______________________________________ Human Trafficking and Exploitation: The Texas Requirement
testing (e.g., radiology, urine test). A companion’s assistance with paperwork may also be requested in an outside office or lobby. If the potential victim does not want to be alone or is reluctant to go to a private location, it is vital to respect her/ his wishes. In addition, the following interviewing recommendations were published by the World Health Organization to encourage service providers to continually and ethically promote human trafficking victims’ safety during every phase of the interview- ing process [102; 110]: • Each victim and trafficking situation should be treated as unique; there are no standard templates of experi- ences. Listen carefully to the victim’s story. Each story told is unique, and each patient will voice distinctive concerns. Believe each story, no matter how incredible it may seem. As rapport and trust build (perhaps very slowly), accounts may become more extensive. • Always be safe and assume the victim is at risk of physi- cal, psychological, social, and legal harm. • Evaluate the risks and benefits of interviewing before starting the interviewing process. The interviewing process should not invoke more distress. In other words, the interviewing process should not end up re- traumatizing the victim. • Provide referrals for services where necessary; however, it is necessary to be realistic and not make promises that cannot be kept. Trust is vital because it has been severed on so many levels for trafficking victims. • Victims’ readiness to change will not be based on what society defines as “ready” or on social expectations. Some victims will eagerly grasp new opportunities, while others may be fearful of potential traffickers’ threats and be less receptive to help. • Determine the need for interpreters and if other service providers should be present during the interviewing phase. Ensure that everyone involved is adequately prepared in their knowledge about human trafficking, how perpetrators control their victims, and how to ask questions in a culturally sensitive manner. Keep in mind that often times, traffickers will offer to help with the interpreting. Using interpreters from the same community of the victim should be avoided to prevent breaches in confidentiality. • All involved should be prepared with an emergency plan. For example, is there a set plan for a victim who indicates he/she is suicidal or in danger of being hurt? • Always be sure to obtain informed consent. Remember that the informed consent process is going to be unfa- miliar to many victims. In addition, self-determination and autonomy have been compromised by continual threats and being forced to commit dehumanizing acts. Avoid using legal and technical jargon.
Providers should assume that human trafficking victims are describing their reality to the best of their ability, given the trauma they have experienced. Responses and behaviors (e.g., being guarded, defensive, belligerent) may be coping mecha- nisms [99]. SAFETY MEASURES While it may be necessary to modify the approach depending on the situation, the Advocates for Human Rights recommends that safety plans for trafficking survivors [111]: • Are personalized, realistic, involve friends and family that the victim trusts, and cover every aspect of the victim’s life • Focus on improving safety in the victims’ environment • Assess the current risk and identify current and poten- tial safety concerns • Create strategies for avoiding or reducing the threat of harm • Outline concrete options for responding when safety is threatened or compromised, including: – Determining who victims will call in an emergency and memorizing those phone numbers or prepar- ing a small card listing the numbers – Identifying where victims will go if there is an emergency – Identifying what victims will do if the trafficker contacts them after they leave the trafficking situ- ation (e.g., retain messages, contact the police or a victim advocate) – Assessing how to handle safety issues when victims have family or friends, including those in another country, who are at risk of harm from the trafficker • Are re-evaluated at various stages of the trafficking situ- ation • Reflect changing circumstances in the victim’s life and changes in support or services (e.g., victims may have felt safe with a particular situation at the time of prepar- ing the safety plan, but they may not feel safe in that same situation in the future) • Address what victims will do in response to flashbacks or triggers, including those in any new workplace • Strategize how to address and replace technology, such as cell phones, that the trafficker provided or had access to (e.g., leaving phones in places victims are allowed to be or providing phones just for calling 911) In addition, non-U.S. citizens should have access to an emer- gency contact in the United States (potentially a legal services provider) and plans for young children (i.e., a decision-making proxy). Youth victims may require housing assistance [111].
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MDTX2026
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