Citation

Patel RB, Ahn R, Burke TF. West. J. Emerg. Med. 2010; 11(5): 402-404.

Affiliation

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, California Chapter of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

21293753

PMCID

PMC3027426

Abstract

Human trafficking continues to persist, affecting up to 200 million people worldwide. As clinicians in emergency departments commonly encounter victims of intimate partner violence, some of these encounters will be with trafficking victims. These encounters provide a rare opportunity for healthcare providers to intervene and help. This case report of a human trafficking patient from a teaching hospital illustrates the complexity in identifying these victims. Clinicians can better identify potential trafficking cases by increasing their awareness of this phenomenon, using qualified interpreters, isolating potential victims by providing privacy and using simple clear reassuring statements ensuring security. A multidisciplinary approach can then be mobilized to help these patients.

Language: en