Awareness Of Human Trafficking Research Articles

The Impact of Human Trafficking on Veterans: Increasing Awareness among Veterans and Employees through Education

Background Health care systems serve an essential role in identifying and treating individuals impacted by human trafficking. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration recognizes that human trafficking is a public safety concern and has intentionally increased awareness of human trafficking and how it relates to Veteran care. In 2020, the VA National Social Work Program Office, Care Management and Social Work launched a national Human Trafficking Tiger Team to understand the impact of human trafficking within the Veteran community. Methods Initial Human Trafficking Tiger Team efforts focused on qualitative reviews of existing VA health care services data to identify trends and themes. A series of three trainings for VA staff including Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Psychologists (PsyD/PhD), Registered Nurses (RN), and Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC) were completed. A pre and post-test was administered to assess VA staff’s knowledge about human trafficking and the impact on the Veteran community. Results Upon examination of qualitative review of evidence, formal study is needed to develop programming to address human trafficking in the Veteran community. Discussion Further study is needed to understand the prevalence of human trafficking among the Veteran population. While the VA’s human trafficking initiatives are integral initial steps, additional research remains necessary to identify treatment needs and services gaps. Conclusion Human Trafficking Tiger Team Knowledge Needs Assessment trainings revealed that VA staff had contact with survivors of human trafficking, suspected victims, as well as traffickers. 38% of staff acknowledged missed opportunities to assess and intervene with potential trafficking victims. This revealed a clear need for standardized screening, protocols, and implementing routine training to Veterans impacted by human trafficking.

The Impact of Assembly Trainings on Awareness of Human Trafficking among Middle School and High School Age Youth

ABSTRACT The national focus on human trafficking has grown in the past decade. A focus on prevention is critical to protecting society from perpetrators. Children have become particularly vulnerable to the point that schools are utilizing a series of best practices recommended by the National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE (NCHE) to help guide administrators and teachers with detecting and responding to the trafficking of students. The authors examine the efficacy of assembly-style trainings in Central Texas schools using the Keeping Students Safe Curriculum developed by Unbound. This research suggests that using this curriculum in an assembly-style presentation increases knowledge and awareness about human trafficking among high school students.

Discourse Analysis of International Reporting on Human Trafficking of North Koreans at the Border with China

ABSTRACT This study reviews the monitoring reports of the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and the U.S. Department of State and analyzes the terminology and context in which human trafficking at the North Korea-China border was reported. The study’s purpose is to assess whether the coverage of these international entities is sufficient to create awareness of human trafficking at the Chinese border. The study’s findings raise questions whether the lack of evidence and focus on human trafficking, framing of information, deflection of blame, and the use of same or similar information and euphemisms found in all reports have hindered progress in combating human trafficking. And since there are also political considerations to reporting human trafficking and shaming the North Korean government, involving nuclear disarmament and deterring the potential use of nuclear missiles, human rights violations at the North Korea-China border are not prioritized. By exposing the flaws in the reporting practices of human rights monitoring organizations, this article contributes to developing effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.

Advocacy Learning by Doing: Human Trafficking Course for Graduate Clinical Psychology Students

ABSTRACT The scientist-practitioner-advocate model encourages informed engagement with social justice issues. Human trafficking stands out as such an issue, where psychological science and practice make a difference on multiple levels, including prevention and raising awareness. This article discusses a human trafficking graduate course in psychology as an example of learning by doing, featuring an activity with high school students based on interactive rotation. Emphasis on diversity among high school students paves the way for solidarity and appreciation for interdependence, which go hand in hand with multicultural competency also reflected in humility. Psychologists-in-training draw parallels between rapport in clinical practice and advocacy settings, recognizing the importance of allowing sufficient time for preparation and subsequent reflection. This helps students consider personal values and belief systems, and their compatibility with raising human trafficking awareness. As a result of teaching a course on this topic and conducting the learning by doing activity, three action steps are proposed to train scientists-practitioners-advocates: Research, Rotate, and Reflect.

