Legislative Perspectives on Human Trafficking Training for Physicians

Author: Borham, Kristina; Eret, Chelsea; Bernstein, Blaire & Rhodes, Shea

Abstract: Human trafficking is a public health crisis in the United States, affecting all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories Puerto Rico and Guam. The damaging effects of human trafficking are also felt globally as countries all over the world grapple with how to best identify victims, prosecute traffickers, and prevent future victimization. Physicians are in a unique position as primary decision makers in medical care to identify and support trafficking survivors in receiving appropriate care and connection to resources for medical and social safety. In the United States, there are currently ten states with legislation requiring licensed physicians to receive training on human trafficking with notable lack of standardization among mandates. The aim of this multidisciplinary article is to discuss legislative considerations for the implementation of a human trafficking training program for physicians and medical trainees. Building upon existing literature, this paper supports the responsive sharing and implementation of physician training in light of increasing national awareness of the damaging effects of human trafficking and the shift toward mandated training for physicians.

Keywords: human trafficking, medical education, trauma-informed, mandatory reporting, physician, lawyer