More Than a "Global Problem"
Human trafficking doesn’t just happen in foreign countries. All 50 U.S. states have had reports of human trafficking — but you can help prevent it!
Currently, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) is the most comprehensive piece of federal legislation dedicated to addressing human trafficking. Passed in 2000, the TVPA defines the two types of human trafficking as:
- Sex trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion. Or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age
- Labor trafficking: the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery
Learn more from our recent Child Health Policy Learning Collaborative meeting on human trafficking.
Core Competencies in Human Trafficking
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) released its new Core Competencies for Human Trafficking Response in Health Care and Behavioral Health Systems resource. NAPNAP and NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth were pleased to have participated in the development and review of this critical publication.
These core competencies highlight skill sets for health care professionals to identify, respond to and serve individuals who have experienced or are at risk of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation.
Provider Continuing Education
Providers Assessing Risk and Responding to Trafficking (3-PARRT)
A comprehensive, on-demand continuing education course on child trafficking for nurse practitioners, nurses, physicians and physician assistants.
The Alliance for Children in Trafficking, an initiative of NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth (NAPNAP Partners), has developed three continuing education modules for healthcare providers who interact with child and teen victims and potential victims of human trafficking. NAPNAP continuing education and CME credits are available for all modules. All courses are available on PedsCESM by searching for the key word, “trafficking.”
ACT Advocates Program
ACT Advocates are healthcare providers who, after completing a specifically designed human trafficking training curriculum, conduct grassroots education sessions for their peers at hospitals, clinics and primary care offices as well as at local/state conferences and events. If you would like to become an ACT Advocate or request an ACT Advocate speaker, you can learn more on the ACT Advocates page of the NAPNAP Partners website.
- National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
- National Human Trafficking Resource Center SMS services: Text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Trafficking in Persons
- Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking
- Fact sheet: Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
- NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth Provider & Public Resources
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Learn more about the role you play in preventing human trafficking with the resources we have provided and share them with your professional or personal colleagues.
- Nonprofits, medical profession tackle human trafficking as a health-care crisis – Jan. 2, 2020 – The Washington Post
- Human Trafficking: Closer to Home Than You Think – Jan. 6, 2020 – American Bankers Association
- Health care providers have role in helping human-trafficking victims – Jan. 25, 2019 – Crain’s New York Business
- Hidden Victims: Healthcare providers fight human trafficking on the front lines – May 30, 2018 – U.S. News & World Report
- NAPNAP launches NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth with Goal to Improve Health of Vulnerable Children Through Support, Resources of Partners – Nov. 9, 2017, Press Release
- What life is like when you’re being sex trafficked, as told by a survivor – July 30, 2017 – NBC Today
- Backpage.com shuts down adult services ads after relentless pressure from authorities – Jan. 10, The Washington Post
- Assumptions blind practitioners to human trafficking – June 26, MedScape
