THE DRESSEMBER BLOG

Psychological coercion is an important concept to understand when it comes to the powerful dynamics of human trafficking. Dr. Evan Stark likens psychological coercion to being taken hostage: “The victim becomes captive in an unreal world created by the abuser, entrapped in a world of confusion, contradiction, and fear.” Psychological coercion is an intentional pattern of behavior (often used alongside other forms of abuse) which can include threats, excessive regulation, intimidation, humiliation, and forced isolation. It is designed to punish, dominate, exploit, exhaust, create fear and confusion, and increase dependency. It strips a person of their identity and breaks down the very core of who they are.

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Sean shares his story of exploitation and his journey as a survivor of human trafficking. This story is part of the series, “Things Survivors Wish You Knew,” where we hear directly from survivors in the Dressember community about their experiences and perspectives on human trafficking. *Trigger Warning: The following is a true story of a survivor of human trafficking. This story includes sensitive language surrounding sexual assault. Please consider this before reading further.

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People often wonder about survivors of human trafficking: ​Why would anyone ever go back after they’ve escaped? ​It can be difficult to imagine someone returning to an exploitative situation, and yet 80% of trafficking victims are revictimized after finding freedom, according to Kristi Wells of the Safe House Project.

The question we should be asking isn’t why a survivor would go back, but instead, how do we empower survivors to the level that they can achieve real, long-lasting success and live relationally healthy lives? What is necessary for survivors of exploitation to reach sustained liberation?

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Citlali shares her story of exploitation and her journey as a survivor of human trafficking. This story is part of the series, “Things Survivors Wish You Knew,” where we hear directly from survivors in the Dressember community about their experiences and perspectives on human trafficking. *Trigger Warning: The following is a true story of a survivor of human trafficking. This story includes sensitive language surrounding sexual assault. Please consider this before reading further.

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Language binds a culture. It determines the way we view and respond to various social justice issues, such as the anti-trafficking movement. We must be thoughtful about the language we use surrounding human trafficking and trafficking survivors because it has the potential to propagate sterotypes, disempower survivors, and prevent survivors from receiving the help they need. By being intentional with our language, we can become better advocates and restructure our cultural narratives surrounding human trafficking.

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Hannah shares her story of exploitation and her journey as a survivor of human trafficking. This story is part of the series, “Things Survivors Wish You Knew,” where we hear directly from survivors in the Dressember community about their experiences and perspectives on human trafficking. *Trigger Warning: The following is a true story of a survivor of human trafficking. This story includes sensitive language surrounding sexual assault. Please consider this before reading further.

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