Mental Health Care of Human Trafficking Survivors: A Primer for C-L Psychiatrists

Human trafficking is an emerging public health issue which involves exploiting individuals for forced sex or labor. Physical, mental, legal and social sequelae of human trafficking can persist even after individuals survive their trafficking situations. Persons with a pre-existing history of mental illness and substance use are especially vulnerable to being trafficked. Post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders are the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric conditions amongst victims and survivors of human trafficking. Unintended pregnancies, HIV, work-related injuries, and chronic pain are some of the many medical consequences of human trafficking.



Identification of trafficked victims is often missed by health care professionals, especially in the emergency department, family medicine clinics, and obstetrics & gynecology settings. Psychiatrists seldom receive the education on human trafficking needed to reduce missed opportunities for identifying victims. Consultation-liaison psychiatrists stand in a unique position to bridge victims to individualized multidisciplinary resources, as well as to provide education on human trafficking to other clinicians, trainees, and students.


Collaborative care approaches have been integral to meeting survivors' health care and psychosocial needs. By understanding human trafficking, educating providers about trauma and trauma-informed care, developing screening tools, expanding access to care, and promoting partnerships with health care professionals across different specialities and the community, collaborative care models can support the survivor and build a stronger response to end human trafficking.



Consultation-liaison psychiatrists can contribute to the mental health care of human trafficking survivors through direct clinical care, collaboration, leadership, and advocacy. This workshop will disseminate information to healthcare providers in an effort to enhance awareness about human trafficking and to highlight the importance of collaboration to address the needs of this vulnerable population.


Dr. Hadjikyriakou will provide an overview of human trafficking and will present a variety of clinical cases highlighting the psychiatric and physical consequences of human trafficking (20 minutes).

Dr. Martinez-Sosa will discuss trauma-informed approaches in screening and evaluating survivors of human trafficking, and will highlight some logistical challenges related to providing clinical care during the COVID-19 pandemic (20 minutes).

Dr. Padilla will provide a perspective on perinatal mental health care for women survivors, as many women become pregnant while trafficked as a result of sexual abuse and exploitation (20 minutes).

Dr. Alhajji will discuss our academic institution’s collaborative care clinic model and hospital-wide human trafficking response model for trafficked persons (20 minutes).

Dr. Alhajji will moderate a brief Q&A session following the presentation (10 minutes).