Human Trafficking Community Research Hub (HTCRH)
Welcome to William James College's Human Trafficking Community Research Hub (HTCRH) that aims to address the mental health and psychological consequences of human trafficking with research in collaboration with communities. Anti-trafficking efforts have progressed substantially in the United States since Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (2000). Awareness of human trafficking and identification of affected populations has increased significantly over the last decade and generated a growing need for specialized health and social services. William James College's HTCRH and its community partners, together, evaluate human trafficking-specific services and engage in research that studies the concepts, tools, and best practices relevant to working with people affected by exploitation. A couple questions, among many, that HTCRH pursues to understand are: What are promising services to address the high levels of client mistrust commonly noted in this population? What are the benefits of combined peer mentorship and clinical services?
FS615: Human Trafficking: Introduction for Mental Health Providers
The course content includes a global overview of human trafficking and how the crime unfolds within the United States. The course reviews general human trafficking policy/legislation related to human trafficking, contentious debates that surround anti-trafficking work, cycles of supply and demand that fuel the crime, and human rights versus prosecution-focused discourse. The instructor facilitates discussions about one-to-one issues relevant to providing psychosocial services to persons affected by human trafficking. Students learn to identify the common dynamics of perpetration used by traffickers, their psychological consequences on victims, and the use of screening tools to identify victims and people at risk. Resources and legislation specific to working in Massachusetts will be a particular focus of the course, including invited class lectures by local professionals recognized for their work in human trafficking.
The Human Trafficking Community Research Hub (HTCRH) believes that research that is relevant practice needs to develop with the involvement of affected communities. Over the years HTCRH has sought and maintained partnerships with national and international community-based organizations that work with the issue of human trafficking. Additionally, HTCRH partners with individuals with lived experience who are a part of the research team and provide ongoing input on how to shape research that is meaningful to those affected by human trafficking.
Local Online Sex Market
William James College faculty in partnership with RIA House and the Imagine Foundation completed a three-month data-mining study. The study monitored the online commercial sex market in Massachusetts' Boston and Worcester regions from March 1 through May 31, 2015. The research team collected data on almost 17,000 ads for commercial sex that are estimated to have generated $7.7 million in revenue. Data on the number of people sold online for sex and the distribution of ads by day of the week allowed analysis of patterns in this market, and inferences of trends in the buying and selling of sex. In other U.S. cities, similar data mining studies have helped local law enforcement identify persons exploited within the sex industry and have also been instrumental for service organizations to develop targeted outreach.
The HTCRH team is in the final stages of analyzing the data from a study that was conducted to learn more about close relationships, adult attachment patterns, and the role these play in experiences of sexual exploitation. The study was completed in collaboration with a local anti-trafficking organization. Funding sources included William James College, International Psychoanalytic Association, Wisdom Lotus Foundation, Metrowest Foundation, and RIA, Inc. Research on adult attachment patterns and human trafficking is necessary because attachment concepts are abundant in the trafficking literature. For instance, the struggles that many trafficked people experience to leave their traffickers are thought to be partially attributable to a combination of attachment-related issues and the trafficker's psychologically coercive tactics1.
1Contreras, P.M., Kalivayalil, D. and Herman, J.L. (2016). Psychotherapy in the aftermath of human trafficking: Working through the consequences of coercion. Women and Therapy, 40(1-2), 7-11.
The following is a list of peer reviewed references and resources related to mental health and psychology practice with trafficked populations. Our team makes every effort to update these resources on a quarterly basis.
Updated on 8/18/18
Adult Psychotherapy
Contreras, P. M., Kallivayalil, D., and Herman, J. L. (2017). Psychotherapy in the aftermath of human trafficking: Working through the consequences of psychological coercion. Women and Therapy, 40(1-2), 31-54. doi:10.1080/02703149.2016.1205908
Countryman-Roswurm, K., and DiLollo, A. (2017). Survivor: A narrative therapy approach for use with sex trafficked women and girls. Women and Therapy, 40(1-2), 55-72. doi:10.1080/02703149.2016.1206782
Harding-Jones, C. (2018). Counselling sex-trafficked clients using trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy. Healthcare Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal, 18(2), 16-19.
Koleva, M. (2011). Psychodrama and the treatment of women victims of human trafficking: Research report. International Journal Of Psychotherapy, 15(1), 65-78.
