Uncovering the Truth: Identifying and Assisting Sex Trafficked Youth In a Health Care Setting Visit or email us at [email protected]@ecpatusa.org

Uncovering the Truth:Identifying and Assisting Sex Trafficked

Youth In a Health Care Setting

Visit www.ecpatusa.org or email us at [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

What is Child Sex Trafficking?

• A severe form of trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion OR in which the person induce to perform the act has not attained 18 years of age.

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Who are the Victims?

• Runaways/ “throwaways”• Any socio-economic status• Occurs everywhere in the United States• All races and ethnicities • Mainly adolescents • Both genders are vulnerable– Girls are more often pimped– Trafficking is significantly underreported, regardless

of genderVisit www.ecpatusa.org, or email Michelle

Guelbart at [email protected] www.ecpatusa.org, or email [email protected]

How Do Pimps/Traffickers Act?

• Target young, vulnerable adolescents– Victims have no place to go

– They want to prove their love for their pimp• Pimps/traffickers withhold food and affection

• Play mind games on the victims– Threats

• Threaten to hurt their family or friends

• Rape and humiliate the victim by sending photos to his/her family

– Prey on their fear of the police• Prostitution is already a crime

• Pimps/traffickers promote illicit drug use

• May have committed other crimes with the pimp

Visit www.ecpatusa.org, or email Michelle Guelbart at [email protected] www.ecpatusa.org, or email [email protected]

How to Identify Potential Victims

• Clothing (Little to no clothes on; inappropriate dress for weather outside)

• Arrival time at ER (Late at night/early morning)• Physical appearance (Looking pale, sick, and

sleep deprived)• Tattoos on neck or lower back area with the

trafficker’s name or other symbol


How to Identify Potential Victims

• If victim is with another person who they refer to as “Daddy”

• If victim looks hesitant to answer or move without permission from the other

• If victim looks at the other for approval


Warning Signs to Look For:Common Physical Problems

• Contusions

• Cuts

• Bruises

• Burns

• Broken bones

• Dehydration

• Bacterial infections

• Impacted sponges, condoms, tampons or baby wipes


Warning Signs to Look For:Common Physical Problems

• STDs (including HIV)

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

• Infertility

• Miscarriages

• Unwanted Pregnancy

• Unsafe Abortion

• Poor reproductive health

• If pregnant--little to no prenatal care


Warning Signs to Look ForCommon Mental Problems

• Depression

• Suicidal Attempts

• Anxiety

• Hostility

• Flashbacks

• PTSD


Warning Signs to Look ForSubstance Misuse

• Overdose

• Alcohol or Drug Addiction


From the Victims Themselves

• “When you are in ‘the life,’ nobody offers you anything unless they want something from you.” –Trafficked Victim

• It is vital that health care providers understand that when a trafficking victim is in “the life,” it will impact how they interact with you.


Why Victims are Hesitant to Approach Police

• Usually victims feel they cannot rely on police for help.

• Fear of stigma and judgment.

• Lack of sympathy and empathy exhibited towards the victims.

• Fear of being arrested; prostitution is a crime.


Indicators: Branding

• Pimps use tattoos to brand their victims.

• Tattoos often refer to the girls as a money maker or make reference to the trafficker.

• Ex: Daddy’s Money Maker, C-Lo’s Ho


Indicators: Terminology

• The Life/The Game: commercial sex industry• Bottom Bitch/Bottom Girl: the trafficker’s head

girl• Daddy: trafficker• John: purchaser of sex/client• Track: street location for commercial sex• Turnout: someone who recruits you into the life• Square: those who were never in the life

Visit www.ecpatusa.org, or email Michelle Guelbart at [email protected] www.ecpatusa.org, or email at [email protected]

Benefits of Action

• Hospitals and staff are in a unique position to address this issue. It is the right thing to do.

• Hospital staff should be empowered and knowledgeable about what to do.

• You can be the first one to identify the signs of a trafficked victim, and then assist them in the correct way.


How to Open Dialogue with Victim

• Often health care workers do not understand that they are victims and are not prostituting by choice.

• Be subtle. Do not use word “Prostitute.”

• Do not ask open-ended questions. Ask questions which can be answered with a “Yes” or “No.”

• Do not make victim nervous and feel pressured to say things.

• Generalize the situation.

Visit www.ecpatusa.org, or email Michelle Guelbart at [email protected] www.ecpatusa.org, or email at [email protected]

The “Do’s”: What to Say and Do

• Find ways to speak to the victim alone without the person who brought her or him. For ex., suggest that a private examination is required.

• When youth is separated from other the other, simply ask if they feel safe.

• Understand that some victims may have a hostile or negative attitude; they don’t trust the system or that there is any help for them.


Visit www.ecpatusa.org, or email at [email protected]

Who to Call

• Your social work office• National Human Trafficking Resource Center:

1-888-373-7888• National Center on Missing and Exploited

Children


Other Resources

• Sex Trafficking: A Clinical Guide for Nurses Edited by Mary De Chesnay. www.springerpub.com

• Practice Guides from American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children www.apsac.org/practice-guidelines

http://www.springerpub.com/


Contact ECPAT-USA for these additional resources

• Palm cards to distribute to victims information

• Training video about why U.S. youth are in the life and why it is hard to get out.

Documents

Uncovering the Truth: Identifying and Assisting Sex Trafficked Youth In a Health Care Setting Visit or email us at [email protected]@ecpatusa.org