Individual Activism

Activism in the Workplace: What Companies Can Do to Work Against the Sexual Exploitation of Women & Children

• Have the Project to End Human Trafficking present to YOUR business or non-profit organization.
• Companies sending employees on business trips, especially to areas considered tourist attractions, can educate them about the sexual exploitation of women and children. This may dissuade employees from being perpetrators of exploitation themselves and alert them to exploitation so that they may be vigilant and report suspected sexual exploitation.
• Companies can also provide financial support through donations to NGOs working to eradicate human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual exploitation of women and children.
• Tourism, travel, and hospitality companies can educate employees regarding the sex tourism industry and implement protocols designed to protect women and children from sexual exploitation.
• Tourism, travel, and hospitality companies can educate travelers by providing information through catalogues, brochures, in-flight videos, and websites regarding the sexual exploitation of women and children.

Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking: A Screening Tool for Healthcare Providers

Individual Activism

Activism in the Workplace: What Companies Can Do to Work Against the Sexual Exploitation of Women & Children

Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking: A Screening Tool for Healthcare Providers

Human trafficking victims are present in every country in the world. Such victims are more often held captive in regions of relative economic advantage. The United States, in contrast to many other areas, is characterized by such advantage and therefore is not immune to the presence of victims.

Healthcare providers are in a unique position to identify and provide initial assistance to victims of human trafficking. What follows are questions that can be used to facilitate the identification of potential survivors. Guidelines that are used for working with patients who are thought to be in domestic violence situations are generally good to follow for questioning about human trafficking/slavery. Ideally, the healthcare provider will be able to talk with the patient without the presence of whomever accompanied her/him to the facility. In addition, in situations where English is not the first language of the patient, it is ideal to have the assistance of a non-affiliated (i.e., not the person who accompanied the patient to the hospital) translator who understands the patients language and culture.

Similar to beginning any discussion with a patient that pertains to sensitive or emotionally difficult experiences, the interviewer should begin by asking less direct questions and then move cautiously to those that are more direct.

Suggested Screening Questions:

• Are you able to leave your job or living situation if you want to?
• Are you able to come and go as you please?
• Have you been threatened against trying to leave?
• Have you been physically harmed in any way?
• Can you describe your working conditions?
• Can you describe your living conditions?
• Where do you sleep and eat?
• Do you sleep in a bed, on a cot or on the floor?
• Have you ever been deprived of food, water, sleep or medical care?
• Do you have to ask permission to eat, sleep or go to the bathroom?
• Are there locks on your doors and windows that prevent you from leaving?
• Has anyone ever threatened your family?
• Do you have possession of your identification or documentation papers?
• Is anyone forcing you to do anything that you do not want to do?

The Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline (1.888.3737.888) can assist you in the determining if you are working with a victim of human trafficking and can help you determine the next steps in providing support for potential victims. For additional information about human trafficking visit http://www.endhumantrafficking.org or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.