Le, P. D. (2017). 'Reconstructing a sense of self': Trauma and coping among returned women survivors of human trafficking in Vietnam. Qualitative Health Research, 27(4), 509-519. doi:10.1177/1049732316646157
Oram, S., and Domoney, J. (2018). Responding to the mental health needs of trafficked women. Healthcare Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal, 18(2), 10-15.
Pascual-Leone, A., Kim, J., and Morrison, O. (2017). Working with victims of human trafficking. Journal Of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 47(1), 51-59. doi:10.1007/s10879-016-9338-3
Robjant, K., Roberts, J., and Katona, C. (2017). Treating posttraumatic stress disorder in female victims of trafficking using narrative exposure therapy: A retrospective audit. Frontiers In Psychiatry, 863. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00063
Assessment
Hopper, E. K. (2017). Trauma-informed psychological assessment of human trafficking survivors. Women and Therapy, 40(1-2), 12-30. doi:10.1080/02703149.2016.1205905
Child and Family Psychotherapy
Bennett-Murphy, L. M. (2012). Haunted: Treatment of a child survivor of human trafficking. Journal Of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 11(2), 133-148. doi:10.1080/15289168.2012.673413
Sprang, G., and Cole, J. (2018). Familial Sex Trafficking of Minors: Trafficking Conditions, Clinical Presentation, and System Involvement. Journal of Family Violence, 33(3), 185-195.
Ijadi-Maghsoodi, R., Cook, M., Barnert, E. S., Gaboian, S., and Bath, E. (2016). Understanding and responding to the needs of commercially sexually exploited youth: Recommendations for the mental health provider. Child And Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics Of North America, 25(1), 107-122. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2015.08.007
Kleinschmidt, L. (2009). Keeping mother alive: Psychotherapy with a teenage mother following human trafficking. Journal Of Child Psychotherapy, 35(3), 262-275. doi:10.1080/00754170903234416
Surtees, R. (2017). What’s home? (Re)integrating children born of trafficking. Women and Therapy, 40(1-2), 73-100. doi:10.1080/02703149.2016.1206783
Crisis and Hospital Based Services
de Chesnay, M. (2013). Psychiatric-mental health nurses and the sex trafficking pandemic. Issues In Mental Health Nursing, 34(12), 901-907. doi:10.3109/01612840.2013.857200
Culture, Identity, Society and Racism
Bryant-Davis, T., and Tummala-Narra, P. (2017). Cultural oppression and human trafficking: Exploring the role of racism and ethnic bias. Women and Therapy, 40(1-2), 152-169. doi:10.1080/02703149.2016.1210964
Houston-Kolnik, J. D., Todd, N. R., and Wilson, M. (2016). Preliminary validation of the Sex Trafficking Attitudes Scale. Violence Against Women, 22(10), 1259-1281. doi:10.1177/1077801215621178
Le, P. D. (2017). 'Reconstructing a sense of self': Trauma and coping among returned women survivors of human trafficking in Vietnam. Qualitative Health Research, 27(4), 509-519. doi:10.1177/1049732316646157
Dhungel, R. (2017). 'You are a besya': Microaggressions experienced by trafficking survivors exploited in the sex trade. Journal Of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity In Social Work: Innovation In Theory, Research and Practice, 26(1-2), 126-138. doi:10.1080/15313204.2016.1272519
Ethical Issues
Davis, T. (2017). Art Therapy Exhibitions: Exploitation or Advocacy?. AMA Journal Of Ethics, 19(1), 98-106. doi:10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.1.imhl1-1701
Group Interventions
Hickle, K. E., and Roe-Sepowitz, D. E. (2014). Putting the pieces back together: A group intervention for sexually exploited adolescent girls. Social Work With Groups: A Journal Of Community And Clinical Practice, 37(2), 99-113. doi:10.1080/01609513.2013.823838
Hopper, E. K., Azar, N., Bhattacharyya, S., Malebranche, D. A., and Brennan, K. E. (2018). STARS experiential group intervention: a complex trauma treatment approach for survivors of human trafficking. Journal Of Evidence-Informed Social Work, 15(2), 215-241. doi:10.1080/23761407.2018.1455616
Pierce, A. (. (2012). American Indian adolescent girls: vulnerability to sex trafficking, intervention strategies. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research: The Journal Of The National Center, 19(1), 37-56.
