relational trauma common to survivors of exploitation
TRANSCRIPT
Relational Trauma Common to Survivors of Exploitation
Presenters: Christa Lynn Hicks, LMHC, CCTP
Executive Director of Anti-Trafficking
• Violation made by a person one is in an interpersonal relationship with
Relational Trauma Defined:
• Often discussed in terms of childhood development but can happen outside of formative experiences with caregivers
• Common forms include sexual violence, bullying, infidelity, and Intimate partner abuse
• Many survivors of exploitation have endured traumatic experiences both during the formative years with caregivers and in adult life
*The Relationship Between Relational Trauma and Functioning: How Therapy Can Help. (n.d.). Brightquest. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-citation-generator/new/webpage/
Affects due to relational trauma:
• Disruption of sense of security• Injuries that affect secure attachment• Neurological disruptions• Emotional disturbances• Behavioral disturbances
*The Relationship Between Relational Trauma and Functioning: How Therapy Can Help. (n.d.). Brightquest. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-citation-generator/new/webpage/
The Four F’s: Common Responses to Trauma (created by Pete Walker:
*Walker. (n.d.). The 4Fs: A Trauma Typology in Complex PTSD. Pete-Walker.Com. http://pete-walker.com/fourFs_TraumaTypologyComplexPTSD.htm
• Fight• Flight• Freeze• Fawn
The OVC’s Complex Trauma list of symptoms reported by trafficking survivors:
• Depression, hopelessness, feelings of sadness and unhappiness, sudden or inexplicable crying
• Fear of being alone, distrust and fear of strangers
• Loss of interest in things and/or inability to plan for the future
• Recurrent or intrusive memories of abuse
• Stress-related disorders, avoidance, disorientation, confusion, anxiety, phobias and panic attacks
• Feeling inferior to others, feeling of being permanently damaged, fear of rejection
• Sleeplessness, sleep disturbances, nightmares, and/or insomnia
• Sexual problems, including lack of sexual desire or oversexualized behaviors
•
• Changes in appetite or eating patterns, eating disorders
• Somatization/psychosomatic symptoms
• Exhaustion and constant fatigue
• Self-harm and suicidal ideation
• Isolating behavior
• Trauma bonds and attachment issues, Stockholm Syndrome
• Guilt, shame, and/or self-blame
• Numbness
• Obsessions and compulsions
• Anger, aggression, irritability, mood changes
• Hallucinations or delusions
• Denial, memory loss, difficulty concentrating
•Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide. (n.d.) Retrieved August 4,2020, from https://www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide/eguide/4-supporting-victims/44-comprehensive-victim-services/mental-health-needs/
Mechanism by which Adverse Childhood Experiences Influence Health and Well-being Throughout the LIfespan, online image, retrieved August 4, 2020 from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about.html
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
Best Practice Interventions for Exploited Persons working to Heal From Relational Trauma:
• Therapies that help to stabilize the survivor and build phycological safety
• Internal Family Systems Approach • Peer to Peer Support• TF-CBT for minors or CBT for adults• EMDR Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Relational Interventions for Survivors of Exploitation Should Include:
• Involve Family when Possible• Combine Residential and Community Services• Be Available Long-Term and Allow Survivors to Re-engage
without Consequence • Offer Parent, Caregiver, and/or Partner Support• Utilize Multiple Treatment Strategies to Address
Polyvictimization
Sources and Resources:About the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC. (2020, April 13). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about.html
Administration of Children and Families. Retrieved from: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/Florida Department of Children and Families. Retrieved from: https://www.myflfamilies.com/
Human Trafficking Laws • Lutheran Services Florida. (2019, May 28). Retrieved July 30, 2020, from https://www.lsfnet.org/endtrafficking/laws/
Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide/eguide/4-supporting-victims/44-comprehensive-victim-services/mental-health-needs/
Sources and Resources:
Macias-Konstantopoulos, W., & Owens, J. (2018). Adult human trafficking screening tool and guide. Retrieved from National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center. Retrieved from: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/otip/adult_human_trafficking_screening_tool_and_guide.pdf
National Human Trafficking Hotline, (2018). Hotline statistics. Retrieved from: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/states
Office of Justice of Crimes: training and technical assistance center, (n.d.). Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide. Retrieved from https://www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide/eguide/1-understanding-human-trafficking/
Sources and Resources:
Polaris Project. Retrieved from: https://polarisproject.org/
The Relationship Between Relational Trauma and Functioning: How Therapy Can Help. (n.d.). Brightquest. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-citation-generator/new/webpage/
United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime: Global Report on Human Trafficking https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/about-us.html
Walker. (n.d.). The 4Fs: A Trauma Typology in Complex PTSD. Pete-Walker.Com. http://pete-walker.com/fourFs_TraumaTypologyComplexPTSD.htm
READING & DOCUMENTARIES:• The Body Keeps the Score by Vessel Van Der Kolk• Dignity Health Human Trafficking Response Program –Shared
Learnings Manual 2019 PDF• The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in
America Today by Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter• Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd• Sold by Patrick McCormick• Free Cyntoia by Cyntoia Brown-Long• Very Young Girls• Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich• Nefarious