ANA Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® Blog: The Nurse’s Role in Identifying Human Trafficking
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How to help victims and be a voice for anti-trafficking awareness in your facility
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According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking affects millions of adults and children around the world each year. “Trafficking” means to force or coerce someone to engage in sex acts or labor. Victims of trafficking include people of all ages, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and the crime occurs in cities, suburbs, and rural towns.
In the United States, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported more than 21,000 victims of trafficking in 2024. Sadly, researchers believe this number may represent fewer than 10% of actual victims, because many cases go unreported or unnoticed.
The Impact of Trafficking
Human trafficking is a critical public health issue. Survivors of trafficking face a wide spectrum of mental, emotional, and physical concerns, such as:
For many victims, barriers to healthcare access prevent them from receiving the help they need. And when they do get medical care, many healthcare professionals miss the signs of trafficking.
Nurses Are in a Unique Position to Identify Victims
According to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, nurses play a critical role in identifying, treating, and helping trafficking victims receive aid. Surveys (PDF, pg. 77) of sex trafficking survivors discovered that nearly 88% had seen a nurse or healthcare professional while in captivity, yet their situation went unrecognized. Possible reasons for this include:
As a nurse, it’s important to educate yourself about trafficking so you can identify possible victims. Our profession’s code of ethics calls nurses to “bring attention to human rights violations,” including human trafficking.
Anti-Trafficking Efforts Start With Awareness
The first step is paying attention to the signs of human trafficking in your patients. Some indications may include:
The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) provides a checklist [PDF] you can use to identify possible victims.
Tips for Approaching a Potential Victim
Victims of trafficking may feel reluctant to come forward and report their situation, especially if their abuser accompanies them to their healthcare examination. You can help victims feel safe by:
Once trafficking is confirmed, you can refer the victim to life-saving resources. The National Human Trafficking Hotline compiled an online referral directory of local resources and services to help survivors. Building rapport and trust maximizes healing and recovery — and reduces the risk of re-traumatization.
Training Opportunities for Nurses
Consider adding trafficking-awareness training to your continuing education plan this year. You can empower yourself to better identify and care for at-risk patients with educational resources such as:
How to Increase Human Trafficking Awareness in Your Facility
A study published in 2020 found that only 1% of U.S. hospitals have a policy on treating trafficking victims. If your facility falls under the remaining 99%, you can take steps to create an anti-trafficking initiative. Here are some helpful tips:
An educated and prepared healthcare system can improve safety throughout its community and help victims and survivors of trafficking get the help and resources they need.
Do you have helpful tips for nurses to identify possible trafficking victims? Share your ideas in the comments.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join today!
In the United States, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported more than 21,000 victims of trafficking in 2024. Sadly, researchers believe this number may represent fewer than 10% of actual victims, because many cases go unreported or unnoticed.
The Impact of Trafficking
Human trafficking is a critical public health issue. Survivors of trafficking face a wide spectrum of mental, emotional, and physical concerns, such as:
- Depression
- Injuries and malnutrition
- Post-traumatic stress
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Substance abuse and addiction
For many victims, barriers to healthcare access prevent them from receiving the help they need. And when they do get medical care, many healthcare professionals miss the signs of trafficking.
Nurses Are in a Unique Position to Identify Victims
According to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, nurses play a critical role in identifying, treating, and helping trafficking victims receive aid. Surveys (PDF, pg. 77) of sex trafficking survivors discovered that nearly 88% had seen a nurse or healthcare professional while in captivity, yet their situation went unrecognized. Possible reasons for this include:
- Insufficient legislated reporting requirements
- Lack of healthcare screening tools and trauma-informed care
- Limited healthcare worker awareness of trafficking
- Victims’ fear of repercussions for reporting the crime
As a nurse, it’s important to educate yourself about trafficking so you can identify possible victims. Our profession’s code of ethics calls nurses to “bring attention to human rights violations,” including human trafficking.
Anti-Trafficking Efforts Start With Awareness
The first step is paying attention to the signs of human trafficking in your patients. Some indications may include:
- Appearing malnourished or neglected
- Evidence of physical abuse
- Inability to provide details such as an address or phone number
- Inconsistencies in their story or explanation of injuries
- Lack of eye contact and closed body language
- Not having control over their passport, identification, or money
- Suspicious documentation
The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) provides a checklist [PDF] you can use to identify possible victims.
Tips for Approaching a Potential Victim
Victims of trafficking may feel reluctant to come forward and report their situation, especially if their abuser accompanies them to their healthcare examination. You can help victims feel safe by:
- Taking a trauma-informed approach
- Separating victims from their traffickers
- Having private conversations about the situation
Once trafficking is confirmed, you can refer the victim to life-saving resources. The National Human Trafficking Hotline compiled an online referral directory of local resources and services to help survivors. Building rapport and trust maximizes healing and recovery — and reduces the risk of re-traumatization.
Training Opportunities for Nurses
Consider adding trafficking-awareness training to your continuing education plan this year. You can empower yourself to better identify and care for at-risk patients with educational resources such as:
- SOAR to Health and Wellness: This online course uses the SOAR (Stop—Observe—Ask—Respond) framework to help healthcare workers detect and support possible trafficking victims.
- The PEARR Tool: PEARR (Provide Privacy, Educate, Ask, Respect, and Respond) is a trauma-informed conversation guide to help you respond to trafficking situations.
- Safe House Project: Safe House Project features a series of online continuing-education courses to help healthcare workers learn to identify potential victims.
How to Increase Human Trafficking Awareness in Your Facility
A study published in 2020 found that only 1% of U.S. hospitals have a policy on treating trafficking victims. If your facility falls under the remaining 99%, you can take steps to create an anti-trafficking initiative. Here are some helpful tips:
- Engage leadership: Explain the importance of an anti-trafficking initiative for your facility and community and gain support from your leadership team to proceed.
- Assign a champion: Your champion serves as liaison between your facility and community partners and oversees policy and training development.
- Determine stakeholders in your community: Involve community partners such as law enforcement agencies, local prosecutors, child protective services, and local victim service agencies. These important resources can help support trafficking victims.
- Develop policies and protocols: Your policies should include trauma-informed care, mandated reporting obligations, and safety. You can find helpful recommendations and toolkits at SOAR Online and HEAL Trafficking.
- Train your staff: You can use the evidence-based trainings from SOAR and HEAL Trafficking to educate your team on risk factors and signs of trafficking, safety, reporting, and community resources.
An educated and prepared healthcare system can improve safety throughout its community and help victims and survivors of trafficking get the help and resources they need.
Do you have helpful tips for nurses to identify possible trafficking victims? Share your ideas in the comments.
Not a member of Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN) yet? Join today!
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01/20/2026 12:36pm CST
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