Unveiling the Nexus of trafficking: Socio-economic determinants, victimization forms, and psychological impacts on women in Bangladesh

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The trafficking of women and girls represents a severe infringement upon fundamental human rights and has exhibited a concerning upward trend in various regions worldwide, including Bangladesh. The study addressed the effect of social class, poverty, empowerment, education and areas of residence for women trafficking in Bangladesh and identified the physical and mental sufferings of the victims. This study employed an exploratory qualitative research design and recruited participants from the Dhaka Metropolitan Area. The sample was selected from the victims who were repatriated from January 2020 to December 2021 by the reputed human rights organization Bangladesh National Women Lawyer Association, Dhaka. To maintain proper ethical guidelines, in-depth interviews were conducted through semi-structured questionnaires. The study's results indicate that women with lower socio-economic status and marginalized positions experience higher victimization. The trafficking of women in Bangladesh is facilitated by a range of factors, including poverty, limited access to education and employment opportunities, weak familial bonds, dysfunctional family dynamics, fraudulent job offers, the use of digital platforms, the presence of organized trafficking syndicates, and a complex nexus of factors in border areas. The study also identified that victims experienced severe physical and psychological maltreatment including sexual assault, coercion, physical abuse, and intravenous drug use. Victims also suffer from psychological trauma including threat, anger, depression, insomnia, vomiting, low self-esteem, self-blaming, and skipping meals. Stigmatization and victim blaming also occurred while they were successfully repatriated to their destination. The study concludes with the policy recommendation that the legal agencies of the state should increase the security and surveillance on the border, ensure the safety and security of the survivors, and provide mental support through service providers.