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The Causes of Psychological Damage of Human Trafficking Victims

There are approximately 20-30 million slaves today in the world. Modern day slavery, also
known as human trafficking, produces millions of victims a year. Human trafficking was first
introduce in the 15th century with the slave trade involving Africa and Europe. Fast forward 4-5
centuries (1904-1949) an anti-human trafficking series of treaties called The International
Agreement for the suppression of the White Slave Traffic addressed struggling female
immigrants from Europe who were forced into prostitution. While historians say this was a
strategy to put European immigrants in control but in actuality the main purpose was to ensure
the repatriation of the victims. It was until the International Convention for the Suppression of
the White Slave Trade in 1910 was passed that violators were charged. WWI and WWII both
expanded the underground market for human trafficking due to fact that there was a lot of
smuggling between nations. Eventually they founded the League of Nations which was supposed
to help abolish international issues and crimes like human trafficking.

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There are many different ethnics, ages and races of

victims of human trafficking. 40.4 percent of human trafficking victims or African-American and
25.6 percent Caucasian females. Victims of Human trafficking restriction of movement,
mental/emotional abuse and violence which causes long term harmful psychological effects

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Imagine having no control over any aspect of your life. Being told what to wear, who to talk to,
where to go and even intimate actives such as when to go to the bathroom etc. Youll almost feel
like a prisoner right? Traffickers often use restriction of movement as a tactic for controlling
victims. Once victims no longer have control over majority of their actions they tend to become
submissive and eventually fearful. Control may be subtle, involving direct or implied threats or
making the victim feel responsible for their own behavior. (UNODC, 2009) This concept is
almost similar to reverse psychology in the fact that is the victim feels whatever he/she does its
their fault if they get hurt. Therefore control of over their actions can have a long term effect on
their decision making. Victims become indecisive and struggle to make the smallest/ simplest
decisions.
In some cases, victims may have been controlled from the outset,
for example if they have been abducted. In other cases, control
may have been relatively weak in the early stages but increased as
the victim went through the trafficking process, becoming strongest
as they near and reach the destination location/exploitation
phase. (UNOCD, 2009)
Although human trafficking does not always include sexual acts/exploitation, some victims are
paid very little for their work (still considered illegal). Abusers often make their victims steal,
kill and commit other illegal activates which can cause victims to feel guilt and disgust, and
possibly rage towards themselves. Not only do traffickers control the victims physically but they
also control the mental and emotion state.

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Eighteen percent of human trafficking victims commit suicide. The daily mental abuse cause by
traffickers can cause the average person to go crazy. Traffickers uses mental abuse to remain in
control and frighten their slaves. Depression, anxiety and hostility are mental disorders
frequently detected among victims and victims of other traumatic events and were also identified
as key psychological reactions in other studies on the emotional/mental health of human
trafficking victims. Abuse should be understood widely, for example, to include verbal or
psychological abuse, deprivation or other controlling or harmful behaviors that could harm an
individual. In some cases, victims of trafficking have been found to come from dysfunctional
backgrounds before they were trafficked. Like victims who lived in poverty or whose parents
were addicted to alcohol or drugs, experienced or witnessed domestic violence, were orphaned as
children, war, civil unrest, poor diet or illiterate. During the trafficking process, victims may
have been forced to work very long hours with limited breaks. They may not have had access to
nutritional food, protective equipment, or adequate amounts of fluids or clean clothing.
The experience of being trafficked is often so cruel and
dehumanizing that it leads to the development of mental health
issues. Trafficking victims are subjected to severe verbal and
physical violence, emotional abuse, intimidation, and threats, as is
the case with domestic violence. An estimated 30-90% of women in
domestic violence programs have mental health problems such as
depression, PTSD, panic disorder, anxiety, and substance abuse
(MNHTFF, 2014)

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Once victims are in the care of traffickers they may experience anything from verbal threats to
physical assaults. The forcefulness of violence varies upon if its a sexual case or forced labor
case. For an example in sexual cases, about seventy percent of women have reported that they
have been physically assaulted. Also males of all ages have reported that they have been sexually
assault and/or beaten while being recruited as solders to fight in a underground wars
Traffickers often make threats against loved ones, friends and family to control victims. Human
trafficking victims have reoccurring traumatic affairs which can lead to them coping and becoming almost
tolerable to the violence. This does not mean that victims are content with the violence/abuse . Experts

who have worked with victims of chronic trauma, such as domestic violence victims, this type of
repetitive abuse/fear is considered this as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) is a term that describes a mental health disorder caused, in part, by
exposure to one or more traumatic events. This disorder happens in a number of severe
psychological symptoms experienced by those who have been exposed to a life-threatening
experience that has had a traumatic effect on them. Post-traumatic stress disorder, acute anxiety,
and depression are all common psychological issues among sex industry workers. Providers
should screen for feelings of helplessness, shame, humiliation, distrust, self-hatred, disbelief,
denial, suicidal thoughts, disorientation, confusion, and phobias among suspected victims. It is
not uncommon to encounter sex trafficking victims in their early 30s who have become
psychologically and emotionally disabled from working in prostitution. In one study, providers
reported that sex-trafficked women were less stable, more isolated, had higher levels of fear,
more severe trauma, and greater mental health needs than other victims of crime. Additionally,
victims may develop substance abuse problems or addictions from being coerced through drug
use by their traffickers or by using substances to cope or escape their desperate situations.

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In conclusion human trafficking has a vast and major effect on the psychological health of its
victims. Since the 1950s there has been a stricter approach to the human trafficking world. There
has also been many polices and acts put in effect to prevent this heinous crime. There are many
of shelter and centers primarily of domestic violence and trafficking victims. Several
organizations provide financial support and mental/emotional counseling.
President Obama declared January to be Human Trafficking Awareness month, and Jan. 11, 2011
was named National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. On this day, various individual, as well
as group events took place in an attempt to increase awareness about human trafficking among
the general public. The Alliance to End Human Trafficking, an anti trafficking coalition, began a
campaign to ask the government to take a serious look at trafficking by renewing the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act. The goal was not only to increase awareness, but to initiate action as well
(

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The Causes of Psychological Damage of Human

Trafficking Victims
By
Celah Harrison
Professor Robotham
British Literature 1st period
March 21, 2016

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Work Cited
http://mnhttf.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/MNHTTF-Mental-Health-Fact-Sheet.pdf
http://www.ncdsv.org/images/OVCTTAC_HumanTraffickingResourcePaper_201
2.pdf
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/faqs.html What_is_human_trafficking
http://scholar.google.com/scholar_url?url=http://www.religionscell.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/03/violence-against-women-global-scope-andmagnitude.pdf&hl=en&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm0NfhkoR1tDZy2Mex3t7R1aMed
JKA&nossl=1&oi=scholarr
http://freedomnetworkusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/FN-FactsheetHuman-Trafficking-and-Domestic-Violence-Updated-Sept-2012.pdf
http://tva.sagepub.com/content/10/1/3.short
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2009/November/humantrafficking-fuels-violence-against-women.html
https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/psychological-impact-incarcerationimplications-post-prison-adjustment - II
https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/psychological-impact-incarcerationimplications-post-prison-adjustment

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http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/02/25/3626972/human-traffickingmental-trauma/
http://www.ksufreedomalliance.org/victims--survivors-of-humantrafficking.html