Strengthening Services for Survivors of Human Trafficking: Recommendations from Survivors in Cambodia

Author: Cordisco Tsai, Laura; Lim, Vanntheary; Hentschel, Elizabeth & Nhanh, Channtha

Abstract: Survivors’ voices have historically been excluded from research on human trafficking. Although research on the importance of survivor voice is growing, minimal research has explored survivors’ own perspectives on their experiences in anti-human trafficking programming and their recommendations for strengthening services. In this manuscript, we share recommendations from survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation for improving direct services in the anti-human trafficking movement. We analyzed data from the Butterfly Longitudinal Research (BLR) study, a 10-year longitudinal study committed to centering the voices and exploring the lives and trajectories of survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Cambodia. We analyzed 362 interviews and narrative summaries of interviews conducted from 2011 to 2016 (n = 111). This manuscript presents a series of recommendations from BLR participants which have been categorized into four thematic areas: promote survivor agency and adopt an empowerment-based approach, ensure shelters are responsive to the needs and priorities of survivors, foster healthy engagement between staff and survivors, and strengthen re/integration support and community-based services. Participants’ recommendations are consistent with human rights-based and trauma-informed approaches, while simultaneously raising new considerations. This paper provides a novel contribution to the sector and reinforces the heightened call to genuinely and diligently include survivor voices in all aspects of anti-human trafficking organizations’ decision-making processes.

Keywords: human trafficking, survivor voice, shelters, anti-trafficking services, client-centered, victims