American Journal of Public Health
Volume 106, Issue 6, 2016, Pages 1073-1078

Human trafficking and health: A survey of male and female survivors in England (Review)

Oram S. , Abas M. , Bick D. , Boyle A. , French R. , Jakobowitz S. , Khondoker M. , Stanley N. , Trevillion K. , Howard L. , Zimmerman C.*
  • a Health Service and Population Research, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
  • b Health Service and Population Research, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
  • c Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College London, United Kingdom
  • d Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • e Department of Social and Environmental Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
  • f Health Service and Population Research, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
  • g Department of Biostatistics, King's College London, United Kingdom
  • h School of Social Work, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom
  • i Health Service and Population Research, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
  • j Health Service and Population Research, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
  • k Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Pl, London, WC1H 9SH, United Kingdom

Abstract

Objectives. To investigate physical and mental health and experiences of violence among male and female trafficking survivors in a high-income country. Methods. Our data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of 150 men and women in England who were in contact with posttrafficking support services. Interviews took place over 18 months, from June 2013 to December 2014. Results. Participants had been trafficked for sexual exploitation (29%), domestic servitude (29.3%), and labor exploitation (40.4%). Sixty-six percent of women reported forced sex during trafficking, including 95% of those trafficked for sexual exploitation and 54%of those trafficked for domestic servitude.Twenty-one percent of menand24% of women reported ongoing injuries, and 8% of men and 23% of women reported diagnosed sexually transmitted infections. Finally, 78% of women and 40% of men reported high levels of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Conclusions. Psychological interventions to support the recovery of this highly vulnerable population are urgently needed.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

violence male England Survivors female health status Sex Work statistics and numerical data Humans questionnaire prostitution human trafficking Mental Disorders Surveys and Questionnaires human adult survivor psychology
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84968813550&doi=10.2105%2fAJPH.2016.303095&partnerID=40&md5=4b5e841ba2133ceab93f90d5f2f71ca4
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303095
ISSN: 00900036
Cited by: 33
Original Language: English