Assessment of emergency healthcare worker knowledge of indicators of human trafficking

Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar industry and Toledo, Ohio has been identified as a hub of human trafficking activity. Current literature identified that healthcare providers working in emergency departments, urgent care centers, and physician offices (nurses, physician assistants, and physicians) are in positions to identify victims of human trafficking and help with rescue. Current curricular guidance for healthcare education did not include specific information on indicators of human trafficking and resources to assist with rescue and recovery. The human trafficking awareness study was completed to determine if healthcare providers working in nine Toledo, Ohio area emergency departments had knowledge of the indicators of human trafficking and of the resources to help victims. The study design also afforded the opportunity to provide healthcare workers in these organizations’ information about indicators of human trafficking and local, state and national resources to help victims with rescue and recovery.

Still an ‘invisible crime’? Exploring developments in the awareness and control of human trafficking in Scotland

In 2010 Korin Lebov published her article ‘Human trafficking in Scotland’, a state-of-the-field piece that reported on the nature and extent of human trafficking and the challenges in tackling this issue. Several important developments have occurred in the period since, including new enforcement measures, the first prosecutions and convictions for human trafficking in Scottish courts, the establishment of a dedicated policing unit within Scotland’s new police service to tackle such crimes, the passage of specific human trafficking legislation through the Scottish Parliament, and, as a direct result of this legislation, the publication of a bespoke strategy by the Scottish Government to take action against human trafficking and support victims. This article draws upon the findings of a qualitative research study exploring the community impact of organized crime in Scotland and, in doing so, refracts advances in both public awareness of human trafficking and the policing response to this issue through the analytical prism of ‘invisible crimes’. Ultimately, it traces the path of human trafficking from a peripheral and largely ‘invisible’ phenomenon to becoming a core issue of concern in Scotland’s policing and community safety landscape.

Raising awareness of human trafficking in key professional fields via a multidisciplinary educational approach

Purpose Human trafficking (HT) for sex and labor services is among the fastest growing criminal enterprises, causing significant physical and psychological morbidity to victims. Although many survivors encounter medical, legal and social work professionals during their captivity, lack of awareness of HT in these fields results in under-recognition of victims. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary educational conference on raising awareness of HT in these fields. Design/methodology/approach A single-day educational conference on HT was hosted in Miami, Florida. Participants were recruited from medical, law enforcement, social work and political fields. The research team issued a ten-item HT survey at the start and end of the conference. Results were analyzed for improvement in survey score using an exact Wilcoxon sign rank test. The results were analyzed both as a single cohort and stratified by profession. Findings For all participants, there was a significant improvement in post-survey score (0.355, p < 0.05). When stratified by profession, significant improvement was noted in the legal subgroup (0.561, p < 0.05). No significant changes were noted for the other individual professional cohorts, although all subgroups trended toward improvement. Research limitations/implications A multi-disciplinary educational conference may be effective in raising awareness of HT. Further research is needed to determine the effect of increased awareness on actual outcomes for trafficking survivors. Originality/value This study represents unique, original research which provides valuable data as to the effectiveness of educational conferences on raising awareness of HT for professionals with the best opportunity to make meaningful interventions.

