What Are The Impacts Of Human Trafficking On Its Victims?

Human trafficking greatly impacts the lives of its victims. While human trafficking is often referred to as innocent people being snatched off the street and forced into labor, in reality, it's much more complicated than that. Some victims experience kidnapping and physical violence; others aren't kidnapped or physically harmed. They're simply manipulated through psychological means or taken advantage of by someone who knows how to exploit their vulnerabilities.

Regardless of a victim's experience with trafficking, there are several impacts on them immediately after being trafficked and long-term after they've escaped or been rescued from their captors. This article will help you learn about these impacts, such as physical, psychological, social, and economic impacts.

What’s In The Article?

• Physical Impacts Of Human Trafficking

• Psychological Effects Of Human Trafficking

• Social Impacts of Human Trafficking

• Economic Effects Of Human Trafficking

• Impacts Of Human Trafficking Well Beyond The Event Itself

• Final Thoughts

Physical Impacts Of Human Trafficking

Physical injuries are one of the most common impacts of human trafficking, as victims often suffer from physical exhaustion and pain. They can also experience physical stress and illness, given their circumstances. 

Traffickers also use violence to manipulate their victims. In many cases, victims have been beaten or physically restrained against their will or forced to work long hours without breaks or proper meals, resulting in injury to the victim's body. 

Physical injuries sustained during this time can include bruises on various parts of the body, especially on wrists and ankles, cuts from needles used for drug injections like heroin, and broken bones from falling down stairs or off ladders while working on construction sites without safety equipment.

Aside from physical injuries, victims may also be at risk of several health issues. For instance, victims of

Psychological Effects Of Human Trafficking

If victims are forced to do things against their will, such as sexual acts or work in the sex industry, they may experience psychological harm. It can include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicidal thoughts. Human trafficking experience can also cause victims anxiety, fear, and

Many victims have been subjected to physical abuse and sexual assault as adults or children. In these cases, they likely have also suffered emotional trauma due to past experiences that left them feeling disempowered or unable to trust others. Healthcare professionals should understand h

Social Impacts Of Human Trafficking

Victims may also experience social isolation and become unable to engage with society and their social circles, which can affect their relationships with others and their loved ones. Human trafficking also causes its victims to lose their trust in other people due to their traumatic experiences with traffickers.

The social impacts also vary from case to case. However, common social impacts can include the following:

• Isolation from friends, family, and loved ones

• Loss of community support

• Inability to earn an income

Economic Effects Of Human Trafficking

The economic impacts are numerous and far-reaching. Victims may be exploited as forced laborers, sex workers, or beggars, resulting in a loss of income for them and their dependents. In addition to being unable to support themselves financially, victims can also face barriers to supporting their families when they were previously able to do so.

Human trafficking also impacts the victims' ability to own property. Displaced from their homes and communities, victims may be prevented from returning home because their houses have been destroyed or seized by traffickers who want to prevent them from leaving again.

Many victims of human trafficking are also forced to commit unlawful acts. In these cases, they may be accused of crimes they are coerced into and be convicted, resulting in having a criminal record that can make it more difficult for them to find a job and provide for their needs.

Impacts Of Human Trafficking Well Beyond The Event Itself

The effects of human trafficking on victims do not end with the event itself. Victims often suffer physical and emotional trauma and difficulty getting jobs. When they find employment, their salaries are usually low because of the shame associated with being a victim of human trafficking.

The stigma associated with being a victim is so strong that some survivors feel they can't tell anyone about their experience even if they want to. They fear being judged or ridiculed by others who don't understand what they've gone through and may think they're responsible for what happened to them.

Final Thoughts

Human trafficking is a crime that affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. Understanding how human trafficking impacts victims will enable us to learn the appropriate ways to help them continue and rebuild their lives.