Treating the hidden wounds of human trafficking

MANY victims of trafficking would have experienced life-threatening or traumatic events prior to, during and sometimes after the trafficking experience.

Victims of trafficking are often subjected to various types of psychological, physical and sexual abuse, emotional neglect, witnesses to extreme violence, resulting in extreme trauma and traumatic bonding with their traffickers.

The trauma they experience causes them to have lapsed and fragmented memory of their trafficking experience and it is difficult for them to manage themselves and to practise self-regulation.

Victims are very often fearful to be alone since they are assessing danger when there is no danger. They are sometimes unable to articulate their experience. Trafficked persons may also sustain less evident health problems resulting from the abuse.

Victims of trafficking are therefore in the three modes of Fight (aggression, being confrontational), Flight (run away) and Freeze (shut down, detached).

Some victims recount their trafficking experience in the third person, not identifying with the traumatic events.

In the case of frontline persons, the staff and officers of the CTU are in constant contact with both perpetrators and victims of human trafficking – adult males and females as well as children.

As a result of exposure to the experiences of human-trafficking victims, there is a strong likelihood that the staff and officers of the CTU may experience burn out and more seriously, secondary trauma.

If left untreated secondary trauma could result in a number of issues including but not limited to:

· Long term psychological damage

· The adoption of unhealthy coping mechanisms (e.g. substance abuse)

· Psychosomatic disorders

· Physical ailments from stress

· Increased tension in the home

These trauma issues can limit the effectiveness/ productivity of the members of the CTU. Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) also referred to as Compassion Fatigue or Secondary Trauma is a common condition experienced by helping professionals who are first responders and involved in the care of traumatized persons.

STS takes an emotional toll on an individual. Members of the CTU who are afflicted may find themselves re-experiencing personal trauma, or notice an increase in arousal and avoidance reactions related to the indirect trauma exposure.

They may also experience changes in memory and perception; alterations in their sense of self-efficacy; a depletion of personal resources; and disruption in their perceptions of safety, trust, and independence.

It is important to prevent…

• Burnout (Extremely tiredness, no able to switch off after work)

• Compassion fatigue (You don’t care as much as you did) and;

• Vicarious Trauma (Developing same symptoms than traumatised youth)

The Counter Trafficking Unit's hotline is 800-4288 (4CTU)

Written by The Counter Trafficking Unit, Ministry of National Security.