Teen Knowledge of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a pediatric health care problem with significant physical and mental health consequences for victims, even death. Although there exists community-wide collaborations in the United States to address professional response to CSEC, these efforts often have a limited capacity to reach adolescents and involve them in CSEC prevention. As part of a prevention strategy, the National Institute of Justice recommends educating youth about CSEC and exploiters' recruitment tactics. Despite this recommendation, little is known regarding American youth knowledge of CSEC. A descriptive research design was used for this study. All adolescents, male and female, presenting to a high-volume urban pediatric hospital-based Midwestern Child Advocacy Center (CAC) due to concerns for alleged sexual abuse were invited to participate in the study by answering a self- administered electronic questionnaire. This questionnaire explores the participants' knowledge, awareness, and attitudes about CSEC, in addition to collecting demographic data, such as participant age, gender identity, grade, school district, and school. During the six-month study period, 286 CAC patients were eligible to participate in the study. Nearly all participants (n = 217; 97%) agreed that pimping is wrong. While the majority of participants indicated an awareness of human trafficking (n = 198; 94%) and sex trafficking (n = 193; 87%); just (n = 91; 41%) had heard of labor trafficking. Fewer participants (n = 55; 25%) identified that a doctor, nurse, or other health care provider had ever spoken with them about sex trafficking. Study participants overwhelmingly conveyed negative attitudes toward CSEC. Participating adolescents indicated a significantly higher awareness of sex trafficking (87%) versus labor trafficking (10%). Sex trafficking receives more attention in the media than labor trafficking. Given that study participants indicated hearing about trafficking primarily from the media (74%) and family/friends, this may explain the deficit in labor trafficking awareness. Although study participants demonstrated mostly accurate baseline knowledge of CSEC, that knowledge was not universal.

Effects of Trauma-informed Care Training on Healthcare Providers Caring for Victims of Human Trafficking

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of trauma-informed care training on the practice of dental, optometry, and mental health providers caring for victims of human trafficking. Methods: A mixed method approach was used, including pre-post surveys and one focus group discussion. Results: The dental, optometry, and mental health provider participants reported a greater awareness of human trafficking and greater knowledge of how to approach and care for the victims in a trauma- informed way. Conclusion: Continued training on the provision of trauma-informed care for victims of human trafficking is necessary for dentists, optometrists, and mental health professionals serving in health clinics in a university located in the southeast United States.

Editorial: Knowledge is Power, Ignorance is Bliss: Public perceptions and responses to human trafficking

The focus of this issue of the Anti-Trafficking Review—public perceptions and responses to human trafficking—reflects the growing unease and disagreements among anti-trafficking practitioners and scholars about the current state of public awareness of human trafficking: how and by whom such awareness is produced and manipulated, whom it is targeting, and whether it leads, or can lead, to any meaningful anti-trafficking action. A central assumption in the anti-trafficking field is that the general public still lacks sufficient knowledge about human trafficking, and that creating more knowledge and awareness will lead to its reduction. However, there neither exists a common understanding of who should know what in order to achieve this goal, nor is there sufficient information available about the awareness of the general public or, especially, the impact of this awareness.

Denver center becomes first to include human trafficking curriculum

Taking note of the fact that some patients or consumers may be vulnerable to human trafficking in an area that has reported numerous cases, a Colorado-based community mental health center has been identified nationally for a pilot program by the federal government to conduct training sessions for clinical and nonclinical staff. The center is the first in the country to incorporate a human trafficking awareness curriculum into its training program.

Modern-Day Slavery in the U.S.: Human Trafficking and Counselor Awareness

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, yet it largely goes unnoticed by U.S.-based counselors. Although often overlooked, an increasing number of governmental entities document escalation in cases of human trafficking in the U.S. Counselors are in a unique position to address survivors of human trafficking needs due to their distinctive skill set. However, a general unawareness of human trafficking in the U.S. limits counselors with this population. This article focuses on increasing U.S.-based counselors’ awareness of human trafficking, forms of trafficking, prevalence in the U.S., assessment, and treatment for survivors. A case scenario and implications section conclude the article.

Human trafficking: How nurse practitioners can help end modern-day slavery.

Nurse practitioners can be a powerful frontline force by collectively raising awareness of human trafficking (HT) through education; advocating for policy change at the local/state/federal level, providing primary prevention for contributory risk factors; and building a strong HT prevention program with the Social-Ecological Model. Together, NPs can lead through practice, education, advocacy, and research to promote optimal health outcomes and to end human trafficking.

