| The purpose of this thesis is to examine the literature regarding women in the United States who have been victims of human trafficking and its psychological effects, however, there is a lack of research on this subject at the present time. The U.S. passed the first trafficking victim law in 2000. The findings of this thesis include how trafficked women are coerced, brutalized, traumatized, and abused sexually, physically, and psychologically on multiple levels for extended periods of time. These findings are relevant to the profession of social work and shed light on the extent of the crime of human trafficking. It also educates social workers about the psychological impact that human trafficking has on its victims. Further research is recommended to develop ongoing awareness and training for service providers within and across agencies, as well as creating more services for victims in order to increase outreach to identify victims of human trafficking. |
