have little regulation or oversight, including agriculture, restaurants/food services, bars/clubs, domestic work, factories, and the hospitality industry (hotels/motels). Forced labor affects both adults and minors (under the age of 18), and migrant populations are considered to be the most vulnerable to this form of trafficking.
sex. In instances of sex trafficking, victims perform commercial sex through the use of coercion, force, or fraud. It more commonly affects women but frequently involves children of both sexes (Inter- Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons 2017). Victims of forced labor trafficking are often found in industries that require a large number of workers yet Vulnerability factors Although individuals of any age and any sex may fall victim to human trafficking, it is known that women and girls are the most vulnerable (Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons, 2017). Current data for the state of Texas indicates that in 2020 and 2021, 85% of victims in human trafficking–related cases were female compared to 8% males and 7% unknown (Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force, 2022). The same report indicates that African American was the most vulnerable race/ethnicity with 38.1% of victims, followed by Caucasian (32.3%), Hispanic (18.7%), and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.2%); in 8.4% of cases, the victim’s race/ethnicity was recorded as unknown (Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force, 2022). Vulnerability factors are often regarded as either “push” or “pull” factors (Stoklosa & Beals, 2022). Push factors are circumstances that drive victims from their current living situation into trafficking, for example, abuse, poverty, or family conflict. Pull factors lure a victim into trafficking by providing access to a desired resource such as income, Victim–trafficker dynamics Research and firsthand accounts from victims of trafficking indicate that traffickers may use a number of tactics designed to isolate, control, and intimidate/threaten victims such as: ● Physical/sexual/emotional violence ● Threats or intimidation of victims and/or victims’ family members ● Withholding basic necessities (food, water, clothing, shelter) ● Social isolation or limiting contact with family members, friends, and outsiders; making sure any contact is monitored ● Economic coercion (weaponized/predatory debt through enormous financial obligations, controlling or withholding victim’s money) ● Confiscation or control of passports/identification documents The health impact of human trafficking The impact of human trafficking on its victims’ quality of life is devastating (Stoklosa et al., 2022; Richie-Zavalet et al., 2021). Victims frequently suffer physical abuse that results in traumatic injuries and chronic pain; suffer sexual abuse that increases their risk/occurrences of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pregnancies, and abortion- related complications; and suffer emotional abuse that may manifest as a variety of psychiatric or mental health illnesses such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, and substance use disorders. This physical, sexual, and emotional abuse also increases an individual’s risk of overdose due to substance use and/or death (Stocklosa et al., 2022). Victims also are frequently subjected to poor living conditions that expose them to malnutrition, dehydration, and other injuries (Stocklosa et al., 2022). Trafficking may be viewed as a process that moves through a series of stages (e.g., recruitment, travel/transit, exploitation, integration,
housing, or recreational substances (Stoklosa & Beals, 2022). Much of the current body of research and literature indicates that vulnerability factors for human trafficking include (Hope for Justice, 2024): ● Children in the welfare/juvenile justice systems (especially children ages 12–14 years) ● Unhoused youth ● Migrant laborers/foreign national domestic workers ● Patient with limited English abilities ● Patients with disabilities ● Patients with limited education ● Patients using substances/suffering from substance use disorders ● Individuals of color ● Indigenous individuals ● Individuals with a history of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) ● Individuals who have experienced the death of a parent, guardian, or caretaker that has triggered family instability ● False claims of imprisonment or deportation if victims contact authorities/law enforcement Self-Assessment Quiz Question #1 Which of the following is not an example of human trafficking (either labor or sex trafficking)? a. Migrant/undocumented workers coerced into working as farmhands after being transported into the U.S. b. A consenting adult (>18 years of age) engaging in sexual acts in exchange for money c. Massage therapists at an unregistered massage parlor compelled to engage in sexual acts under threat of legal action being taken against them if they refuse d. Hospitality/housekeeping service workers made to work for little to no pay due to threats made against members of their family and retrafficking or reintegration) that victims pass through. This view emphasizes the cumulative effect of all health risks across all stages of the trafficking process (Klabbers et al., 2023). Exploitation occurs, while not all trafficked persons are harmed, throughout all stages of the trafficking process, and conceptualizing trafficking as a process highlights the different time points at which different interventions could be more effective (Klabbers et al., 2023). Victims of human trafficking may lose most or all of their autonomy and independence (Stocklosa et al., 2022). While not all victims of trafficking have physical indicators that aid identification, many victims suffer serious health issues, which may include (National Human Trafficking Resource Center, 2016): ● Addiction to drugs and/or alcohol to cope with or “escape” their situation, or as a method of control used by their traffickers
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Book Code: MTX1326
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