This is an open access item that is available online.

Title

• Complex Trauma and Severe Forms of Human Trafficking: Implications for Practice

Date modified

• 12/25/2025

Creator

• Burke, Mary

Abstract

• The impact of traumatic experience on an individual’s psychology is essential for mental health professionals to understand. It is important because the way that our clients think and feel about themselves and the relative safety of the world around them has meaningful implications for recovery from trauma and subsequent quality of life. Human trafficking or modern slavery is a violation of basic human rights in which one person benefits from the exploitation of another, through forced labor or commercial sex. Trauma, to varying extents, is often a part of this exploitation. This article will provide an overview of human trafficking and complex trauma, with an emphasis on trauma associated with sex trafficking of women and girls. Given the research regarding the experiences of women and girls, in particular those involved in the commercial sex industry through sex trafficking or prostitution (Farley, Baral, Kiremire & Sezgin, 1998) the clinical focus will pertain to clients whose histories are characterized by early relational abuse and neglect and sexual trauma. Treatment will primarily be addressed from an Attachment Theory and Object Relations, trauma informed approach.

Bibliographic citation

• Burke, M. (2013). Complex trauma and severe forms of human trafficking: Implications for practice. In ASTRA Anti Trafficking Action (Ed.), Human Trafficking Trauma and Psychology: A Collection of Papers (pp. 67–89). NGO ASTRA.

Date created

• 2013

Identifier

• 9788684889197

Palavra-chave

• Human trafficking
• Human trafficking victims
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• PTSD
• Trauma
• Mental health services
• Social services

Language

• English

Publisher

• NGO ASTRA

Related url

•  https://drive.google.com/file/d/13dN9svjsYUg7waz7_ZV6e6QLZZl6fdkQ/view

Resource type

• Article

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Subject

• Human trafficking
• Trauma
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Mental health services
• Social work services