Pre-Departure Critique
The day of my departure to Mysore is rapidly approaching, I have everything packed and settled—this research critique is the last activity I need to complete before I am ready to go!
There were many topics to choose from for this research project; however, a topic that I have been particularly interested in much before the trip, is the sex trafficking of women and girls. I am currently majoring in general psychology and planning to pursue a master’s degree in physician assistant studies to later specialize in pediatrics, so this topic applies to my career goal since I would like to learn to recognize signs when someone is being trafficked as well as helping them seek medical attention and also learn what the possible physical and mental consequences these victims could experience afterward. I previously did not have the chance to do much research on this topic, but these critique papers on my research and experience abroad provide me the perfect opportunity to do so. During my stay in India, I hope to learn more about sex trafficking victims, the subsequent physical and mental health effects sex trafficking could have on them, how they can seek help, and the availability of health services provided for them.
Different forms of human trafficking occur worldwide, but the most prevalent type of human trafficking in North America is sex trafficking, accounting for 72% of all victims on the continent while 85% of sex trafficking victims documented in the United States were women (AAUW, 2022). Expanding these findings to India, according to the U.S. Department of State, 1,466 victims of sex trafficking were reported in 2020, of which 59% were females and within this percentage, approximately 53% were adults and 47% were children. However, these numbers may not be completely accurate, since not all victims feel comfortable filing a case, or even in some situations no legal action is taken when they present their case.
Police are required to file a First Information Report (FIR) once they receive information on an offense, such as sex trafficking, which would then proceed to begin a criminal investigation on the matter. However, this is not always the case. Suspected traffickers are not always arrested, not all FIRs are officially registered, and/or these files are not classified as trafficking crimes. In most cases, officials settle at the complaint stage and do not proceed forward (U.S. Department of State, 2023).
Therefore, the lack of trust in these officials could be another reason why not all victims go forward with their cases and even seek help or medical attention. But also, the lack of knowledge regarding recognizing someone who is being sex trafficked plays a role in the increasing number of cases.
In certain government, non-government organizations, and privately managed shelter facilities, there have been sporadic complaints of physical and sexual abuse, including of trafficking victims, as well as forcing shelter inhabitants into forced labor and sex trafficking in past reporting periods. 88% of India's 7,163 childcare facilities, according to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, are run by non-governmental organizations. According to the research, 40% of the shelters lacked the necessary safeguards against child sexual or physical abuse. Additionally, staff employees lacked the necessary training to spot abuse indications and alert the appropriate authorities (U.S. Department of State).
Consequently, sex trafficking victims could be presented with negative mental health effects, some of which could include PTSD, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Some studies have even shown that women who have been sex trafficked encounter higher levels of fear, isolation, physical and sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases, and present greater trauma as well as mental health needs than other victims of crime (Novotney, 2023).
Beyond from reading articles, journals, and statistical values, meeting and talking with sex trafficking victims about their experience and recovery is just as important to gain more knowledge about this topic, and hopefully I’ll have to opportunity to do so during my stay in India.
References
AAUW. (2022, August 23). Where we stand: Human Trafficking. AAUW. https://www.aauw.org/resources/policy/position-human-trafficking/
Novotney, A. (2023, April 24). 7 in 10 human trafficking victims are women and girls. What are the psychological effects?. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/women-girls/trafficking-women-girls#
U.S. Department of State. (2023, April 5). 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report: India. U.S. Department of State. https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/india/