1 Introduction
Human Trafficking Defined
Human trafficking is a global human rights violation, enslaving men, women, and children. The 2015 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act amends the definition of the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), defining human trafficking as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for the purpose of labor or a commercial sex act, in which the labor or commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not obtained 18 years of age (US Congress, 2015).
Human trafficking can be a misleading term, implying movement from one place to another. Trafficking does occur across borders of continent, country, state, city, and town, but movement is not an essential aspect. One may be trafficked without being transported. A key component of human trafficking is the goal and implementation of exploitation by a trafficker for labor or commercial sex purposes (Department of State, 2020).
Since this issue was first defined and addressed through the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, research has provided preliminary understanding of the impact, complexities, and needs of victims of human sex trafficking. However, a consistent theme mentioned is the need for more robust research and the lack of empirical data for treatment of sex trafficking victims or understanding of their psychological experiences and their resiliency factors, which can then inform mental health treatment and aftercare services (Williamson and Dutch, 2009; Cecchet and Thoburn, 2014).
One author (Schmidt, 2014) commenting on sex trafficking, noted that “no established therapeutic intervention exists” (p.5), and therefore research has been limited to treatment for other issues that sex trafficking victims may encounter or similar populations that have endured trauma or isolation. Some examples include domestic violence, sexual assault, refugees, and victims of torture (Jones, 2014; Williamson and Dutch, 2009). Research has been described as “fragmented” (Jones, 2014, p. 11), lacking data on best practices and interventions, and void in addressing this issue from a clinical perspective (Cecchet and Thoburn, 2014; Dell et al., 2017; Armenta-Buelna, 2017). There are increasing programs and services, yet a limited body of knowledge to identify what is successful, particularly what is effective, replicable, and grounded in theoretical research (American Psychological Association, 2014).
Research contributions have provided a general understanding of victims, factors of vulnerability prior to being trafficked, the means of recruitment, the impact of physical, sexual, and psychological violence, along with the control and isolation of a victim. Furthermore, studies have given a general overview of identified needs of victims, have reviewed current resources and services and have outlined several recommendations for treatment of domestic sex trafficking victims: trauma-informed services that address education on violence and victimization, empowerment, strength, resilience, cultural uniqueness and collaboration (Elliot et al., 2005); peer-to-peer models and group processes that address themes of trauma healing, coping skills, and purpose (Hardy et al., 2013); and comprehensive, multidisciplinary services to assist with housing, legal issues, medical care, social services, trauma therapy and substance abuse treatment (Williamson and Dutch, 2009; Macy and Johns, 2011). However, consistently these recommendations include the call for additional research to test their effectiveness (Williamson and Dutch, 2009) and to understand the factors that make treatment successful (Countryman-Roswurm and DiLollo, 2016). Finally, there is more to understand about the contributing factors to long-term, sustainable healing and how service providers and the general community may understand their role in that process.
The majority of studies have surveyed service providers and employees of domestic and international organizations who are supporting trafficking victims. Yet, the voices of survivors have remained on the fringe. The research is begging for additional depth that highlights the voices of survivors and addresses the nuances of both the impact of victimization in sex trafficking, the challenges that they encounter, as well as their perspective of the most helpful components of recovery and reintegration after they have been separated from the trafficker. It seems responsible to consult with and learn from our greatest teachers, those who directly experienced this complex form of victimization.
This book seeks to bear witness to the experiences of sex trafficking survivors through listening to their direct voices. It is largely derived from a qualitative retrospective study focused on the voices of female survivors of human sex trafficking in the United States who have been separated from their trafficker, but will also touch on global themes of sex trafficking. Throughout the book, examples will focus on females and female pronouns will be used. This is for ease in writing, and because the main study outlined in this book was a female sample. Additionally, it is commonly believed that the majority of prostituted and trafficked people are girls and women. However, there is evidence that boys, men, and transgendered individuals are also trafficked. There is currently limited information on these topics, though many of the concepts of this book can be applied to these populations as well. This chapter outlines the theoretical lens and design of this study.
Study Overview
Through the theoretical lenses of ec...
