Youth in Mind

Human Trafficking: What Psychiatric Nurses Should Know to Help Children and Adolescents

Teena M. McGuinness, PhD, CRNP, FAAN; Amy Newby

  • Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services
  • April 2012 - Volume 50 · Issue 4: 21-24
  • DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20120307-03
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Abstract

Psychiatric nurses are in key positions to identify and stop human trafficking, as well as aid its survivors. The combination of emotional trauma, sexual violence, and physical injuries experienced by these victims leads to high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. To detect human trafficking, it is important to identify the salient risk factors of homelessness and runaway history. This article offers key questions to help identify victims, as well as web-based resources.

AUTHORS

Ms. Newby is a nursing student, and Dr. McGuinness is Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Nursing, Birmingham, Alabama.

The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

Address correspondence to Teena M. McGuinness, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Nursing, NB 205, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1210; e-mail: tmcg@uab.edu.

doi: 10.3928/02793695-20120307-03

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