Our President, Jessica Munoz, recently wrote an guest article for the anti-human slavery project End Slavery Now concerning human trafficking and the health care profession.
End Slavery Now is a project that raises awareness about and encourages action towards eliminating human trafficking and slavery around the world. They are a sub-project of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, an organization determined to see freedom enacted in all its forms throughout the world.
In the article, Jessica addresses the stark reality and sheer volume of human trafficking situations that domestic health care professionals must face. She then goes into detail about the current methods of handling such cases and the difficulties therein due to the spectrum and nuances of victims. Finally, she points to the need for better established response protocols for dealing with such cases.
“We may live under the illusion that the issue of human trafficking is something that doesn’t readily touch our daily lives. Despite serving the medical needs of those in our communities, we often fail to recognize the plight of those caught within the grips of this horrendous crime. It is a growing public health threat. While the awareness of international trafficking has become more prominent in mainstream media, sadly, the recognition of domestic trafficking—specifically domestic minor sex trafficking—is trailing behind. Furthermore, the powerful role the health care professional (HCP) has in identification and the critical responsibility we have for intervention is often overlooked by the media.”
