Reducing Barriers to Treatment and Support Services for Drug-Addicted Survivors of Human Sex Trafficking
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Authors
DeFazio, Chelsea
Issue Date
2024-11
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
human sex trafficking , trauma-informed care , harm reduction model of care , addiction
Alternative Title
Abstract
Human sex trafficking is prevalent problem across the globe and is considered a form of modern-day slavery (ILO, 2024; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2009). Canada is a transit, destination, and origin location for human sex trafficking exploitation (Brooks & Heaslip, 2019; Public Safety Canada 2023). This capstone aimed to examine barriers to survivors accessing support services due to addiction and other variables and to investigate the relationship between drug use and human sex trafficking. Examination of present research finds that there are numerous barriers that survivors face in accessing support services due to addiction or other factors. Addiction is identified as a common effect of exploitation and other previous survivor traumas, substance use that is voluntary and involuntary is prevalent during human sex trafficking exploitation and is a risk factor in recruitment and exploitation (Hammond & McGlone, 2014; Robertson, 2017; Michaelis et al., 2022; Marburger & Pickover, 2020). Despite research demonstrating a closely emmeshed relationship between addiction and human sex trafficking exploitation, most human trafficking organizations and other community services maintain sobriety requirements as a condition to receive support and services. This capstone addresses barriers and gaps in service access by recommending the utilization of a harm reduction model of care in direct opposition to abstinence-based models, as well as the use of the trauma-informed care and specific therapist skills. Recommendations are made for counsellors, service providers, organizations, and systems to support the closing of gaps and reduction of barriers. This contributes to the field as little research discusses use of harm reduction and trauma informed approaches to reduce barriers to service access.
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess