Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020;6(1):1-29.
doi: 10.1080/23322705.2018.1501257. Epub 2019 Jun 2.

Sex Trafficking Victims at Their Junction with the Healthcare Setting-A Mixed-Methods Inquiry

Arduizur Carli Richie-Zavaleta  1 , Augusta Villanueva  1 , Ana Martinez-Donate  1 , Renee M Turchi  1 , Janna Ataiants  1 , Shea M Rhodes  2
Affiliations

Sex Trafficking Victims at Their Junction with the Healthcare Setting-A Mixed-Methods Inquiry

Arduizur Carli Richie-Zavaleta et al. J Hum Traffick. 2020.

Abstract

U.S.-born citizens are victims of human trafficking typically exploited through sex trafficking. At least some of them interact with healthcare providers during their trafficking experience; yet a majority goes unidentified. Although protocols and training guides exist, healthcare providers often do not have the necessary skills to identify and assist victims of sex trafficking. Understanding where victims seek care and barriers for disclosure are critical components for intervention. Thus, this study interviewed survivors of sex trafficking to ascertain: a) healthcare settings visited during trafficking, b) reasons for seeking care, and c) barriers to disclosing victimization. An exploratory concurrent mixed-methods approach was utilized. Data were collected between 2016-2017 in San Diego, CA and Philadelphia, PA (N = 21). Key findings: 1) Among healthcare settings, emergency departments (76.2%) and community clinics (71.4%) were the most frequently visited; 2) medical care was sought mainly for treatment of STIs (81%); and 3) main barriers inhibiting disclosure of victimization included feeling ashamed (84%) and a lack of inquiry into the trafficking status from healthcare providers (76.9%). Healthcare settings provide an opportunity to identify victims of sex trafficking, but interventions that are trauma-informed and victim-centered are essential. These may include training providers, ensuring privacy, and a compassionate-care approach.

Keywords: Human trafficking; United States; disclosure of victimization; healthcare settings; medical needs; mixed methods; sex trafficking.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Ecological Model components – individual, interpersonal & institutional.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Recommendations for the identification of victims of sex trafficking in the healthcare setting.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Baldwin S, Eisenman D, Sayles J, Ryan G, & Chuang K (2011). Identification of human trafficking victims in health care settings. Health and Human Rights, 13(1), e36–e49. - PubMed
    1. Baldwin S, Fehrenbacher A, & Eisenman D (2015). Psychological coercion in human trafficking an application of biderman’s framework. Qualitative Health Research, 25(9), 1171–1181. doi:10.1177/1049732314557087 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bales KB (2008). Ending slavery how we end today’s slavery Berkeley: University of California Press.
    1. Bean LJ (2013, June 26). LGBTQ youth at high risk of becoming human trafficking victims Administration for Children & Families; Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2013/06/lgbtq-youth-at-high-risk-of-becoming...
    1. Beck ME, Lineer MM, Melzer-Lange M, Simpson P, Nugent M, & Rabbitt A (2015). Medical providers’ understanding of sex trafficking and their experience with at-risk patients. Pediatrics, 135(4), e895–e902. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-1115 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources