The Mental Health Clinician's Role in Advocacy for Survivors of Human Trafficking: Treatment and Management

Abstract

Human trafficking (HT) affects a large number of populations worldwide, including men, women, and children. The traffickers exploit the vulnerability of the victims, including their poor socioeconomic status, political instabilities in their countries, and existing mental illness. They use fraud and coercion to involve these victims in forced labor or commercial sex. The victims encounter significant physical, emotional, and sexual trauma resulting in posttraumatic stress disorder along with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder. Standard treatment protocols to manage the victims of HT do not exist. Trauma-informed care is key, as it provides the victims a sense of empowerment and safety while preventing retraumatization and enhancing treatment adherence. Mental health clinicians can play a significant role in providing services to the victims of HT. They can take the lead role in the integrated care model, which collaborates services with other stakeholders. They can also help provide training to other health care providers in identifying the victim, providing trauma-centered care, and establishing continuity of services. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2021;51(8):373–377.]

Labor trafficking: A mental health perspective.

“…Processing trauma requires professional psychological help to alleviate the emotional pain and suffering. Initial psychological evaluations should be tailored to identify current mental health needs, vulnerabilities, psychological and medical history, and ongoing psychosocial stressors (Iqbal et al, 2021). Trust, attachment, interpersonal challenges, current psychological state, stigma and marginalization, socioeconomic barriers to care, support network, and mental health provider competence are some factors for psychologists to consider when providing mental health services (Coverdale et al, 2020).…”

“…Multiple trauma-focused psychotherapy modalities are effective for trafficked persons, including cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, imaginal exposure therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, especially for those suffering from depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and dissociative symptoms. Motivational interviewing can help those with substance use disorders (Iqbal et al, 2021).…”

“…Collaborating with survivors has growing evidence as best practice in human trafficking screening, protocols, and guidelines (Miller et al, 2020). Psychologists can assist labor trafficking survivors with overcoming their vulnerabilities by connecting them to survivor advocates, support groups, continuing education, job training, antitrafficking case management, and family reunification efforts (Iqbal et al, 2021). Understanding each survivor's story is essential in developing an individualized, person-centered, and strength-focused treatment plan.…”

“…health care services and collaborate with community stakeholders such as legal services, housing, and vocational training (Iqbal et al, 2021).…”

A multidisciplinary collaborative approach to human trafficking.

“…Mental health providers can offer consultations to medical providers to increase identification of victims in general medical practice and how to provide a trauma-informed approach to care. Mental health professionals can also provide an integrated behavioral health approach during, pre-, or postexamination (Gordon et al, 2018;Iqbal et al, 2021).…”