Sex Trafficking’s Devastating Toll on Women and Girls’ Mental Health

Written by Sierra Harrold, Youth Case Manager, New Friends New Life

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. During this month, it is important to recognize the significant impact that mental health has on our overall well-being. Mental health affects all aspects of our lives, from our relationships and careers to our ability to be able to pursue our goals. As this month closes, I would like to encourage you to take some time to practice self-care, go on a walk, read a new book, take a relaxing bath, or anything else that is spent pouring time into yourself! I would also like to encourage you to hold compassion for others by being mindful of others’ experiences and practicing empathy.

At New Friends New Life, we often witness firsthand the immense challenges faced by women and girls who have survived sex trafficking. The traumatic experiences that these women and girls have faced, not only jeopardize their physical safety, but can also leave lasting scars on their mental health and well-being. The chronic stress that is inflicted on the brain by involvement in the sex trade can manifest a myriad of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, borderline personality disorders, and many more. Furthermore, the impacts of sex trafficking can often extend beyond individual experiences. The impact of the sex trade can also cause a multitude of social factors to decline, such as higher rates of unemployment, family violence, poverty, and gender inequality issues. These systemic issues create severe barriers for women and girls in accessing essential mental and physical healthcare, employment opportunities, and education, which further exacerbates the challenges placed on survivors to find healing and create a new beginning.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, I encourage you to take a stand and help raise awareness of the mental health challenges that survivors of trafficking often face. By educating yourself and encouraging others to do the same, we can create a greater understanding of the effects of this issue and become more empathetic to those who have experienced these traumas.

Here are some ways that you can make a difference:

·Educate Yourself: Take the time to learn about the sex trade and its effect on women and girls’ mental health. By learning more about issues such as these, we can better understand how to combat them, and open our minds to holding space for others who have been victimized by this issue. Take the time to engage with various resources that are dedicated to assisting the victims of sex trafficking and learn about how you can be a part of advocating for change.

· Practice Compassion: Be mindful of the struggles that women and girls’ may face because of their experiences in the sex trade. Keep an open mind and remember that everyone’s experiences with traumas such as this are vastly different. Hold space for them and consider that everyone is at a different place in their own journey of healing. Be patient, be kind.

· Amplify Voices: Amplify the voices of survivors of trafficking. Provide platforms for their stories and allow them to share their experiences. Take the time to listen and learn. By centering their experiences, we can work towards dismantling the stigma and misconceptions surrounding this issue.

· Support Organizations: Consider offering donations (of money or time!) to organizations, like New Friends New Life, that provide support and services to the survivors of sex trafficking. Volunteering and

donations are a great way to give back to your community and is what makes supporting these individuals possible. This Mental health Awareness Month, let us come together to offer support to the victims of sex trafficking and advocate for their rights to mental health care and support! Together, I am positive, we will be able to make a  significant difference and create a more positive and inclusive world.

Citations: James A. Levine | (2017) Mental health issues in survivors of sex trafficking, Cogent Medicine, 4:1, 1278841, DOI: 10.1080/2331205X.2017.1278841