Trafficking Survivors.
- Author
-
Casassa K, Ploss A, and Karandikar S
- Subjects
- Male, Humans, Love, Survivors, Human Trafficking, Substance-Related Disorders
- Abstract
There is a dearth of research on trauma bonding among victims of sex trafficking. This study aims to fill this gap by seeking to understand how service providers working with survivors of sex trafficking conceptualize and observe trauma bonding in their clients. This qualitative study involved interviews with 10 participants. Purposeful sampling was employed among licensed social workers or counselors. Two themes emerged: defining trauma bonding (with four subthemes: embracing intensity, power imbalance, distortion of love, and inescapability) and the development of trauma bonds (with three subthemes: universality, gendered, and grooming). These findings provide much-needed insight into the complexities of trauma bonding., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Improving Nurse Practitioner Students' Knowledge and Confidence in the Identification and Management of Human Trafficking Victims.
- Author
-
Shue-McGuffin KD and Jordan KS
- Subjects
- Humans, Pilot Projects, Female, United States, Crime Victims, Students, Nursing psychology, Focus Groups, Clinical Competence, Male, Adult, Human Trafficking, Nurse Practitioners education
- Abstract
Human trafficking is a global public health problem affecting millions of people worldwide. In the United States, many trafficking victims seek medical care for physical, sexual, and mental health concerns. Unfortunately, many of these individuals go unrecognized by health care providers as being victims of human trafficking and return to their trafficker without interventions for their safety and protection. To provide effective quality care for this patient population, health care providers must be knowledgeable regarding the identification of signs of trafficking, trauma-informed interventions to ensure the safety and protection of the victim(s), and methods to collaborate with interprofessional partners for the provision of appropriate medical and socioeconomic care following the exit from their trafficking situation. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate best practices in teaching Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students to identify and implement appropriate interventions for victims of human trafficking. The study was conducted in two phases using a mixed-method research design with repeated measures. In the first phase, education was provided through the validated HOPE Training modules produced by the Safe House Project using a pretest, posttest design. In the second phase, the students observed an interprofessional simulation followed by focus groups using a phenomenological approach to explore students' perceptions. Knowledge and confidence increased significantly following the implementation of this study. The results provide essential information regarding incorporating human trafficking education into FNP curricula. This study also contributes to the body of knowledge regarding the vital role that nurse practitioners play in the interprofessional management of human trafficking victims., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest to report for Dr. Katherine D. Shue-McGuffin or Dr. Kathleen S. Jordan., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. "I'd Rather Be Broke Than Harmed": A Qualitative Analysis of the Experiences of People Engaged in Commercial Sex Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- Author
-
Pfeffer R, Barrick K, Galvan T, Marfori FM, and Williams SA
- Abstract
Objectives: People involved in commercial sex work during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those compelled to sell sex, faced multiple challenges to their safety and well-being. We explored, in real time, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people involved in commercial sex work and the broader commercial sex industry., Methods: Using a participatory action research approach, we interviewed 159 English- and Spanish-speaking adults who had engaged in commercial sex work under the direction of a third party in Sacramento County, California, within the past 5 years (approximately 2017-2022). As part of a larger study, our interview protocol included 1 question about the COVID-19 pandemic: "Has COVID-19 changed anything about your experience with sex work?" We transcribed and analyzed interviews using QSR-NVivo, a qualitative coding software., Results: Participants described the effects of increased isolation, decreased demand, difficulty accessing social services, fear of contracting COVID-19, difficulty in following public health guidance on social distancing and wearing face masks, and how the pandemic resulted in some people entering or exiting commercial sex work. Most participants were familiar with recommended public health safety measures, but lack of agency and financial need limited their ability to comply with all recommendations. A lack of access to social services added stress to those most in need of emergency housing or substance use treatment and left them vulnerable to continued abuse., Conclusions: Stress and financial insecurity generally increased among people involved in commercial sex work during the pandemic, and no efforts were made to understand and mitigate the hardships that this population faced. Future research should address how to maintain social service availability during times of public health emergencies and other crises., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Clinical and Advocacy Implications of the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization Ruling on Trafficked Persons.
