Human trafficking and health: A survey of male and female survivors in England

Sian Oram; Melanie Abas; Debra Bick; Adrian Boyle; Rebecca French; Sharon Jakobowitz; Mizanur Khondoker; Nicky Stanley; Kylee Trevillion; Louise Howard; Cathy Zimmerman

doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303095

Human trafficking and health: A survey of male and female survivors in England

Sian Oram, Melanie Abas, Debra Bick, Adrian Boyle, Rebecca French, Sharon Jakobowitz, Mizanur Khondoker, Nicky Stanley, Kylee Trevillion, Louise Howard, Cathy Zimmerman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

87 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives. To investigate physical and mental health and experiences of violence among male and female trafficking survivors in a high-income country.

Methods. Our data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of 150 men and women in England who were in contact with posttrafficking support services. Interviews took place over 18 months, from June 2013 to December 2014.

Results. Participants had been trafficked for sexual exploitation (29%), domestic servitude (29.3%), and labor exploitation (40.4%). Sixty-six percent of women reported forced sex during trafficking, including 95% of those trafficked for sexual exploitation and 54% of those trafficked for domestic servitude. Twenty-one percent of men and 24% of women reported ongoing injuries, and 8% of men and 23% of women reported diagnosed sexually transmitted infections. Finally, 78% of women and 40% of men reported high levels of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

Conclusions. Psychological interventions to support the recovery of this highly vulnerable population are urgently needed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1073-1078
Number of pages	6
Journal	American Journal of Public Health
Volume	106
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303095
Publication status	Published - Jun 2016

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Cite this

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title = "Human trafficking and health: A survey of male and female survivors in England",

abstract = "Objectives. To investigate physical and mental health and experiences of violence among male and female trafficking survivors in a high-income country. Methods. Our data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of 150 men and women in England who were in contact with posttrafficking support services. Interviews took place over 18 months, from June 2013 to December 2014. Results. Participants had been trafficked for sexual exploitation (29%), domestic servitude (29.3%), and labor exploitation (40.4%). Sixty-six percent of women reported forced sex during trafficking, including 95% of those trafficked for sexual exploitation and 54% of those trafficked for domestic servitude. Twenty-one percent of men and 24% of women reported ongoing injuries, and 8% of men and 23% of women reported diagnosed sexually transmitted infections. Finally, 78% of women and 40% of men reported high levels of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Conclusions. Psychological interventions to support the recovery of this highly vulnerable population are urgently needed.",

author = "Sian Oram and Melanie Abas and Debra Bick and Adrian Boyle and Rebecca French and Sharon Jakobowitz and Mizanur Khondoker and Nicky Stanley and Kylee Trevillion and Louise Howard and Cathy Zimmerman",

year = "2016",

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journal = "American Journal of Public Health",

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T1 - Human trafficking and health: A survey of male and female survivors in England

AU - Oram, Sian

AU - Abas, Melanie

AU - Bick, Debra

AU - Boyle, Adrian

AU - French, Rebecca

AU - Jakobowitz, Sharon

AU - Khondoker, Mizanur

AU - Stanley, Nicky

AU - Trevillion, Kylee

AU - Howard, Louise

AU - Zimmerman, Cathy

PY - 2016/6

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AB - Objectives. To investigate physical and mental health and experiences of violence among male and female trafficking survivors in a high-income country. Methods. Our data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of 150 men and women in England who were in contact with posttrafficking support services. Interviews took place over 18 months, from June 2013 to December 2014. Results. Participants had been trafficked for sexual exploitation (29%), domestic servitude (29.3%), and labor exploitation (40.4%). Sixty-six percent of women reported forced sex during trafficking, including 95% of those trafficked for sexual exploitation and 54% of those trafficked for domestic servitude. Twenty-one percent of men and 24% of women reported ongoing injuries, and 8% of men and 23% of women reported diagnosed sexually transmitted infections. Finally, 78% of women and 40% of men reported high levels of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Conclusions. Psychological interventions to support the recovery of this highly vulnerable population are urgently needed.

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