*Stephanie Trains the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Fort Greene Immunization Clinic Staff

By Dana Rosenwasser
March 15, 2019

In a recent study, 87.8% of human trafficking survivors reported that they accessed healthcare services at some point while being trafficked. Of these survivors, 68.3% were seen by medical providers in the Emergency Department (Lederer & Wetzel, 2014). This data shows that there is a huge opportunity for healthcare providers to help identify trafficking survivors and connect them to life-saving services.

In recognition of this reality, New York State passed a law in 2017 that requires all medical providers to be trained in how to identify the signs of human trafficking in the patient population and create internal policies and procedures for referring patients to service providers upon patient request. Safe Horizon’s Anti-Trafficking Program has launched a special initiative to assist with these life-saving efforts. This specialized training shows medical providers in New York City how they can help trafficking survivors find a way out.

Training Healthcare Providers to Identify and Support Human Trafficking Survivors

*Stephanie Clemente is the Manager of Training and Outreach at ATP and has worked on this effort alongside ATP’s Senior Director, Anita S. Teekah. “The goals of each training are to help medical professionals define and understand the severity and scope of human trafficking, identify red flags of trafficking in healthcare-specific scenarios, understand trauma and the importance of utilizing a trauma-informed lens, and learn practical skills to increase efficacy in supporting survivors of trafficking.”

During the training, Stephanie guides medical providers in understanding the signs and red flags of human trafficking. For labor trafficking survivors, medical red flags could include musculoskeletal repetitive work injuries resulting in chronic pain, respiratory problems from exposure to dangerous materials or lack of ventilation, or compromised eyesight from working in dimly lit workplaces. For sex trafficking survivors, medical red flags could include any of the above compounded by reproductive issues including recurrent sexually transmitted infections, trauma to the genital area, or frequent pregnancies, miscarriages, or abortions.

Another component of the training is helping medical providers understand the trauma that trafficking survivors experience. We also bring in social worker staff to provide a deeper clinical component to the trainings if the provider requests a social worker in-service trainings or advises that social workers will comprise the majority of the attendees. Stephanie focuses on defining and identifying human trafficking among the patient population, including discussion of red flags, vulnerabilities and how to best support a potentially trafficked patient in a trauma-informed setting. “When speaking to a potential human trafficking survivor, medical providers can prevent further trauma by reducing the number of times they interview the patient. They can also hold screenings in non-traditional settings where the patient/survivor feels safe, and have an advocate present to support the patient/survivor as they share their story.” Stephanie explains how being client-centered and respecting survivors’ choice can empower them to stay safe. “Medical professionals may see trafficking survivor patients many times, so we encourage them to offer survivors unbiased support. The survivor may decide to seek help at another point in time, and it’s important to respect any decision the patient makes.”

How Medical Providers Create Change

Medical providers have the power to make a difference. Stephanie and the medical leadership she trains have noticed the impact of these trainings. “At the beginning of each training, I’ll ask if anyone has been able to identify a human trafficking survivor before and not many would raise their hands. But by the end of the training, I’ll ask the same question, and a larger show of hands will confirm that the signs of human trafficking are clearer. I find that most rewarding.”

Stephanie has also received positive feedback from leaders in the medical field. Jaime Devera, Director of Staff Development Nursing & Patient Care Services at NYC Health +Hospitals/Queens has received overwhelmingly positive feedback after Stephanie’s training. “Aside from being engaging and informative, it was an eye-opener for so many,” he comments.

ATP has trained over 800 medical professionals on how to identify and approach trafficking survivors. If you are part of the medical community and are interested in having ATP train your staff in identifying the signs of human trafficking, we are here to help. Contact Eva Chavez, the ATP Training and Outreach Manager, at Eva.Chavez@safehorizon.org to request a training or get more information.

Note: Stephanie Clemente has since moved on from this position, but the program remains in full effect.