Resolution: S-21-30: ADVOCATING TO INCREASE RESEARCH IN SEX TRAFFICKING THROUGH SOMA

[Valerie Lile]

WHEREAS, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (JVTA), defines sex trafficking as “recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of an individual through the means of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of commercial sex⁴; and

WHEREAS, the JVTA defines a “commercial sex act” as “any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by a person⁴; and

WHEREAS, the demonstrations of force, fraud, or coercion for a commercial sex act is not applicable to those under the age of 18⁴; and

WHEREAS,  ³; and

WHEREAS, the International Labor Organization and Walk Free Foundation, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates globally 4.8 million people are forced into sexual exploitation⁴; and

WHEREAS, As poverty and unemployment rates decline within the past years, the cases of human trafficking has double²; and

WHEREAS, International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that there are 20.9 million victims of human trafficking globally, of whom 14.3 million are victimized in economic activities. Sixty-eight percent of them are trapped in forced labor, Twenty-six percent of them are children and 55% are women and girls²; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America has been ranked second for the largest destination and market for sex trafficking²; and

WHEREAS, 8,248 sex  trafficking cases have been reported in 2020⁴; and

WHEREAS, physicians  that were trained to identify signs of human trafficking were only 4.8% confident in their ability to do so and not trained to identify signs of specifically sex trafficking⁵; and

WHEREAS, three out of five victims of sex trafficking are exposed to the healthcare system⁵; and

WHEREAS, human trafficking can have devastating health impacts including physical trauma, neglected chronic health conditions, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted infections⁵; and

WHEREAS, consequences of repetitive emotional and physical abuse may lead to psychosocial distress further exacerbated by being marginalized by society⁵; and

WHEREAS, there is currently limited organized sex trafficking research concerning the health outcomes of sex trafficking victims and risk factors contributing to the victims of sex trafficking including but not limited to socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, parent education, self education, ethnic groups, gang involvement, foster care or orphanage status, and citizenship status; and

WHEREAS, The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in H401-A/19 acknowledges human trafficking as a violation of human rights and a global public health problems and thus would benefit to include specifically sex trafficking¹; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that SOMA support research to increase knowledge on sex trafficking in order to help inform healthcare workers and protect patients; and, be it further

RESOLVE, that SOMA advocate to the AOA to support research with organizations involving sex trafficking to increase knowledge on sex trafficking in order to help inform healthcare workers and protect patients.

Existing Policy:

AOA Policy: AOA H401-A/19

References

1. H401-A/19 HUMAN TRAFFICKING – AWARENESS AS A GLOBAL HEALTH

PROBLEM. (2019). Retrieved January 25, 2021, from

http://policysearch.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/H401-A19-Human-Trafficking-Awareness-as-a-Global-Health-Problem.pdf

2. International Labor Organization. (2012, June 1). New ILO Global Estimate of Forced

Labour: 20.9 million victims. International Labor Organization. https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/news/WCMS_182109/lang–en/index.htm

3. National Center For Missing And Exploited Children, US Department of Justice, & Office of

Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention. (2020). Key Facts. NCMEC, Missing Kids. https://www.missingkids.org/footer/media/keyfacts

4. Sex Trafficking. (n.d.). National Human Trafficking Hotline. Retrieved January 11, 2021,

from https://humantraffickinghotline.org/type-trafficking/sex-trafficking

5. Shandro, J., MD, MPH, Chisolm-Straker, M., MD, MPH, Duber, MD, MPH, H. C., DuberMD, MPH, Findlay, S. L., MD, Munoz, J., MSN, FNP-BC, Schmitz, G., MD, . . .                                Wingkun, N., MD.  (2016, April 26). Human Trafficking: A Guide to Identification and Approach for the Emergency Physician. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from                                                 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.03.049

 

Submitted by:

(Nicole Griffin, OMS II – MU-COM)
(Katie Lepak, OMS II – MUCOM)
(Benjamin Nick, OMS I – MU-COM)

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Date:

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