The staff at a major hospital in Atlanta is getting lessons on how to recognize which patients are sex slaves. When the class was asked if they thought back and recognized the signs and behaviors in women they had treated, a roomful of hands went up.
The heathcare provider (physician, nurse, nursing assistant, social worker, etc.) should not display their suspicion to this victim and the person accompanying her or him. Retain her as long as possible for police (disguised as a doctor) to interview her. She should then be followed and monitored. This maneuver will lead authorities to the 'big fish'.
Thank you for this piece highlighting Grady Hospital's steps to train their healthcare providers on human trafficking. Human trafficking is an issue that is very real and present throughout the United States. A great resource on this issue is the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (1-888-3737-888). The NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Anyone can call to report a tip, to connect with anti-trafficking services in your area or, to request training and technical assistance, general information or specific anti-trafficking resources.
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