Monday, August 30, 2010
Tips for Identifying and Helping Victims of Human Trafficking
For Care Providers
As a health care practitioner, you may have treated victims of human trafficking without realizing their circumstances, and therefore, have lost a chance to help them escape a horrific situation. The following provides a brief overview of the trafficking problem, as well as tips for identifying and assisting trafficking victims:
- Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, widespread throughout the United States. While trafficking is largely a hidden social problem, many trafficking victims are in plain sight if you know what to look for.
- Trafficking is not just forced prostitution. Victims of human trafficking may also be in forced labor situations as domestic servants (nannies or maids); sweatshop workers; janitors; restaurant workers; migrant farm workers; fishery workers; hotel or tourist industry workers; and as beggars.
- As a frontline health provider, you can help victims of human trafficking since you may be the only outsider with the opportunity to speak with a victim. There are housing, health, immigration, food, income, employment and legal services available to victims, but first they must be found.
Victim Identification
- A victim of trafficking may look like many of the people you help every day. You can help trafficking victims get the assistance they need by looking beneath the surface for the following clues:
- Evidence of being controlled
- Evidence of an inability to move or leave job
- Bruises or other signs of battering
- Fear or depression
- Non-local language speaking
- Recently brought to this area from Eastern southern part of India
- Traffickers use various techniques to keep victims enslaved. Some Traffickers keep their victims under lock and key. However, the more frequent practice is to use less obvious techniques including:
- Debt bondage – financial obligations, honor-bound to satisfy debt
- Isolation from the public – limiting contact with outsiders and making sure that any contact is monitored or superficial in nature
- Isolation from family members and members of their ethnic and religious community
- Confiscation of or identification documents
- Use or threat of violence toward victims and/or families of victims
- The threat of shaming victims by exposing circumstances to family
- Telling victims they will be imprisoned or deported for immigration violations if they contact authorities
- Control of the victims’ money, e.g., holding their money for “safe-keeping”
The result of such techniques is to instill fear in victims. The victims’ isolation is further exacerbated because many do not speak Local language and are from countries where law enforcement is corrupt and feared.
Victim Interaction
- Asking the right questions may help you determine if someone is a victim of human trafficking. It is important to talk to a potential victim in a safe and confidential environment. If the victim is accompanied by someone who seems controlling, you should try to separate the victim from that person. The accompanying person could be the trafficker or someone working for the trafficker.
- Ideally, you should also enlist the help of a staff member who speaks the patient’s language and understands the patient’s culture. As an alternative, you can enlist interpreter services such as those provided by the ATT Language Line. If your patient is a child, it is important to enlist the help of a social services specialist who is skilled in interviewing minor trafficking or abuse victims.
- Screen interpreters to ensure they do not know the victim or the traffickers and do not otherwise have a conflict of interest.
The Mindset of a Human Trafficking Victim
When interacting with and providing assistance to potential trafficking victims, it is important to understand their mindset so you can provide them the best care and help them begin the process of restoring their lives.
- Many trafficking victims do not speak local language and do not understand local culture. Preying upon the poor and destitute from countries/states in Bangladesh,Nepal, Bihar, West bangal, Andhra pradesh, keral. traffickers lure their victims with promises of marriage, a good job so they can provide for their families back home, and a better life.
- These promises and dreams quickly turn to nightmares as victims find themselves trapped in the sex industry or being sex slave in such a family , the service industry, in sweatshops or in agricultural fields – living daily with inhumane treatment, physical and mental abuse, and threats to themselves or their families back home. Sometimes victims do not even know what city or country they are in because they are moved frequently to escape detection.
- Victims of trafficking have a fear or distrust of the government and police because they are afraid of being deported or because they come from countries/State where law enforcement is corrupt and feared. Sometimes they feel that it is their fault that they are in this situation. As a coping or survival skill, they may even develop loyalties and positive feelings toward their trafficker and try to protect them from authorities.
