DNP, RN
Imagine the following scenario:
You’re an ER nurse working the night shift at a Level 1 trauma center in Chicago. You pick up the following patient: a 21-year-old Hispanic, non-English speaking female. She presents with complaints of fever for two days, upper respiratory symptoms, and dehydration.
It is 2 a.m., and she is accompanied by her 2-year-old son and a middle-aged man who identifies as the patient’s uncle. The “uncle” speaks English and insists on translating for the patient. Per hospital policy, you request the services of an in-house Spanish-speaking interpreter.
The patient has difficulty maintaining eye contact with you and the interpreter, and she always looks at her uncle before answering any questions. You ask the uncle to leave as you help the patient change into a gown; he hesitantly leaves the room.
The interpreter remains with you as you continue to get a history from the patient. You ask about support at home since it is the middle of the night, and the 2-year-old is with the patient. She is evasive and replies that she does not have any family nearby.
As you continue obtaining the history, the patient takes a long time to answer questions, and her answers about how long she has been sick and how she has been caring for herself at home do not quite add up. As the patient gets into her gown, you notice bruises in various stages of healing and a single tattoo on her wrist. You leave the room slightly unsettled as you prepare to start an IV, administer a fluid bolus, and perform a respiratory panel nasal swab, as you suspect she is flu positive.
Do you spot any red flags? If you were this patient’s nurse, would you suspect her to be a victim of human trafficking? If you answered yes (or no), keep reading to learn how you could support this patient and bring awareness to human trafficking in your nursing practice and your healthcare institution.
The US Department of Labor defines human trafficking as “a crime involving the exploitation of someone for the purposes of compelled labor or a commercial sex act through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.”
Human trafficking occurs globally, affecting an estimated 12 million to 30 million people. This includes more than 5 million children. Research suggests that 800,000 people are trafficked annually in the United States. Statistics are likely underreported because of this public health crisis’s secretive nature. As a nurse, there is a high likelihood that you will come into contact with a victim of human trafficking.
Traffickers often use the following tactics to lure victims into forced or coerced labor:
Some victims of human trafficking might have initially consented to a working relationship with their trafficker but later found themselves in a situation against their will. Despite their initial consent, these individuals are victims.
Labor Trafficking: The U.S. Department of State explains that labor trafficking, or forced labor, involves the use of “force, fraud, or coercion to exploit the labor or services of another person.” Adults and children can be forced into labor.
This may involve:
Human trafficking victims might be forced to work in various settings in seemingly ordinary roles, such as:
Sex Trafficking: Similar to labor trafficking, sex trafficking involves elements of coercion, force, or fraud that “compel another person to engage in a commercial sex act or causes a child to engage in a commercial sex act.”
Sex trafficking can take place in the following places:
Some individuals engage in commercial sex work as an informed choice. They are not victims of human trafficking; however, they can become victims if a trafficker takes control of their livelihood and forces them to engage in sex work against their will.
Who is at Risk?
Anyone can become a victim of human trafficking. However, specific characteristics or circumstances may increase the risk of becoming a victim.
Some risk factors are:
Be aware of these common indicators of human trafficking:
What Can You Do?
As a nurse, being aware of human trafficking is potentially lifesaving. The following measures can help you identify and support human trafficking victims:
Connect with leaders at your healthcare institution to provide system-wide human trafficking education and training.
Resources and Support:
Human trafficking is a highly prevalent health and human rights crisis. Nurses are well-positioned to identify and support victims of human trafficking. Bringing awareness of human trafficking to your healthcare institution will improve the health outcomes of human trafficking victims.
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