A Boston Globe article
outlining findings of a new study report on human trafficking cites "passive" law enforcement approaches and victims'
fears of deportation as reasons why more victims are not reported and rescued.
Healthcare professionals also play a key role in responding to
victims. A recent study
by experts Dr. Laura Lederer and Christopher Wetzel revealed that nearly nine
out of ten human trafficking victims had contact with a health professional
while trafficked. Yet these opportunities for rescue went unrealized, since
many health professionals remain unaware of the problem and comparatively few
have received training on how to
recognize and respond to victims.
Federal and state laws and grants that promote awareness, fund
research, identify best practices, provide training, increase social services
and require reporting of suspected victims (who often will not self-report, out
of fear) can help turn this around. More resources will strengthen the social
services safety net and the response of law enforcement. Meanwhile, reporting
victims to the care of even the existing imperfect system is far better than
the alternative of non-reporting that returns victims to their abusers to
suffer disease, violence and even death.
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