What Do EMS Professionals Know about Human Trafficking? An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Human trafficking has gained attention as a major human rights concern, yet little is known about the awareness of human trafficking among Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals. This is a significant concern; EMS professionals may be uniquely equipped to intervene with victims of trafficking. To address this gap, this study assessed the familiarity with and attitudes about trafficking in EMS professionals.Methods: An anonymous online survey assessed whether respondents had previous trafficking training, if they endorsed myths related to trafficking, recognized indicators of trafficking, and the awareness of how to report suspected trafficking. A total of n = 244 EMS professionals completed the survey.Results: Less than half of respondents reporting received training in human trafficking. Respondents who completed training were significantly less likely to endorse myths about trafficking and were able to identify indicators of trafficking more frequently. Previous training did not influence preferred avenues for reporting trafficking.Implications: To address the identified gaps, a detailed description of training is outlined, including governmental data, myths about trafficking, warning signs of trafficking, and suggestions for a trauma-informed approach to interacting with suspected victims. Operationalizing these findings, the research team created a free interactive training on human trafficking for EMS professionals (https://dvmedtraining.csw.fsu.edu/training/ems/).

Hell Gate: The Implications of Representations of Human Trafficking in Popular Culture

ABSTRACTWhen the thriller Taken was released in 2008, many anti-human trafficking advocates were cautiously optimistic that the film would be useful in raising awareness of human trafficking. Until we saw it. In the film, a beautiful, rich, white, American teenager is kidnapped out of a luxury Parisian apartment to be sold to an Arab sheik. The film’s distorted portrayal of what populations are vulnerable to becoming trafficking victims, the mechanisms by which trafficking tends to happen, and the ways in which victims are able to be liberated creates a false sense of what kinds of efforts might be effective in addressing human trafficking.Do other popular culture representations provide more accurate representations? This essay analyzes Linda Fairstein’s Hell Gate, which centers on a multi-victim case of international sex trafficking. The novel emphasizes the connections between the US transatlantic slave trade, encouraging readers to connect the individual tragedies of slavery and the structural injustices that condoned it with the tragedies and injustices which continue in human trafficking. It also accurately reflects the difficulties for the criminal justice system of enacting a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach to trafficking victim-survivors. However, the novel follows Taken in emphasizing the role of individual actors in achieving justice in human trafficking cases. This approach implies that justice will be served if a passionate, knowledgeable advocate takes action; it also then excuses the rest of the criminal justice system from its duty to effectively respond to the crime of human trafficking.

Combating Human Trafficking at the Local Level: Better Informing (Inter)national Action Plans

AbstractDespite increasing awareness of human trafficking in Canada (and internationally), there is limited knowledge about how local communities are responding to the experiences of trafficked persons. By focusing on the case of counter-trafficking responses in a major city in western Canada, this project represents the first Canadian attempt to document how a major urban centre is addressing human trafficking. The exploratory project surveyed 53 respondents representing agencies involved in the counter-trafficking response, which in various capacities serve individuals victimized by trafficking. Building on the survey findings, five focus group discussions were also conducted. The article suggests that, while a criminal justice framework is important for addressing human trafficking, local strategies will benefit from an emphasis on cross-sector collaboration that emphasizes the rights of the trafficked persons above the needs of law enforcement. Implications for (inter)national responses are also presented.

P045: Human trafficking awareness, a learning module for improved recognition of victims in the emergency room