- Author
-
Gautham I, Coverdale J, Nguyen PT, and Gordon MR
- Abstract
The United States Supreme Court decision on the case of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization abolished federal protections of abortion, leaving abortion legislation at the discretion of individual states. Trafficked persons are a population especially vulnerable to the impacts of this ruling. Because there is no existing literature describing the effects of restrictive abortion legislation on this group, we described some of the potential consequences of restrictive abortion laws for sex and labor trafficked persons, based on real case examples. We describe steps that should be taken to sufficiently protect and support pregnant trafficked women in relation to the Dobbs law., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Indentured Labor: The Foundation Story of Asian American Surgeons.
- Author
-
Nakayama DK
- Subjects
- Humans, Emigrants and Immigrants, Asian, Surgeons, Human Trafficking
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. What is the Impact of Human Trafficking on the Biopsychosocial Health of Victims: A Systematic Review.
- Author
-
García-Vázquez O and Meneses-Falcón C
- Subjects
- Male, Humans, Female, Violence psychology, Crime, Mental Health, Sexual Behavior, Human Trafficking, Crime Victims
- Abstract
The health consequences of human trafficking have been poorly researched compared to other aspects of this crime. A systematic review was carried out to study health from a broader perspective, beyond psychophysical symptoms, to understand the global impact of human trafficking on sexual, social, physical, and psychological health. The search identified many studies focused on the violence of sex trafficking in female samples. This work leads us to conclude that social health is an important dimension of the well-being of trafficking victims. More studies are needed on aspects of social health, especially regarding research gaps related to spirituality and nutrition, thus continuing preventing and combating human trafficking. Many gender biases were also discovered: unlike studies of trafficking in women, the few studies on men did not look at parenting, sexual health, marital status, or sex trafficking., (© 2023. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Dermatology's role in the fight against human trafficking: A report from the AAD Ad Hoc Task Force and call to action.
- Author
-
Pollock S, Ferree S, Cronin M, Judge AM, Berson DS, Friedman PM, Grimes PE, Murase JE, Freeman EE, Rao M, Malik S, Balk R, Miller J, Cronin TA Jr, and Kourosh AS
- Subjects
- Humans, United States, Advisory Committees, Academies and Institutes, Dermatology, Human Trafficking
- Abstract
While the majority of American Academy of Dermatology members have some broad awareness of human trafficking, most are not aware of it in their communities or of the skin signs that could prompt identification of those being exploited, and have requested educational resources to assist patients affected by trafficking. The American Academy of Dermatology Ad Hoc Task Force on Dermatologic Resources for the Intervention and Prevention of Human Trafficking has been working to develop relevant resources, including an online toolkit on the American Academy of Dermatology website: https://www.aad.org/member/clinical-quality/clinical-care/human-trafficking., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Scoping review on the link between economic growth, decent work, and early childhood caries.
- Author
-
Foláyan MO, Amalia R, Kemoli A, Ayouni I, Nguweneza A, Duangthip D, Sun IG, Virtanen JI, Masumo RM, Vukovic A, Al-Batayneh OB, Gaffar B, Mfolo T, Schroth RJ, and El Tantawi M
- Subjects
- Child, Child, Preschool, Humans, Dental Caries Susceptibility, Oral Health legislation & jurisprudence, Prevalence, Dental Caries epidemiology, Dental Caries etiology, Economic Development
- Abstract
Background: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a prevalent chronic non-communicable disease that affects millions of young children globally, with profound implications for their well-being and oral health. This paper explores the associations between ECC and the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8)., Methods: The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. In July 2023, a search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using tailored search terms related to economic growth, decent work sustained economic growth, higher levels of productivity and technological innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation, and efforts to eradicate forced labor, slavery, and human trafficking and ECC all of which are the targets of the SDG8. Only English language publications, and publications that were analytical in design were included. Studies that solely examined ECC prevalence without reference to SDG8 goals were excluded., Results: The initial search yielded 761 articles. After removing duplicates and ineligible manuscripts, 84 were screened. However, none of the identified studies provided data on the association between decent work, economic growth-related factors, and ECC., Conclusions: This scoping review found no English publication on the associations between SDG8 and ECC despite the plausibility for this link. This data gap can hinder policymaking and resource allocation for oral health programs. Further research should explore the complex relationship between economic growth, decent work and ECC to provide additional evidence for better policy formulation and ECC control globally., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Coping self-efficacy and social support as predictors of adolescent sex trafficking exit: Results of a secondary analysis.
