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From Brief19: Covid-19 could increase human trafficking, experts fear.

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June 12, 2020

Human trafficking has been recognized as a health risk due to physical and psychological injuries. We asked an expert to summarize the topic as it may pertain to covid-19.

– Brief19

Human trafficking involves using force, fraud or coercion to compel someone to engage in commercial sex or other work. It is recognized as a major global public health problem and often occurs before, during, and after major crises such as covid-19. Trafficking can adversely affect individual health. Health issues that can be caused or exacerbated by human trafficking include traumatic injury, infections, unwanted pregnancy, malnutrition, exposure to toxins, PTSD and depression. The results of these stressors can include family strife/disintegration, community bias/discrimination, business drive for exploitable/unpaid labor, and societal expectations of cheap consumer goods. Because trafficking is a clandestine criminal activity, its prevalence is difficult to quantify. Based on 2016 estimates, internationally there may be as many as 24.9 million people currently in forced labor. Covid-19 has likely increased the risks associated with trafficking in at least three ways: 1) increasing the health risks for those already exploited; 2) heightening the risk of new victims being exploited and; 3) disrupting response efforts.

In the United States, more than two-thirds of trafficking victims access health care while being trafficked (as opposed to after), creating a responsibility for healthcare professionals and other service providers to be aware of trafficking and take steps to detect it and, when possible, to prevent it. During the covid-19 pandemic healthcare professionals on the frontlines can help in the following ways: 1) assess high-risk patients for trafficking by looking for occupational injuries, substance use patterns, and mental health presentations; 2) address the social determinants of health and connect patients with healthcare and community-based resources they need; 3) educate other health professionals on trafficking; 4) build health systems protocols to respond to trafficking; 5) for long-term care providers, engage with isolated individuals regularly via secure telecommunication (short-term providers may attempt to arrange follow-up with appropriate providers); 6) teach families to spot both abuse and common avenues of recruitment into forced labor and the commercial sex industry; 7) conduct Know Your Rights trainings to increase awareness of exploitative circumstances; and 8) promote harm reduction strategies.

Organizations can assist trafficked patients/clients during this pandemic in the following ways: 1) expand digital avenues for innovative engagement with clients; 2) evaluate for new client needs/vulnerabilities arising as a consequence of reduced access to opportunities/services; 3) help clients safely plan for themselves and their families; 4) integrate client voice and input into program design; 5) institute intentional self-care to combat secondary and vicarious trauma for healthcare and other social service providers; and 5) coordinate sustainability planning and transition planning in case of provider illness.

– Hanni Stoklosa, MD, MPH

Shared with permission from Brief19, a daily review of #covid-19 research and policy.

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