In an article entitled “Hidden in Plain Sight” on the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) site, Dr. Kimberly Chang, who has uncovered multiple cases of childhood sex trafficking in her Bay area health center practice stated, “They are invisible, hidden from us, but sometimes, in plain sight. They can be cooks in our restaurants, people who grow our food; they staff our factories; and they are children on our streets. They are our community and our patients … and yet we don’t see them.”
Authorities estimate that some 21 million people are victimized worldwide – and between 100,000 and 300,000 children are at risk of being forced into sexual servitude in the U.S alone.
Chang suspects the numbers are much higher. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” she said, noting that most estimates are obtained from criminal justice records that only represent a fraction of offenders.
What is clear is that victims intersect with health care systems everywhere. One study of survivors showed that almost 88 percent had encountered a health care provider during their ordeal.
STAC is training public health professionals throughout the area as part of its mission to build public awareness and inform professionals and community members about the existence of sex and labor trafficking in the Big Bend of Florida.
Join us for a healthcare event in your area!
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: A CALL TO ACTION FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Register at one of these two locations:
