Citation

Sprang G, Stoklosa H, Greenbaum J. Public Health Rep. (1974) 2022; 137(Suppl 1): 5S-9S.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Association of Schools of Public Health)

DOI

10.1177/00333549221085588

PMID

35775916

Abstract

Human trafficking (eg, compulsory forced labor or commercial sex or involvement of a minor in commercial sex acts)1 is a public health issue that results from interconnected factors at societal, community, family, and individual levels.2,3 Traffickers disproportionately target populations at risk of exploitation, including people who have experienced or been exposed to other forms of violence (eg, child abuse or maltreatment, interpersonal violence or sexual assault, community or gang violence) and people disconnected from stable support networks (eg, those who have run away from home or experienced homelessness, unaccompanied minors, people displaced during disasters).4,5 Structural racism, xenophobia, gender inequality, and misogyny magnify this vulnerability.6

Increasingly, public health strategies drive human trafficking research,7 including investigations using sophisticated methods of prevalence estimation,8,9 the design and validation of screening tools,10-12 and the use of sentinel surveillance to detect trends in human trafficking.13 While much research focuses on identifying risks and vulnerabilities at the individual and relationship levels,14,15 there is an increasing focus on studying cultural factors that influence human trafficking at the societal level, including systemic racism and other beliefs and attitudes that foster the marginalization of large groups (eg, homophobia, transphobia).16-18

Because human trafficking is a public health issue, intervention and prevention efforts must be founded on a strong evidence base and informed by affected populations, including those with lived experience, and by using an equity lens. This supplement, "The Public Health Response to Human Trafficking: A Look Back and a Step Forward," aims to build the evidence base for human trafficking prevention and intervention and elevate the importance of strong public health responses to commercialized forms of violence. It highlights innovative strategies for human trafficking research, prevention, and service delivery, including advanced methods of prevalence estimation, use of telemental health services, and a study of racial bias and discrimination in the field. The studies in this supplement prompt additional research questions and encourage new strategies for identifying and serving those who have experienced human trafficking...

Language: en

Keywords

public health; child abuse; violence; workforce; health care; child labor; sex workers