Here are eight considerations:
1. United Nations International Labour Organization reports 20.9 million people are human trafficking victims.
2. Dr. Baldwin explained human trafficking may involve anything from forced work to sexual slavery to debt bondage.
3. She notes physician training doesn’t focus on physical, sexual or psychological abuse experienced by their patients.
4. Many physicians don’t inquire about violence because they are not sure how to navigate that conversation or they don’t know what to do with the information, said Dr. Baldwin.
5. She encourages physicians to make sure patients feel comfortable opening up with them, as well as educate themselves on resources available to trafficked individuals. One such resource is the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which is live at all hours and accepts calls in more than 200 languages.
6. The Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans website also offers insight into how to provide the best care to human trafficking victims.
7. Suzanne Leonard Harrison, MD, co-chair of PATH, noted some trafficking victims have tattoos that resemble labels or will offer clues they are being controlled by another person.
8. The Mount Sinai Human Rights Clinic in New York City is offering education on trafficking for medical students and physicians. They are also currently creating a screening tool to identify trafficking victims that takes a shorter amount of time than the hour-long Trafficking Victim Identification Tool.
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