- Author
-
Twis MK, Cimino A, and Plunk M
- Subjects
- Humans, Adolescent, Sexual Behavior psychology, Coping Skills, Social Support, Adaptation, Psychological, Self Efficacy, Human Trafficking
- Abstract
Introduction: Social work case management services are increasingly available to youth who want to exit commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). However, few empirical studies investigate the efficacy of such services, particularly whether these services promote an exit from CSE. Guided by ecological systems theory and the Intentions to Exit Prostitution (IEP) model, this study investigates the efficacy of social work case management services for youth CSE survivors., Methods: Youth survivors of CSE (n = 95) participated in a one-group, quasi-experimental double pre/posttest design study. Measures included the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (Cop-SE), and a modified version of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) surveys at zero- and six-months following study commencement. The research team also collected demographic and victimization data, the number and type of social work case management services received, and goal plan data. Analyses included repeated measures tests and linear and multinomial logistic regressions to determine if doses of social work case management are predictive of the positive short-term outcomes that are linked to increased readiness to exit CSE., Results: Youth CSE survivors experienced upward trends in perceived social support and coping self-efficacy scores between zero- and six-months following study commencement. Linear and logistic regressions demonstrated that variables like months of service time, trafficking classification, goal counts, race, and age can predict outcomes like survivor social support, coping self-efficacy, and intention to change behaviors that can lead to revictimization., Implications: Results suggest social work case management services that improve coping self-efficacy and perceived social support can lead to cognitive changes that promote an exit from CSE. Practitioners should target services that adhere to dimensions of the IEP as these improvements are likely to support positive outcomes for youth survivors of CSE., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Twis et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Human Trafficking in Correctional Institutions: A Survey of Correctional and Anti-Trafficking Leaders.
- Author
-
Fraga Rizo C, Wretman CJ, Luo J, Van Deinse TB, Sullivan N, Godoy SM, Meehan EA, and Macy RJ
- Abstract
Growing awareness of the overlap between justice involvement and human trafficking victimization has led to calls for correctional institutions to prevent, identify, and respond to trafficking. However, it is unclear how correctional facilities (i.e., jails and prisons) are responding to such calls to action. To examine current efforts to address human trafficking in U.S. correctional facilities, this study surveyed correctional and anti-trafficking leaders ( n = 46) about their perceptions and experiences with human trafficking screening, response, and training in correctional facilities. Although the majority of leaders (89%) agreed individuals in their state's correctional facilities have experienced human trafficking, they generally did not perceive that correctional staff were prepared to respond. Bivariate tests revealed that correctional and anti-trafficking leaders differed on their perceptions regarding correctional staffs' knowledge about human trafficking risk factors ( p = .014), identification ability ( p = .006), and response knowledge ( p = .036), with anti-trafficking leaders perceiving correctional staff to be less prepared in these areas. Approximately 16% of leaders reported strategies to identify and respond to trafficking in correctional facilities, and about 27% reported human trafficking training for corrections staff. To promote a just society, study findings offer preliminary guidance for anti-trafficking correctional initiatives and future research., Competing Interests: Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest: No potential competing interests were reported by the authors.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.