The goal of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics of sex-trafficked patients encountered through one of the few hospital-based anti-human trafficking specialty programs available nationally and assess how these characteristics relate to substance use.
Method:
The sample involved 336 survivors of sex trafficking (mean age=32.39 y). Structured interviews and human trafficking screening tools were used to assess the history of sex trafficking. Demographic and substance use information was collected from patient records.
Results:
A significant proportion of patients were female (91.7%), homeless (53.3%), and Black/African American (48.5%), and 72.9% reported using substances at the time of intake. When age, sex, race/ethnicity, and housing status were included in the same model, our logistic regressions did not show a significant effect on substance use.
Conclusions:
Although our logistic regressions did not find differences between demographic characteristics and substance use, the high level of substance use in this population underscores the importance of this issue across demographic categories. Given the high prevalence of substance use and the role of substance use in both the coercion and continued exploitation of trafficking victims, it is important to assess and treat substance use as a central and universal concern among trafficked individuals.