- Confidentiality is vital for victims of human trafficking. Their lives and the lives of their families are often at great risk if they try to escape their servitude or initiate criminal investigations against their captors. Therefore, it is imperative that you minimize the number of staff members who come in contact with the victim. Ensure that all staff members who have contact with the victim, including interpreters and advocates, understand the importance of confidentiality for the safety of the patient. Ensure that interpreters do not know the victim or the trafficker and do not otherwise have a conflict of interest.
- Many victims do not self-identify as victims. They also do not see themselves as people who are homeless or drug addicts who rely on shelters or assistance. Victims may not appear to need social services because they have a place to live, food to eat, medical care and what they think is a paying job.
Messages For Communicating With Victims of Human Trafficking
Most victims of trafficking experience intense fear – of their traffickers and of being deported. Therefore, when interacting with potential trafficking victims, it is important to reassure them that they are safe so you can begin the process of helping them get the protection and assistance they need to rebuild their lives safely in the United States. Gaining the trust of trafficking victims is an important first step in providing assistance.
Sample messages to convey to victims of human trafficking to help gain this trust include:
- We are here to help you.
- Our first priority is your safety.
- Under the
THE IMMORAL TRAFFIC (PREVENTION) ACT, 1956 or
Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls (Amendment) Act (SITA), 1978 or
IPC Section 366.
- victims of trafficking can rescued and could receive immigration relief.
- We will give you the medical care that you need.
- We can find you a safe place to stay.
- You have a right to live without being abused.
- You deserve the chance to become self-sufficient and independent.
- We can help get you what you need.
- We can help to protect your family.
- You can trust me.
- We want to make sure what happened to you doesn't happen to anyone else.
- You have rights.
- You are entitled to assistance. We can help you get assistance.
- If you are a victim of trafficking, you can receive help to rebuild your life safely in this country.
Common Health Issues Seen In Victims of Human Trafficking
Trafficking victims may suffer from an array of physical and psychological health issues stemming from inhumane living conditions, poor sanitation, inadequate nutrition, poor personal hygiene, brutal physical and emotional attacks at the hands of their traffickers, dangerous workplace conditions, occupational hazards and general lack of quality health care.
Preventive health care is virtually non-existent for these individuals. Health issues are typically not treated in their early stages, but tend to fester until they become critical, even life-endangering situations.
In many cases, health care is administered at least initially by an unqualified individual hired by the trafficker with little if any regard for the well-being of their “patients” – and even less regard for disease, infection or contamination control.
Health issues seen in trafficking victims include the following:
- Sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, pelvic pain, rectal trauma and urinary difficulties from working in the sex industry.
- Pregnancy, resulting from rape or prostitution.
- Infertility from chronic untreated sexually transmitted infections or botched or unsafe abortions.
- Infections or mutilations caused by unsanitary and dangerous medical procedures performed by the trafficker’s so-called “doctor.”
- Chronic back, hearing, cardiovascular or respiratory problems from endless days toiling in dangerous agriculture, sweatshop or construction conditions.
- Weak eyes and other eye problems from working in dimly lit sweatshops.
- Malnourishment and serious dental problems. These are especially acute with child trafficking victims who often suffer from retarded growth and poorly formed or rotted teeth.
- Infectious diseases like tuberculosis.
- Undetected or untreated diseases, such as diabetes or cancer.
- Bruises, scars and other signs of physical abuse and torture. Sex-industry victims are often beaten in areas that won’t damage their outward appearance, like their lower back.
- Substance abuse problems or addictions either from being coerced into drug use by their traffickers or by turning to substance abuse to help cope with or mentally escape their desperate situations.
- Psychological trauma from daily mental abuse and torture, including depression, stress-related disorders, disorientation, confusion, phobias and panic attacks.
- Feelings of helplessness, shame, humiliation, shock, denial or disbelief.
- Cultural shock from finding themselves in a strange country.
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