Identifying the Human Trafficking Victim

About this course

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) brings human trafficking to the forefront of conversation on an international level. Prevention through education is paramount going forward in efforts to curb the growth of this $150 billion industry. Healthcare providers are on the frontline of these efforts as the first point of contact for most victims. Being able to identify the trafficking victim and provide resources is key to the victim becoming a survivor of human trafficking.

Learning objectives

• Define the various forms of human trafficking in the global and community setting
• Describe indicators of potential trafficking and appropriate resources available
• Identify actions the healthcare provider can take to assist the trafficking victim
• Describe current legislatures that assist and protect trafficking victims

Course outline

23 sections · finish in any order across devices

1. 1

   Introduction

   Globally, human trafficking is a $150 billion industry. In fact, the International Labour Organization (ILO); an organization that brings together governments, employers and workers to set labor standards and develop policies that promote decent work for all women and men, estimated in 2016 that 40.

   6 min

2. 2

   Global Trafficking

   Each year, thousands of individuals fall victim to national and international trafficking. The 2016 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons revealed profile characteristics of the trafficker in relationship to that of the person who is trafficked. Traffickers tend to speak the same language as the v

   4 min

3. 3

   Essential Elements: A-M-P Model

   Human trafficking involves three essential elements: action, means, and purpose. According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), the Action-Means-Purpose, or A-M-P Model helps determine whether force, fraud, or coercion was prese

   4 min

4. 4

   Adverse Childhood Experiences

   Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) can increase the likelihood of risk-taking behavior that could predispose a person to a trafficking situation. A better understanding of how a high ACE score can increase the risk of a person becoming a victim of trafficking is best explored through research. The

   4 min

5. 5

   Myths of Human Trafficking Victims

   Myths or misperceptions often lead to missed opportunities to identify victims. It is essential for healthcare providers and first point-of-contact personnel to be educated on these potential myths. Trafficking in persons is not just a crime that occurs in a faraway place or one that only involves m

   4 min

6. 6

   Health Implications of the Trafficking Victim

   Labor and sex trafficking carry inherent health risks and need exploration. Research studies in South Africa and West Bengal, India regarding the effects of sex trafficking and HIV risk determined that women and girls who experienced forced sexual encounters through being trafficked were 50% more li

   4 min

7. 7

   Recognizing the Human Trafficking Victim in the Healthcare Setting

   Healthcare providers, for a variety of reasons, may fail to stop, observe, and ask questions to identify a potential victim of human trafficking. Biases, fear of no available resources, lack of education regarding human trafficking red flags, lack of privacy, myths, the absence of protocols, stereot

   4 min

8. 8

   Signs of Sex Trafficking

   According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) and hotline, general signs of sex trafficking in persons may include but not be limited to the following with some modifications:

   4 min

9. 9

   Signs of Labor Trafficking

   Common presenting complaints of victims of human trafficking are much like those of intimate partner violence but may vary depending on if a victim of labor versus sex trafficking. Labor traffickers prey on specific vulnerabilities to entice individuals to accept substandard working conditions. Work

   4 min

10. 10

    Common Trafficking Terms

    Languages are essential to the understanding of different cultures, environments, enterprises, and socioeconomic groups. Human trafficking and smuggling have a dialect, unique to traffickers and victims. Exploration of trafficking vocabulary will help healthcare providers relate to and understand vi

    4 min

11. 11

    Conducting a Physical Assessment

    Conducting a full assessment in this vulnerable population is of vital importance. An examination may prove difficult due to the emotional and psychological state of the victim. Human trafficking victims may appear to be uncooperative and give an inconsistent history. These reactions are manifestati

    5 min

12. 12

    Conducting a Psychological Assessment

    Mental health indicators of trafficking in persons may be missed or explained away as a panic attack. Again, the healthcare provider must stop and take an in-depth assessment while considering the flags. The healthcare provider should look for signs such as depression, suicidal ideations, self-mutil

    4 min

13. 13

    Communicating with a Victim of Human Trafficking

    Once a healthcare provider identifies a potential trafficked person, it is imperative to establish a private, quiet, safe place to assess the patient further, much like in cases of child or elder abuse. Building rapport and providing an opportunity for the victim to feel empowered is of utmost impor

    4 min

14. 14

    Creating an Opportunity for Intervention

    The trafficker may be the accompanying family member or significant other that declines to leave the patient alone. Like intimate partner violence, the healthcare provider must create an opportunity to separate the victim from the trafficker. For instance, they can take the patient to the bathroom f

    4 min

15. 15

    Reporting Human Trafficking

    If a patient reveals they are a victim of human trafficking, the healthcare provider should ask the patient if it is alright to call the national human trafficking resource center hotline number. The healthcare provider should also provide the victim with the phone number and encourage them to call

    4 min

16. 16

    Mandatory Reporting/HIPAA Considerations

    Guidelines for the reporting of suspected cases of human trafficking for adults and children will vary depending on facility, location, state, and federal laws. Adults may not want to report the incident. Consideration should be given in the decision to alert law enforcement based on predetermined p

    4 min

17. 17

    Referral Considerations

    Long-term psychological impacts must be taken into consideration when referrals for treatment of trafficking victims are enacted into a treatment plan. Multifarious conditions exist emotionally and physically, rendering approaches to future care a challenge for healthcare providers.

    4 min

18. 18

    Documentation of Assessments, Interventions, and Referrals

    Documentation of physical findings and interventions is important and may assist the victim in prosecuting their trafficker later if health records get subpoenaed. The healthcare provider should follow established documentation guidelines and reporting requirements based on state and local statute o

    4 min

19. 19

    The Trafficking Victim’s Recovery

    Cultural shock impacts and language barriers play a role in the recovery period and successful transition into society as a survivor and not a victim. Survivors of human trafficking can offer much-needed insight into the thoughts, feelings, and interactions with members of the healthcare team and gu

    4 min

20. 20

    Legislative Victories: The 3P's Approach

    The United States Congress has passed several comprehensive bills to expose human trafficking crimes in domestic and international communities. This legislative process finds its basis in the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution which banned involuntary servitude and slavery in 1865. One such law,

    4 min

21. 21

    Conclusion

    Healthcare providers must know human trafficking protocols in their institutions and know the local resources available. Local resources such as Project Help, rape crisis centers, women's shelters, homeless shelters, addiction centers, and churches can provide needed materials and support services f

    4 min

22. 22

    Human Trafficking Post-Test

    Men can be victims of human trafficking.

    4 min

23. 23

    Human Trafficking Post-Test Answers

    The wheel for human trafficking depicts the different types of abuse inflicted on trafficking victims at the hands of traffickers. Power and control, the wheel center, represent the primary weapon a trafficker uses to the manipulate a victim and keep them bound to the trafficker. Other tools in the

    4 min

This course satisfies

Requirement summaries come from our state requirement records. Always confirm details with your board before you renew.

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