Studies indicate that 80% of human trafficking victims have had an encounter with the medical profession at one time or another, during their period of being trafficked (http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/physicians-uniquely-positioned-to-help-victims-human-trafficking).
In the United States of America, medical professionals have developed a ‘’shared learning manual’’ that suggests a Human Trafficking Response programme. A PDF. of its manual (52 pps; PDF), is available to the public, to assist and encourage other health-care providers to implement their own initiatives to help combat human trafficking.
The model of survivor-led and survivor-informed programmes, allied to victim-centred and trauma-informed approaches is current and whilst directed at the United States healthcare system, there are transferrable best practices which might be helpful to RENATE member countries that are thinking of devising similar programmes to help combat human trafficking.
For more: https://www.dignityhealth.org/hello-humankindness/human-trafficking
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications Person.
Learning from health-care programmes devised to assist victims of human trafficking.