When You Can’t
Walk Away:

 Identifying Human Trafficking

Human trafficking, defined as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts or labor against their will. Often referred to as Modern Day Slavery, this industry generates 150 billion dollars each year in revenue, second only to the drug trafficking industry. In the United States alone, it is estimated that $45 million is spent on online sex trafficking, with 300,000 children at risk. 

You may be surprised to learn that most trafficking victims know, may trust, and love their trafficker. Data on sex trafficking from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, from January 2020 – August 2022, provides the following statistics where the relationship to the trafficker was disclosed:

%

of sex trafficking victims were trafficked by a family member.

%

of sex trafficking victims were trafficked by an intimate partner.

Traffickers come from all walks of life. They may work as the CEO of a large corporation, be the neighbor next door, church leader, soccer coach, drug dealer or pimp. They are brilliant at their craft and prey on vulnerable individuals, developing relationships, and offering to provide solutions that will meet every need.

Many victims of human trafficking do not realize they have been trafficked until they have escaped the situation. The trafficker has spun such a web of deceit that the victim may feel their life is “normal” or that they are underserving of any other type of existence, which creates a complicated bond between the two. It is often not possible for them to just walk away. This is important to realize if you suspect your patient is being trafficked. 

Healthcare provides typically have very keen assessment skills which should be used with every patient. While there are consistent life circumstances that place people at risk for trafficking, regardless of the patient’s socio-economic status or ethnicity, ANYONE can be ensnared in trafficking.

Some indications of
trafficking include:

  • Tattoos or branding.
  • Age reported may seem inconsistent. 
  • Resistant to answering questions.
  • Over apologetic, nervous, fearful, may startle easily.
  • Not sure of day, dates, location.
  • Submissive, emotionally withdrawn.
  • Overbearing/hovering person present and may speak for the patient.

When a patient presents as difficult or uncooperative, step back and take the time to consider why. Has something occurred during the visit that triggered emotions from previous or current life events? Instead of asking “what is wrong with you?”, shift the focus to “what happened to you?” This may open the door to further conversation and allow treatment to continue. There are other actions that can create a higher level of safety, trust, and respect between the patient and dental healthcare worker. These include introducing yourself and your role, ensuring you are explaining everything that will be done during the visit, asking permission to touch the patient, and as often as possible positioning yourself at the same level as the patient.

If there is the suspicion of trafficking, this could be a dangerous situation for everyone involved, therefore, it is important to move forward carefully. Any suspicion of or known trafficking of anyone under the age of 18 must be reported to the proper authorities. 

Human trafficking is a very complex business model, where lives are destroyed by individuals who exploit vulnerable children, women, and men. If they are seen as a patient in your practice, you just can’t walk away. Would you know how to respond? You may be the one person who makes a difference and opens the door for escape!

Resources

Polaris Project: Largest movement to end human trafficking. 

The National Human Trafficking Hotline: This confidential hotline provides an outlet for reporting trafficking situations.