Abstract
Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises worldwide today, greatly affecting the United States. Victims of human trafficking undergo a variety of both physical and psychological forms of abuse, which may result in the need for healthcare treatment. Research has revealed that nearly 90% of victims recovered from “the life” of human trafficking stated they were seen and treated by a healthcare provider, and human trafficking was never recognized. Consideration must also be made for those still involved in “the life” and for cases that remain unreported, meaning the numbers could be much higher as human trafficking is a clandestine crime. With so many individuals reporting never being recognized, it raises the question: How can healthcare providers better identify this population? One possibility that has been provided by the author suggests that this might be addressed through a simulated role-play case scenario and effective education.
TopBackground
Human trafficking affects men, women, and children of all ages. Health care providers are on the front lines for identifying human trafficking victims. Despite human trafficking being a public health crisis, victims are not easily identified (Chisolm-Straker & Stoklosa, 2017). Victims have little to no preventative care or protection when involved in sex trafficking and are not only susceptible to acquiring, but also spreading disease. Victims of trafficking may also suffer from various forms of abuse. Sexual exploitation is a traumatic experience causing harm across multiple domains including serious physical injuries caused by violence, as well as reproductive and mental health consequences (Basu et al., 2021; Greenbaum & Crawford-Jakubiak, 2015; Barnert et al., 2017). These are among the many complex issues involved in the clinical presentation of sex trafficking and barriers to its identification described in this section.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Intervention: An act taken to improve a condition, particularly a medical condition.
Nurse: An individual who is trained to care for injured and or sick people.
Practitioner: An individual involved in a discipline, or profession, particularly medicine.
National Human Trafficking Hotline: The National Human Trafficking Hotline serves as resource for the nation connecting victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking with amenities and guidance to get help.
Healthcare: The systematized delivery of medical care to individuals or to a community.
American Hospital Association: The nationwide association that signifies and assists all types of hospitals and health care systems, providing education and lobbying for patient safety and any necessary policy changes.
Simulation: An imitation or reenactment of a situation or procedure.
Clinical Judgment: The accrual of knowledge and skills over time, which enhances the nurse’s ability to evaluate the presentation of the patient with both subjective and objective data to deliver evidence-based nursing interventions to increase patient outcomes; clinical decision-making.
Health Education: Information about or teaching in a particular specialty or topic related to healthcare.
Trauma-Informed Care: Promotion of a culture of safety, empowerment, and healing through recognition of trauma symptoms and the role and or impact a traumatic experience may have had on an individual’s life.
Debrief: A careful evaluation upon completion.
Trauma: A profoundly upsetting or unsettling experience.