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THE EMPOWERED NURSE

for the safety of the victims and the health care team (Sabella, “
contact your family and friends?” These questions may open
doorways for the health care professional to intervene and/or
provide resources to victims (Sabella, 2011). Health care profes-
Health care professionals need to know
sional should take these steps without the trafficker’s knowledge
offer interventions to human sex trafficking
2011). how to identify, communicate with, and
victims.”
Health Effects of Human Sex Trafficking
HST victims can present with multiple health care compli-
cations. Malnourishment and general poor health is usually
noted (End Slavery Tennessee, 2012). This also contributes to
dental issues that include multiple caries, rotting teeth, poorly
formed or aligned teeth. Signs of psychological trauma, multiple education, rescue, and restoration. SOAR to Health and Well-
psychological disorders, and the presence of suicide attempts are ness are online or in-person, nationally-recognized, Health and
often seen within the HST population. Victims may seek health Human Services-developed courses that are intended for those
care services for infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis on the front lines of health care and public services. These edu-
C, and HIV/Aids. Complications of sexually transmitted infec- cational opportunities can provide health care professionals with
tions such as pelvic inflammatory disease, urinary infections/ the necessary tools to identify, communicate with, and intervene
complications, rectal trauma, unintended pregnancies, miscar- safely. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is also involved in
riages, and forced or elective abortions are also common in this bringing HST to the forefront through a campaign called It Has
population. Chronic problems such as diabetes, hypertension, To Stop. This web page, ithastostop.com, provides many re-
tuberculosis, cancer, and musculoskeletal issues may go under- sources and contacts for health care providers and citizens of the
treated or untreated. They may also display signs of physical state of Tennessee. If a health care professional suspects some-
trauma or abuse such as bruising, burns, or scars in areas that one may be a victim of HST, he or she can report it, anony-
may be easily hidden under the victim’s clothing (Lederer, 2014; mously if needed, by calling 1-855-55-TNHTH, texting “BeFree”
Gurney, et al, 2014). to 233733, or completing an online form. The health care profes-
sional can also empower the patient to seek refuge from traffick-
Health Care Professionals Roles and Responsibilities ing through resources given during the health care visit.
Health care professionals need to know how to identify,
communicate with, and offer interventions to human sex traf- Why is education important?
ficking victims. It is challenging for health care professionals to According to Donahue, Schwien, and LaVallee (2019), there
fulfill these responsibilities if they lack the knowledge needed is not an official standardized framework that exists for educat-
(Gurney, et al, 2014). Most HST education for health care profes- ing the health care professionals on the front lines. It is up to
sionals will include information on the behaviors of the victim health care professionals to seek education on their own behalf.
and their controllers that may offer clues to potential HST. Ide- The main goal of the education is to bring enlightenment, confi-
ally, the health care professional will also learn effective tech- dence, and courage to intervene and advocate on the behalf of
niques that enhance effective communication and trust-building those enslaved by human sex trafficking and maximize the
that is necessary to successfully intervene in these situations. It is strengths of those that are on the front lines of health care
also important for health care professionals to learn appropriate throughout Tennessee so they may make a difference in others’
documentation and reporting strategies that will assist the vic- lives.
tim in rescue and recovery efforts.

Intervention Strategies to aid in Rescue and Recovery
End Slavery TN (ESTN) offers an educational program as
part of its training to assist health care professionals to aid in pre-
vention and recognition of HST. End Slavery Tennessee (2018) is
a nonprofit, Christian organization that works closely with the
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, law enforcement agencies,
and other organizations to combat human sex trafficking in the
Middle Tennessee area. Restore Corps in West Tennessee and
Jessica Phillips, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Grow Free Tennessee in East Tennessee work collaboratively to Pediatric Emergency Room, MCJCHV

aid in the eradication of HST in Tennessee through advocacy, jessica.phillips@vumc.org