Survivors of human trafficking have needs that are unique to the trauma they have experienced. Survivor-centered care is the only way to provide a strong foundation for services that can help, rather than hinder survivors in building new lives for themselves. Survivor-centered care should focus on assisting in the development of survivor’s independence while acknowledging the impact of trauma through their recovery. Additionally, survivor-centered care requires that providers be especially qualified and competent to handle the specialized needs of those who have been trafficked.
A study done in 2014 on best practices for serving survivors of sex trafficking measured success by the extent to which survivors felt “safe to live independently within an environment of his or her choice.” Therefore, any services provided should aim to ensure that survivors are able to create that life, free of the need for long-term assistance. This study also identified seven core service areas for survivors: “basic necessities; secure and safe shelter and housing; physical health care; mental health care; legal and immigration advocacy; job and life skills training; and substance abuse services.” As the number of categories suggests, survivors have a variety of needs that must be addressed holistically by those trained to serve this population.
For example, the Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Human Trafficking is a local organization that provides services to survivors of trafficking. Staff, interns, and volunteers are all trained in trauma-informed care and the center incorporates the Sanctuary Model which involves running weekly S.E.L.F. (Safety Emotions, Loss and Future) groups. The Sanctuary Model as developed by the Sanctuary Institute is meant to serve as a, “trauma-informed, trauma-responsive, evidence-supported, whole culture approach that has a clear and structured methodology for creating or changing an organizational culture.”
Trauma training also helps to prevent retraumatization. This occurs when a survivor experiences something that consciously or subconsciously reminds them of a trauma they experienced and results in them re-experiencing the initial trauma. As the Department of Justice notes, this can occur in a variety of contexts, including interactions between survivors and healthcare providers or law enforcement officers who are not familiar with the effects of trauma. It is clear that understanding trauma is crucial to effectively working with survivors of trafficking. Furthermore, trauma experts suggest that understanding trauma helps service providers to not only develop beneficial services, but also to better identify potential victims of trafficking.
Trauma is a nuanced topic; thus, the treatment plans must be tailor made for each individual. The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies developed the concept of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to attempt to explain the psychological impact of trafficking on survivors. Complex PTSD is described as a “result of exposure to repeated or prolonged instances or multiple forms of interpersonal trauma, often occurring under circumstances where escape is not possible due to physical, psychological, maturational, family/environmental, or social constraints.”
While those administering care to survivors of human trafficking have a duty to provide services that are both competent and qualified, it is imperative that survivors be allowed to self-select into these services. Survivors should have access to resources that will assist them in achieving independence, but they must also maintain the option to not engage with any of these resources should they so choose. As discussed in the CSE Institute’s policy paper on the matter, penalizing victims who elect not to engage with services, “for acting out in precisely the ways they need to in order to process their sexual trauma is not only counterproductive to their ultimate recovery – it is inconsistent with how we treat other victims of abuse. . . .” When a survivor of human trafficking is not permitted to make these decisions, they are deprived of the right to self-determination—a right which is not only consistent with, but necessary to, the goal of helping them achieve independence.
As is noted by the Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, working with victims of trafficking does create unique challenges, but these challenges should not inhibit the survivors’ access to care and resources. Trauma-informed care enables providers to serve survivors by helping them recover and work towards achieving their own goals in the future. An understanding of trauma is vital to the success of services provided to survivors of human trafficking; therefore, those who provide these services must make every effort to be trauma informed. Ultimately, services for survivors of human trafficking should enable them not only to survive, but to thrive.
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or of Villanova University.
Emma Sullivan is currently a first-year law student at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Emma is from Parker, Colorado and received her BA from the University of Oklahoma in International Relations and Area Studies with minors in African and Latin American Studies. After graduation, Emma hopes to work towards addressing the topic of violence against women in international policy.