All the darkness we don't see.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Human Rights
• Medical Intervention

Background:

• Sex trafficking is a rapidly growing global criminal enterprise and a significant public health crisis.
• Physicians have a unique opportunity to identify and support victims of sex trafficking due to direct patient contact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and patient profile of a specialty clinic for survivors of sex trafficking.
• To highlight the health consequences of commercial sexual exploitation and the need for physician education.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of a specialty clinic for sex trafficking survivors at an academic medical center in New York City in 2013.
• Review of patient data from the Survivor Clinic to identify health issues and prior medical contact during trafficking.

Main Results:

• Twenty out of 24 women seen in the clinic had contact with a physician while being trafficked.
• Survivors experienced severe health consequences, including traumatic brain injuries, drug addiction, depression, and neglect of chronic conditions.

Conclusions:

• Sex trafficking constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights, including health and freedom from violence.
• Enhanced medical education is crucial for all physicians, particularly gynecologists, to effectively assess and intervene for trafficking survivors.