Abstract
BackgroundAlthough trafficked women and adolescents are at risk of unprotected or forced sex, there is little research on maternity care among trafficking survivors. We explored health care needs, service use and challenges among women who became pregnant while in the trafficking situation in the United Kingdom (UK) and clinicians’ perspectives of maternity care for trafficked persons.MethodsCross-sectional survey and qualitative interviews with trafficking survivors recruited from statutory and voluntary sector organisations in England and qualitative interviews with maternity clinicians and family doctors undertaken to offer further insight into experiences reported by these women.FindingsTwenty-eight (29%) of 98 women who took part in a large study of trafficking survivors reported one or more pregnancies while trafficked, whose data are reported here. Twelve (42.8%) of these women reported at least one termination of pregnancy while in the trafficking situation and 25 (89.3%) experienced some form of mental health disorder. Nineteen (67.9%) women experienced pre-trafficking physical abuse and 9 (32.%) sexual abuse. A quarter of women were trafficked for sexual exploitation, six for domestic servitude and two for manual labour. Survivors and clinicians described service challenges, including restrictions placed on women’s movements by traffickers, poor knowledge on how to access maternity care, poor understanding of healthcare entitlements and concerns about confidentiality. Maternity care clinicians recognised potential indicators of trafficking, but considered training would help them identify and respond to victims. Main limitations include that findings reflect women who had exited the trafficking situation, however as some had only recently exited the trafficking situation, difficulties with recall were likely to be low.ConclusionsMore than one in four women became pregnant while trafficked, indicating that maternity services offer an important contact point for identification and care. Given the prevalence of sexual exploitation and abuse among trafficking survivors, clinicians should ensure antenatal care and screening for sexually transmitted infections can be readily accessed by women. Clinicians require specialised training alongside designated pathways and protocols with clear referral options to ensure confidential maternity care tailored to each woman’s needs.
Highlights
Human trafficking is an international crime and globally recognised human rights violation defined as the recruitment and movement of people, using coercion, deception, and abuse of vulnerability, for the purpose of exploitation[1,2]
We explored health care needs, service use and challenges among women who became pregnant while in the trafficking situation in the United Kingdom (UK) and clinicians’ perspectives of maternity care for trafficked persons
Given the prevalence of sexual exploitation and abuse among trafficking survivors, clinicians should ensure antenatal care and screening for sexually transmitted infections can be readily accessed by women
Summary
Human trafficking is an international crime and globally recognised human rights violation defined as the recruitment and movement of people, using coercion, deception, and abuse of vulnerability, for the purpose of exploitation[1,2]. The International Labour Organization estimates that 11.4 million women and girls are in situations of forced labour as a result of human trafficking, of whom over four million are trafficked for forced sex work or sexually abused while exploited in other sectors[3]. The trafficking of women and girls for forced sex has received growing attention over the past decade, with evidence regularly confirming women’s experience of violence, sexual abuse and poor health consequences, including unwanted pregnancies[5]. Research internationally has reported that levels of physical and sexual violence among women trafficked for sexual exploitation ranged from 33% in a Cambodian case file review[6] to 90% in a multi-country European study[7]. Trafficked women and adolescents are at risk of unprotected or forced sex, there is little research on maternity care among trafficking survivors. We explored health care needs, service use and challenges among women who became pregnant while in the trafficking situation in the United Kingdom (UK) and clinicians’ perspectives of maternity care for trafficked persons
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
