Psychological Effects on Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
The longer individuals remain under the control of their traffickers and adult predators, the more severe and long lasting are the effects of their related trauma. Children and adolescents may be at a higher risk of longer-term psychological harm from sexual exploitation because of their early developmental stage.
The psychological harms of commercial sexual exploitation may include:
While the mental health effects related to experiencing the trauma of commercial sexual exploitation are dire, some survivors of commercial sexual exploitation also possess resilience that facilitates healing and adaptation.
Physical Effects on Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation
The physical harms of commercial sexual exploitation may include:
Community & Societal Effects of Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Human trafficking now affects every country in the world and the number of victims has reached “epidemic proportions.” Commercial sexual exploitation, and other forms of human trafficking, are crimes against individuals and violate basic human rights and freedoms. The United States views commercial sexual exploitation as a significant issue because of its human impact and its consequences for national security.
Although law-enforcement is involved in anti-commercial sexual exploitation efforts, this exploitation is a matter for other societal sectors, like immigration, labor, development and trade, and health. It has significant community and societal effects:
The psychological harms of commercial sexual exploitation may include:
- Intense feelings of shame, grief, fear, distrust, rage, and betrayal
- Helplessness, hopelessness, shock, and suspicion
- Hatred of men, self-hatred
- Low self-esteem
- Self-harm, suicidal ideation, or suicide
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Use or abuse of substances
- Traumatic bonding (Stockholm Syndrome)
- Extreme forms of submissiveness to authority
- Maladaptation in social situations
- Loss of personal initiative and autonomy
- Aggressive behavior, irritability, or violent outbursts
- Sleep disturbances and frequent nightmares
- Difficulty concentrating
- Cognitive impairment and memory loss
While the mental health effects related to experiencing the trauma of commercial sexual exploitation are dire, some survivors of commercial sexual exploitation also possess resilience that facilitates healing and adaptation.
Physical Effects on Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation
The physical harms of commercial sexual exploitation may include:
- Physical injuries – broken bones and teeth, dental problems, concussions, burns, bruises, vaginal/anal tearings
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Traumatic brain injury resulting in memory loss, dizziness, headaches, cognition problems, and numbness
- Malnutrition
- Fatigue and exhaustion
- Starvation
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Sterility
- Miscarriages
- Menstrual problems
- Other diseases (tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria, pneumonia, etc.)
- Forced or coerced abortions
- Deterioration of pre-existing conditions leading to further disability or injury
- Death
Community & Societal Effects of Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Human trafficking now affects every country in the world and the number of victims has reached “epidemic proportions.” Commercial sexual exploitation, and other forms of human trafficking, are crimes against individuals and violate basic human rights and freedoms. The United States views commercial sexual exploitation as a significant issue because of its human impact and its consequences for national security.
Although law-enforcement is involved in anti-commercial sexual exploitation efforts, this exploitation is a matter for other societal sectors, like immigration, labor, development and trade, and health. It has significant community and societal effects:
- Violates the rule of law and threatens national jurisdictions and international law.
- Creates a significant economic burden – ongoing care and support of survivors, costs associated with immigration and customs processes, repatriation, government funding or grants to non-governmental organizations to assist survivors, and/or health, housing, and associated costs.
- Creates costly public health costs – tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, etc.
- Results in the loss of human resources and reductions in revenue due to a lower rate of participation in the labor market.
- Leads the receipt of little or no income for exploited individuals.
- Threatens public safety.
- Human trafficking (including commercial sexual exploitation) is the third largest source of profit for international organized crime, which funds the expansion of local, regional, and international criminal groups, contributes to corruption, and undermines the rule of law
Resources for this article:
Hodge, D. (2008). Sexual trafficking in the United States: A domestic problem with transnational dimensions. Social Work, 53 (2), 143-152.
Office of Refugee Resettlement. (2013). Sex trafficking fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/orr/fact_sheet_sex_trafficking.pdf
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2008). An introduction to human trafficking: Vulnerability, impact and action. Retrieved from
http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/An_Introduction_to_Human_Trafficking_-_Background_Paper.pdf
Yakushko, O. (2009). Human trafficking: A review for mental health professionals. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 31, 158-167.
Zimmerman, C., Hossain, M., & Watts, C. (2011). Human trafficking and health: A conceptual model to inform policy, intervention and research.
Social Science & Medicine, 73, 327-335.
Office of Refugee Resettlement. (2013). Sex trafficking fact sheet. Retrieved from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/orr/fact_sheet_sex_trafficking.pdf
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2008). An introduction to human trafficking: Vulnerability, impact and action. Retrieved from
http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/An_Introduction_to_Human_Trafficking_-_Background_Paper.pdf
Hodge, D. (2008). Sexual trafficking in the United States: A domestic problem with transnational dimensions. Social Work, 53 (2), 143-152.
Office of Refugee Resettlement. (2013). Sex trafficking fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/orr/fact_sheet_sex_trafficking.pdf
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2008). An introduction to human trafficking: Vulnerability, impact and action. Retrieved from
http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/An_Introduction_to_Human_Trafficking_-_Background_Paper.pdf
Yakushko, O. (2009). Human trafficking: A review for mental health professionals. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 31, 158-167.
Zimmerman, C., Hossain, M., & Watts, C. (2011). Human trafficking and health: A conceptual model to inform policy, intervention and research.
Social Science & Medicine, 73, 327-335.
Office of Refugee Resettlement. (2013). Sex trafficking fact sheet. Retrieved from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/orr/fact_sheet_sex_trafficking.pdf
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2008). An introduction to human trafficking: Vulnerability, impact and action. Retrieved from
http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/An_Introduction_to_Human_Trafficking_-_Background_Paper.pdf