Do you know the signs of a human trafficking victim?

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Linda McDaniel

Frontier Nursing University, USA

: J Womens Health, Issues Care

Abstract

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Human and sex trafficking has been a problem most individuals believe is only associated with events occurring outside of the United States. Unfortunately, this is a common misconception and this problem is prevalent and uprising in the United States. The exact number of cases in the United States is unknown but there are reported cases in every state. The youth of America are at an exponential risk of being exploited and becoming victims of human sex trafficking. Although youth and vulnerable populations are typical targets for sex trafficking, anyone is at risk of being a target. A victim of sex trafficking is defined by US federal law as an individual under the age of 18 who performs commercial sex through force, fraud or coercion, or is induced into commercial sex. Sex traffickers utilize different methods of manipulation to entrap and coerce their victims to perform sex acts they are unwilling to perform. This leads to some form of child or adult prostitution. Labor traffickers may embellish potential employment, education, or travel opportunities to recruit individuals to work in subservient roles resulting in hostile work conditions and inability to regain their freedom for various reasons. These acts translate into a form of modern day slavery. These victims are at risk for physical and psychological trauma that may be longstanding. With the increasing rise of these victims in our communities, most healthcare providers have not received the proper training to identify potential victims and resources to report and assist these individuals.

Biography

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Linda McDaniel is a Certified Nurse Midwife practicing in the Atlanta area and Course Faculty at Frontier Nursing University. She earned her DNP and MSN degrees from Frontier Nursing University. She is a Volunteer for Shared Hope International. She is currently conducting research on this topic of human trafficking and the impact it has on her community. She is passionate about this topic and utilizes opportunities to inform communities about this growing problem.