Human Trafficking of Ethnically and Racially Diverse People
Farley, M., Deer, S., Golding, J.M., Matthews, N., Lopez, G., Stark, C., and Hudon, E. The prostitution and trafficking of American Indian/Alaska Native women in Minnesota. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 23(1), 65-104.
Pierce, A. (. (2012). American Indian adolescent girls: vulnerability to sex trafficking, intervention strategies. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research: The Journal Of The National Center, 19(1), 37-56.
Human Trafficking of Gender Diverse People
Robitz, R., Gajaria, A., Stoklosa, H., Jones, E., and Baldwin, S. B. (2018). A young transgender woman with fatigue, malnutrition, and a previous suicide attempt. Psychiatric Annals, 48(3), 131-133.
Human Trafficking of Men and Boys
Cole, J. (2018). Service providers’ perspectives on sex trafficking of male minors: comparing background and trafficking situations of male and female victims. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 1-11.
Human Trafficking of Persons with Disabilities
Reid, J. A. (2018). Sex trafficking of girls with intellectual disabilities: an exploratory mixed methods study. Sexual Abuse, 30(2), 107-131.
Mental Health and Psychology Specific Reports and Resolutions
American Psychological Association. 2017. Resolution on Human Trafficking in the United States, Especially of Women and Girls. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Retrieved from: www.apa.org/about/policy/trafficking-women-girls.aspx
American Psychoanalytic Association. 2015. Position Statement on Human Trafficking. New York, NY: American Psychoanalytic Association. Retrieved from: www.apsa.org/sites/default/files/Position%20Statement%20on%20Human%20Trafficking.pdf
American Psychological Association Task Force on Trafficking of Women and Girls. (2014). Report of the task force on trafficking of women and girls. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Retrieved from www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/trafficking/report.aspx
Pastoral Counseling and Spirituality
Johnson, B. C. (2012). Aftercare for survivors of human trafficking. Social Work and Christianity, 39(4), 370-389.
Nguyen, T. T., Bellehumeur, C. R., and Malette, J. (2014). Women survivors of sex trafficking: A trauma and recovery model integrating spirituality. Counselling And Spirituality / Counseling Et Spiritualité, 33(1), 111-133.
Wolf, S. (2017). Sex trafficking: A counseling perspective. In H. D. Gingrich, F. C. Gingrich, H. D. Gingrich, F. C. Gingrich (Eds.) , Treating trauma in Christian counseling (pp. 278-301). Downers Grove, IL, US: InterVarsity Press.
Peer Support and Survivor Led Interventions and Research
Gong, R. (2015). Indignation, inspiration, and interaction on the Internet: Emotion work online in the anti-human trafficking movement. Journal Of Technology In Human Services, 33(1), 87-103. doi:10.1080/15228835.2014.998988.
Heffron, L. C. (2013). Book review of Girls like us: Fighting for a world where girls are not for sale. Affilia: Journal Of Women and Social Work, 28(1), 101-102. doi:10.1177/0886109912475054.
Psychopathology
Borschmann, R., Oram, S., Kinner, S. A., Dutta, R., Zimmerman, C., and Howard, L. M. (2017). Self-harm among adult victims of human trafficking who accessed secondary mental health services in England. Psychiatric Services, 68(2), 207-210. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201500509
Cecchet, S. J., and Thoburn, J. (2014). The psychological experience of child and adolescent sex trafficking in the United States: Trauma and resilience in survivors. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, And Policy, 6(5), 482-493. doi:10.1037/a0035763
Deb, S., Mukherjee, A., and Mathews, B. (2011). Aggression in sexually abused trafficked girls and efficacy of intervention. Journal Of Interpersonal Violence, 26(4), 745-768. doi:10.1177/0886260510365875
Hemmings, S., Jakobowitz, S., Abas, M., Bick, D., Howard, L. M., Stanley, N., and ... Oram, S. (2016). Responding to the health needs of survivors of human trafficking: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 16320. doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1538-8
Hossain, M., Zimmerman, C., Abas, M., Light, M., and Watts, C. (2010). The relationship of trauma to mental disorder among trafficked and sexually exploited girls and women. American Journal Of Public Health, 100(12), 2442-2449. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.173229
Oram, S., Abas, M., Bick, D., Boyle, A., French, R., Jakobowitz, S., and ... Zimmerman, C. (2016). Human trafficking and health: A survey of male and female survivors in England. American Journal Of Public Health, 106(6), 1073-1078. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303095
Oram, S., Khondoker, M., Abas, M., Broadbent, M., and Howard, L. M. (2015). Characteristics of trafficked adults and children with severe mental illness: A historical cohort study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(12), 1084-1091.
