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The relationship of trauma to mental disorders among trafficked and sexually exploited girls and women

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  • Hossain, M.
  • Zimmerman, C.
  • Abas, M.
  • Light, M.
  • Watts, C.

Abstract

Objectives.We explored the association between traumatic events andmental health among girls and women traf?cked for sexual exploitation. Methods. We used subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire to interview 204 traf?cked girls and women in 7 post-traf?cking service settings. Multivariate logistic regression models based on interview data were ?tted for depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) separately and adjusted for pretraf?cking abuse to determine impact of traf?cking-related trauma exposures. Results. Injuries and sexual violence during traf?cking were associated with higher levels of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Sexual violence was associated with higher levels of PTSD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=5.6; 95% con?dence interval [CI]=1.3, 25.4).More time in traf?cking was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety (AOR=2.2; 95% CI=1.1, 4.5). More time since traf?cking was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety but not of PTSD. Conclusions. Our ?ndings inform the emerging ?eld of mental health care for traf?cked persons by highlighting the importance of assessing severity and duration of traf?cking-related abuses and need for adequate recovery time. Therapies for anxiety, PTSD, and mood disorders in low-resource settings should be evaluated.

Suggested Citation

  • Hossain, M. & Zimmerman, C. & Abas, M. & Light, M. & Watts, C., 2010. "The relationship of trauma to mental disorders among trafficked and sexually exploited girls and women," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(12), pages 2442-2449.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2009.173229_2
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.173229
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    Cited by:

    1. Sepali Guruge & Brenda Roche & Cristina Catallo, 2012. "Violence against Women: An Exploration of the Physical and Mental Health Trends among Immigrant and Refugee Women in Canada," Nursing Research and Practice, Hindawi, vol. 2012, pages 1-15, May.
    2. Perry, Elizabeth W. & Culbreth, Rachel & Swahn, Monica & Kasirye, Rogers & Self-Brown, Shannon, 2020. "Psychological distress among orphaned youth and youth reporting sexual exploitation in Kampala, Uganda," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    3. Retina Rimal & Chris Papadopoulos, 2016. "The mental health of sexually trafficked female survivors in Nepal," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 62(5), pages 487-495, August.
    4. Digidiki, Vasileia & Bhabha, Jacqueline, 2018. "Sexual abuse and exploitation of unaccompanied migrant children in Greece: Identifying risk factors and gaps in services during the European migration crisis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 114-121.
    5. Nicola S Pocock & Ligia Kiss & Sian Oram & Cathy Zimmerman, 2016. "Labour Trafficking among Men and Boys in the Greater Mekong Subregion: Exploitation, Violence, Occupational Health Risks and Injuries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(12), pages 1-21, December.
    6. Lisbeth Iglesias-Rios & Siobán D. Harlow & Sarah. A. Burgard & Ligia Kiss & Cathy Zimmerman, 2019. "Gender differences in the association of living and working conditions and the mental health of trafficking survivors," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(7), pages 1015-1024, September.
    7. Maass, Kayse Lee & Trapp, Andrew C. & Konrad, Renata, 2020. "Optimizing placement of residential shelters for human trafficking survivors," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    8. Hickle, Kristine & Roe-Sepowitz, Dominique, 2018. "Adversity and intervention needs among girls in residential care with experiences of commercial sexual exploitation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 17-23.
    9. Byung-Deuk Woo, 2022. "The Impacts of Gender-Related Factors on the Adoption of Anti-Human Trafficking Laws in Sub-Saharan African Countries," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    10. Zimmerman, Cathy & Hossain, Mazeda & Watts, Charlotte, 2011. "Human trafficking and health: A conceptual model to inform policy, intervention and research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 327-335, July.

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