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Mental health of female survivors of human trafficking in Nepal

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  • Tsutsumi, Atsuro
  • Izutsu, Takashi
  • Poudyal, Amod K.
  • Kato, Seika
  • Marui, Eiji

Abstract

Little is known about the mental health status of trafficked women, even though international conventions require that it be considered. This study, therefore, aims at exploring the mental health status, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), of female survivors of human trafficking who are currently supported by local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Katmandu, the capital of Nepal, through comparison between those who were forced to work as sex workers and those who worked in other areas such as domestic and circus work (non-sex workers group). The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) was administered to assess anxiety and depression, and the PTSD Checklist Civilian Version (PCL-C) was used to evaluate PTSD. Both the sex workers' and the non-sex workers' groups had a high proportion of cases with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The sex workers group tended to have more anxiety symptoms (97.7%) than the non-sex workers group (87.5%). Regarding depression, all the constituents of the sex workers group scored over the cut-off point (100%), and the group showed a significantly higher prevalence than the non-sex workers (80.8%). The proportion of those who are above the cut-off for PTSD was higher in the sex workers group (29.6%) than in the non-sex workers group (7.5%). There was a higher rate of HIV infection in the sex workers group (29.6%) than in the non-sex workers group (0%). The findings suggest that programs to address human trafficking should include interventions (such as psychosocial support) to improve survivors' mental health status, paying attention to the category of work performed during the trafficking period. In particular, the current efforts of the United Nations and various NGOs that help survivors of human trafficking need to more explicitly focus on mental health and psychosocial support.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsutsumi, Atsuro & Izutsu, Takashi & Poudyal, Amod K. & Kato, Seika & Marui, Eiji, 2008. "Mental health of female survivors of human trafficking in Nepal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1841-1847, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:66:y:2008:i:8:p:1841-1847
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. El-Bassel, N. & Schilling, R.F. & Irwin, K.L. & Faruque, S. & Gilbert, L. & Von Bargen, J. & Serrano, Y. & Edlin, B.R., 1997. "Sex trading and psychological distress among women recruited from the streets of Harlem," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 87(1), pages 66-70.
    2. Alegria, M. & Vera, M. & Freeman Jr., D.H. & Robles, R. & Del Santos, C.M. & Rivera, C.L., 1994. "HIV infection, risk behaviors, and depressive symptoms among Puerto Rican sex workers," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 84(12), pages 2000-2002.
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    1. 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).
    2. 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.
    3. Shoji, Masahiro & Tsubota, Kenmei, 2022. "Sexual exploitation of trafficked children: Survey evidence from child sex workers in Bangladesh," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 101-117.
    4. Masahiro Shoji & Kenmei Tsubota, 2018. "Sexual Exploitation of Trafficked Children: Evidence from Bangladesh," Working Papers 175, JICA Research Institute.
    5. 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.
    6. Tallman, Paula Skye & Riley-Powell, Amy R. & Schwarz, Lara & Salmón-Mulanovich, Gabriela & Southgate, Todd & Pace, Cynthia & Valdés-Velásquez, Armando & Hartinger, Stella M. & Paz-Soldán, Valerie A. &, 2022. "Ecosyndemics: The potential synergistic health impacts of highways and dams in the Amazon," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    7. 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.
    8. N/A, 2011. "Mental health aspects of sexual and reproductive health in adolescents," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 57(1_suppl), pages 86-97, March.
    9. Treloar, Carla & Stardust, Zahra & Cama, Elena & Kim, Jules, 2021. "Rethinking the relationship between sex work, mental health and stigma: a qualitative study of sex workers in Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).

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