Ottisova, L., Smith, P., and Oram, S. (2018). Psychological Consequences of Human Trafficking: Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Trafficked Children. Behavioral Medicine, 44(3), 234-241.
Tsutsumi, A., Izutsu, T., Poudyal, A. K., Kato, S., and Marui, E. (2008). Mental health of female survivors of human trafficking in Nepal. Social Science and Medicine, 66(8), 1841-1847. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.12.025
Turner-Moss, E., Zimmerman, C., Howard, L. M., and Oram, S. (2014). Labour exploitation and health: A case series of men and women seeking post-trafficking services. Journal Of Immigrant And Minority Health, 16(3), 473-480. doi:10.1007/s10903-013-9832-6
Willis, B., Vines, D., Bubar, S., and Suchard, M. R. (2016). The health of children whose mothers are trafficked or in sex work in the U.S.: An exploratory study. Vulnerable Children And Youth Studies, 11(2), 127-135. doi:10.1080/17450128.2016.1189019
Zimmerman, C., and Pocock, N. (2013). Human trafficking and mental health: "my wounds are inside; they are not visible". Brown Journal Of World Affairs, 19(2), 265-280.
Residential Services
Maculan, B., Lozzi, E., and Rothman, E. F. (2017). Mixed-gender shelter-based service for child survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (CSEC) in Italy: A case study. Journal Of Social Service Research, 43(3), 358-368. doi:10.1080/01488376.2017.1299828
Resilience
Bryant-Davis, T., and Tummala-Narra, P. (2017). Cultural oppression and human trafficking: Exploring the role of racism and ethnic bias. Women and Therapy, 40(1-2), 152-169. doi:10.1080/02703149.2016.1210964
Hickle, K. E. (2017). Resiliency and women exiting sex trade industry work. Journal Of Social Work, 17(3), 302-323. doi:10.1177/1468017316644692
Service Utilization
Dewan, S. E. (2014). Patterns of service utilization among pre-certified victims of human trafficking. International Social Work, 57(1), 64-74. doi:10.1177/0020872813507592
Screening Tools
Armstrong, S. (2017). Instruments to identify commercially sexually exploited children: feasibility of use in an emergency department setting. Pediatric emergency care, 33(12), 794-799.
Greenbaum, V. J., Dodd, M., and McCracken, C. (2018). A short screening tool to identify victims of child sex trafficking in the health care setting. Pediatric emergency care, 34(1), 33-37.
Nguyen, P. T., Lamkin, J., Coverdale, J. H., Scott, S., Li, K., and Gordon, M. R. (2018). Identifying Human Trafficking Victims on a Psychiatry Inpatient Service: a Case Series. Psychiatric Quarterly, 89(2), 341-348.
Vera Institute of Justice (2014). Screening for human trafficking: guidelines for administering the trafficking victim identification tool (TVIT). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved from www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/246713.pdf
Substance Abuse
Cook, M. C., Barnert, E., Ijadi-Maghsoodi, R., Ports, K., and Bath, E. (2018). Exploring Mental Health and Substance use Treatment Needs of Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth Participating in a Specialty Juvenile Court. Behavioral Medicine, 44(3), 242-249.
Gerassi, L. B. (2018). Barriers to Accessing Detox Facilities, Substance Use Treatment, and Residential Services among Women Impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. Behavioral Medicine, 44(3), 199-208
Groot, K. (2013). Drug-abused women and children. In M. de Chesnay, M. de Chesnay (Eds.), Sex trafficking: A clinical guide for nurses (pp. 203-238). New York, NY, US: Springer Publishing Co.
