10 Reasons Trafficking Victims Can't Leave
Published May 22, 2009 @ 07:00AM PT
One of the most common questions asked about human trafficking victims is "Why didn't they just leave?" This is especially true of victims in the U.S., where our legal and social systems are meant to facilitate identification, protection, and services for trafficking victims and to bring traffickers to justice. But the fact of the matter is, trafficking victims can't leave for a number of reasons that may not be obvious at first.
1. They are locked up: While most slavery does not rely on physical chains, some trafficking victims are confined physically by being locked into rooms, chained to beds, held in heavily fenced or guarded compounds or locked in trunks of cars. Frequently when victims leave the place they are kept, they are guarded and their movement is limited.
2. They don't know where they are: Victims are also often frequently moved between countries or within a country to prevent them from becoming familiar enough with their surroundings to escape. Many trafficking victims have reported not knowing which city or country they were in, making escape almost impossible.
3. They've been beaten or raped for trying to leave: Attempts by victims to leave may result in severe physical violence including beatings and torture, as well as rape and sexual assault. Even when no actual violence has taken place, traffickers use threats of violence, rape and death against the victim and the victim's family.
4. They distrust the authorities: Since traffickers are often victims' only source of information, they can tell victims that law enforcement and service providers will arrest, deport, or hurt them. Victims may have bad past experiences with law enforcement in their home country or region, or even in a previous trafficking situation. This fear may make victims reluctant to seek help from law enforcement or cooperate with an investigation.
5. They are ashamed: Victims from all cultures and in both sex and labor cases may be profoundly ashamed about their victimization. Constant denigration, psychological manipulation and violence can cause victims blame themselves for being forced or tricked into a their current situation, and make them reluctant to try and contact family or friends.
6. They are too traumatized: Trauma can manifest in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, social withdrawal, anxiety disorders, or suicidal tendencies. Victims may find the situation hopeless or withdraw all together as a coping mechanism.
7. They have bonded with the trafficker: Stockholm syndrome, or forming strong emotional bonds with a captor or abuser, is not rare in trafficking victims. Over a long period of time the exploitation a victim experiences may become normalized and internalized, allowing them to bond further with their abuser.8. They are addicted to drugs or alcohol: Traffickers have forced or supplied their victims with drugs and alcohol in order to facilitate an addiction and create a further dependency on the trafficker, for either the substance or money. Victims will also sometimes use substances to self-medicate and treat the depression and trauma caused by their exploitation.
9. They don't know help is available: Trafficking victims may not know what has happened to them is illegal, and if they do, may not know that anyone can help. Traffickers often tell victims there is no safety net, and that they will not receive any assistance from the government if they leave.
10. They have nowhere to go: Victims may have already been rejected by their families or fear that rejection if they return home after trafficking. The trafficker may have told them that their family no longer wants them, and that they have no place to go besides with the trafficker.
While these are only some of the reason victims don't leave, they provide important information to understand the dymanics of trafficking and how to find and help trafficked persons.
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Comments (6)
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Author
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Amanda has been a full-time abolitionist for six years. During that time, she has created reports, documentaries and training materials on human trafficking in the United States and around the world.
Great summary. I get asked this question so many times. This list works for both internationally and domestically trafficked people.
Posted by Claudine O'Leary on 05/22/2009 @ 09:05AM PT
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That's all probably true but on the other hand we can't and shouldn't let them remain in the U.S. when they're caught.
The Russian mafia runs all kinds of scams involving "T" visas.
Anyone over 10 years of age knows that it's against the law to sneak into a foreign country.
These women may or may not be "victims" but they're not "our" victims.
None should ever be allowed to remain in the U.S.
There are simply way too many scams being run out there that "backdoor" our immigration laws.
You don't see them trying to smuggle women into Haiti do you?
Posted by Thomas Porter on 05/22/2009 @ 11:31AM PT
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Wow, I've read some mis-informed comments, but this one goes straight to the top.
"Anyone over 10 years of age knows it's illegal to sneak into a foreign contry" - Wrong on so many levels. First of all, trafficking victims are not willingly sneaking into foreign countries. They are being smuggled in against their will. Second, a lot of these girls are poor and uneducated. They may not even be literate, let alone know the laws on immigration. I don't even think a child with a good education would know much about immigration law.
Also, a victim is a victim. It doesn't matter where they come from. The U.S. has resources that can help these victims escape capture and recover. If they want to stay, they should be allowed.
"You don't see them trying to smuggle into Haiti do you" - Once again you are wrong. Anyone who knows anything about human trafficking knows that the U.S. is only one of many destination countries. These countries include developed countries such as France or the UK, or the poorest of countries such as The Philippines or Thailand.
I think you need to go back and re-evaluate your stance.
Posted by Dennis G. on 05/22/2009 @ 12:40PM PT
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Dennis, you can call my comments "mis-informed" if you like.
The simple fact is that I don't want these people to remain in the country nd you do.
That's the differance.
I simply don't want to spend our limited "resources" on foreign nationals while we have 50 million Citizens in this country with no healthcare.
We simply cannot have a policy of "if you can sneak into the U.S. you can stay."
And any "compassion" for these people needs to come from their home countries, not the U.S.
But, it's easy to be "generous" with someone else's money, isn't it? And, there are *numerous scams* involving immigration to the West by *many* crime groups.
Regards, Tom Porter U.S. COAST GUARD (Ret.)
Posted by Thomas Porter on 05/22/2009 @ 01:31PM PT
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Again, they are not sneaking. They are forced. When they go back to their countries the traffickers are there to put them right back into the trade. It is worth the money to them to find their little investments because these girls are already past the breaking stage, which is the hardest stage.
Also, the U.S. is the biggest consumer of rape of children. If we are not doing what it takes to pump money into the various programs that seek to prevent this problem as well as changing legislation, then the T-Visa is literally the least we can do.
It is terrible to know that you are not alone in thinking that health care is more important than torture and rape of children. Not to mention the brutal and extremely drawn out murders of some of the girls. It should be a no brainer that we are human before we are American. And for those of us who wish to be American before we are human, its beyond disgraceful to put something like healthcare as a trumping priority. I should mention that universal healthcare is something I strongly support. However, the physical and psychological damage assoicated with losing a loved one to a treatable illness does not compare to losing a child to rape and violence.
It is my understanding from the reports I have read that the T-Visa is a temporary thing for the most part. It is for the purpose of victims (no quotation marks) to stay and testify. If they do not testify, they do not get to stay here. Black market activity is something our government should concern itself with. If you are concerned with costs just think about all the money these criminals are bringing in and not paying taxes on. Why doesn't that anger you more than little girls feeling a sense of safety here-where they were rescued and listened to after being brutally raped on an average of 14 times a day?
Posted by Alisha Davis on 01/24/2010 @ 09:42PM PT
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I would also like to add that we are not talking about someone else's money. We are talking about our money. We all pay into it and we should all get a say on how its spent.
Posted by Alisha Davis on 01/24/2010 @ 09:45PM PT
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