Researchers at the Urban Institute document the needs of human trafficking survivors. Through interviews and surveys with legal and social service providers, they identify stigma, misconceptions about victimization, xenophobia, and criminalization as major obstacles for human trafficking survivors.
Human Trafficking
Comprehensive Services for Survivors of Human Trafficking: Findings From Clients in Three Communities
Researchers at the Urban Institute conducted interviews with survivors of human trafficking and social service providers. They find a large unmet need for legal services.
Meeting the Legal Needs of Human-Trafficking Survivors
Byrne outlines the legal needs of human trafficking survivors (including expungement or vacatur, trauma-informed representation, autonomy, etc.), the challenges faced by lawyers who represent trafficking survivors, poses an argument for self-directed representation of survivors who are minors, and offers guidance for lawyers who seek to serve this population.
Legal Services Assessment for Trafficked Children
Researchers at the Center for the Human Rights of Children conducted a survey with professionals working in and around Cook County, IL who provided services to human trafficking survivors. They find that 85 percent of service providers report access to legal services as “critical” for child trafficking survivors.
Legal Aid Research 