Hulka, L., and Mutschler, J. (2016). Measuring substance misuse in trafficked people. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(2), e11. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00580-5
Treatment Frameworks
Baldwin, S. B., Fehrenbacher, A. E., and Eisenman, D. P. (2015). Psychological coercion in human trafficking: An application of Biderman’s framework. Qualitative Health Research, 25(9), 1171-1181. doi:10.1177/1049732314557087
Chung, R. C. (2009). Cultural perspectives on child trafficking, human rights and social justice: A model for psychologists. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 22(1), 85-96. doi:10.1080/09515070902761230
Contreras, P. M. (2018). Human trafficking of women and girls in the United States: Toward an evolving psychosocial-historical definition. In C. B. Travis, J. W. White, A. Rutherford, W. S. Williams, S. L. Cook, K. F. Wyche, ... K. F. Wyche (Eds.) , APA handbook of the psychology of women: Perspectives on women's private and public lives (pp. 175-193). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/0000060-010
Domoney, J., Howard, L. M., Abas, M., Broadbent, M., and Oram, S. (2015). Mental health service responses to human trafficking: A qualitative study of professionals’ experiences of providing care. BMC Psychiatry, 15
Macy, R. J., and Johns, N. (2011). Aftercare services for international sex trafficking survivors: Informing U.S. Service and program development in an emerging practice area. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 12(2), 87-98. doi:10.1177/1524838010390709
Muraya, D. N., and Fry, D. (2016). Aftercare services for child victims of sex trafficking: A systematic review of policy and practice. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 17(2), 204-220. doi:10.1177/1524838015584356
Nguyen, T. T., Bellehumeur, C. R., and Malette, J. (2014). Women survivors of sex trafficking: A trauma and recovery model integrating spirituality. Counselling And Spirituality / Counseling Et Spiritualité, 33(1), 111-133.
Stoklosa, H., MacGibbon, M., and Stoklosa, J. (2017). Human Trafficking, Mental Illness, and Addiction: Avoiding Diagnostic Overshadowing. AMA Journal Of Ethics, 19(1), 23-34. doi:10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.1.ecas3-1701
William James College, Human Trafficking: An Introduction
Dr. Paola Michelle Contreras joins Dr. Stanley Berman to discuss the complex issue
of human trafficking, both concerning sex trafficking and trafficking for manual labor.
APA, Survivor-Led and Survivor-Informed Human Trafficking Research
In this webinar, two presenters experienced in survivor-led and survivor-informed
research in the United States, Thema Bryant-Davis, Ph.D. and Alexandra Pierce, Ph.D.
share lessons learned from their human trafficking research experiences.
APA Annual Convention 2017, Sex Trafficking: Human Rights Violations on a Global Scale
Webinar on the overview of human trafficking, the dynamics of human traffickers, male
victims in forced labor, LGBTQ youth and the question of legalization of prostitution.
HEAL Trafficking
A united group of multidisciplinary professionals dedicated to ending human trafficking
and supporting its survivors, from a public health perspective.
Office for the Victims of Crimes, Human Trafficking Task Force E-Guide
The OVC E-Guide offers guidelines on how to support victims and survivors of human
trafficking using a trauma-informed approach.
Project REACH, Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute
A program that provides consultation and brief mental health services to trafficking
victims throughout the United States.
Psychology of Modern Day Slavery
A 30-minute film that provides an understanding of human trafficking and modern-day
slavery from a psychology perspective.
WJC Faculty Team
- Paola Michelle Contreras, PsyD, Lead Researcher
- Jessica Stahl, PhD, Faculty Research Partner
- Niko Wilson, PhD, Faculty Research Partner
WJC Research Assistant Team
- Stacy Reed, MSW, Clinical Psychology PsyD Student, Lead Research Assistant
- Maria Laura Ayala-Conesa, MA, Clinical Psychology PsyD Student, Research Assistant
- Jennifer Dockery, PsyD, Alumna, Research Assistant
- Siham Eid, BA, Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA Student, Research Assistant
- Akyla Joseph, MA, Alumna, Research Assistant
- John Minahan, MA, Alumnus, Research Assistant
- Samantha Wilson, MA, Clinical Psychology PsyD Student, Research Assistant
Community Research Partners
- Chantha Carter, BS, Community Research Partner
- Richard M. Greenberg, Esq., Community Research Partner
- Shay Valentine, MA, Community Research Partner
- Beth Waterman, BS, Community Research Partner
- Heather Wightman, MSW, MPH, Community Research Partner
Survivors and Allies Working Together to Bridge the Commercial Sex and Sex Trafficking Research Gaps
By Stacy Reed, MSW, William James College Leadership Psychology PsyD Student
The HTCRH is completing a unique mixed method study that asked 50 participants diverse by race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation to complete Adult Attachment Interviews (AAI), multiple objective measures about people's well-being and mental health struggles, and a qualitative interview about their life experiences in commercial sex.
Working Together to Fight Human Trafficking in the U.S.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and there have been numerous developments in recent years.