Introduction/Innovation Concept: Estimates suggest that up to eighty-seven percent of human trafficking victims have come into contact with a healthcare provider during their exploitation and yet less than ten percent of emergency medicine (EM) physicians feel confident in identifying a victim. When provided with the relevant tools, medical personnel can aid in the recognition of victims and take the necessary steps in providing appropriate care when they present to the emergency department. Identifying this need for increased awareness in the urgent care setting, a module on human trafficking was implemented into the undergraduate medical education and departmental grand rounds. Methods: After identifying gaps in current medical education regarding screening for victims of human trafficking, a literature review was completed on the topic in medical education and utilized in constructing a list of objectives. These were then reviewed by community organizations that aid victims of trafficking and the Canadian Alliance of Medical Students Against Human Trafficking. Undergraduate medical students completed surveys prior to and following the learning module, in order to evaluate improvement in acquired knowledge. Curriculum, Tool, or Material: A one-hour lecture from ACT Alberta was given to undergraduate medical students as well as to residents and staff in departmental grand rounds. The session met the following objectives: defining human trafficking, recognition of victims, and identification of next steps in providing care. Additionally, an online module from Fraser Health was made available as an additional resource with case studies specific to emergency departments. The surveys consisted of 13 questions evaluating students’ knowledge on human trafficking and its prevalence in emergency medicine. The questions were a combination of a Likert scale, multiple choice, and short answer. There was a large amount of positive feedback from the students and comparison of the surveys showed that their knowledge in identifying victims had significantly improved. Conclusion: Medical students, residents, and staff may come into contact with victims of trafficking in the emergency department and yet less than three percent of emergency physicians have had training on how to recognize a victim. Implementing human trafficking awareness will impact EM medical education by providing victims a greater chance of being recognized and offered help when they present to the emergency room.

Art Therapy Exhibitions: Exploitation or Advocacy?

Promoting awareness of human trafficking by sharing trauma survivors' art and summaries of their life stories suggests ethical complexities that have been typically neglected by bioethicists. Although these survivors voluntarily share the objects they created during art therapy sessions, they are still at risk of harm, including further exploitation, due to their vulnerability, high rates of victim sensitivity, and the mental health consequences of their traumatic experiences. While some argue that the benefits of sublimation and art therapy for human trafficking survivors make sharing their art worth the risk, anti-trafficking organizations and supporters of such art exhibitions have responsibilities to be trauma informed.

Project NO REST: Addressing Human Trafficking in North Carolina.

Project NO REST (North Carolina Organizing and Responding to the Exploitation and Sexual Trafficking of Children) is a 5-year effort funded by the US Children's Bureau to address the trafficking of individuals age 25 years and younger in North Carolina. The project aims to increase awareness of human trafficking affecting children and youth, especially those in the child welfare system; to reduce the number of these youth who are trafficked; and to improve outcomes for those who are trafficked. In the project's first year, nearly 100 stakeholders statewide developed a comprehensive plan to address trafficking. Later, 5 communities were recruited to implement the plan at the local level. Their experiences will be used to develop a toolkit for future anti-trafficking efforts.

‘It’s All in Their Brain’: Constructing the figure of the trafficking victim on the US-Mexico border

This article is a qualitative reflection on a series of human trafficking awareness meetings held in a city on the US-Mexico border. It argues that along this border, representations of the human trafficking victim go beyond the stereotypical notions of the virginal female youth, target of sexual exploitation and violence. Rather, characterisations reflect a specific set of cultural and historical forms which further frame victims as inherently foreign, a proxy for Mexican, despite the ethnic similarities connecting communities on both sides of the US-Mexico divide. References to Mexican origin in this part of the United States have historically been used as part of an attempt to articulate social and ethnic difference, often despite sharing a common ethnic past. In the context of American anti-immigrant sentiments, Mexicans are described not only as inherently foreign, or as lacking government-sanctioned immigration status, but also as innately uncivilised, uneducated, hypersexual, criminal and pathological. On the US-Mexico border these characterisations become further complicated by the immediacy of Mexican border cities and their ongoing struggles amid the war on drugs.Collectively, the tropes of crime, violence and inherent pathos historically associated with Mexico and its people have seeped into the construction of the human trafficking rhetoric on the border, and have been quickly and effectively disseminated, despite the absence of empirically-informed indicators. Furthermore, while this practice is reflective of the efforts through which historically Mexican nationals have been othered along the US-Mexico border, in the current context of globalised fears over migrants and national security, human trafficking constructions become another tool of US border control and migration governance.