Human trafficking

The devastating psychological scars of human trafficking

Nearly 21 million people around the world are currently victims of human trafficking, a vile crime that forces innocents into sex work, domestic servitude, and hard labor against their will. Now, a new study in the American Journal of Public Health reveals that even rich, developed countries such as the United Kingdom suffer from staggering rates of human trafficking — and that the trauma inflicted by human traffickers often causes lasting psychological damage to victims.

"Human trafficking has devastating and long-lasting effects on mental health," said coauthor Siân Oram of King’s College in London, in a press statement. "There is an urgent need for evidence on the effectiveness of psychological therapies and treatments to support this highly vulnerable population."