London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Many governments across Europe are failing to address the severe and long-lasting physical and mental health problems suffered by women who have been trafficked, according to a new study being launched today at a half-day conference at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

The study, which was carried out by a team of university and NGO researchers led by the LSHTM, represents the findings of a 2-year multi-country study on women's health and trafficking to the EU, an area about which little research has previously been conducted. Interviews were carried out with trafficked women, health care and other service providers, NGOs working against trafficking, law enforcement officials, and policymakers from Albania, Italy, the Netherlands, Thailand, and the UK.

The findings reveal the profound impact of trafficking on victims' health and well-being. All the women reported having been sexually abused and coerced into unsafe sexual practices, including rape, gang rape and forced sex. Between a quarter and half reported not using condoms regularly, and half had been forced to have unprotected anal sex. A quarter had had at least one unintended pregnancy and a subsequent termination, while one nearly died after an illegal abortion. Many had been forced to use drugs and alcohol, while others chose to do so as a release from their situation.

Women reported being threatened with weapons and being severely injured, and had a range of other physical health problems including contusions, pain, recurrent loss of consciousness, chronic headaches, high fevers, gastrointestinal problems, undiagnosed pelvic pain, complications from abortions and excessive weight loss. Many were depressed and anxious, and had at some point considered committing suicide.

'While it was not surprising that the health consequences for trafficked women were so severe, it was disappointing and even shocking that they have such little access to health services either in the country to which they have been trafficked or in their country of origin once they are returned home,' says Cathy Zimmerman of the LSHTM, the report's author and one of the lead researchers. 'Most of the women lack even the most basic access to health, information and medical care because their movements are restricted by their traffickers, and because they can be fearful of making contact with the authorities. Governments seem to be focused almost entirely on law enforcement measures to address the problem of trafficking rather than providing health services, support or protection for its victims'.

The report includes chilling testimony from trafficking victims. One woman from Romania says she felt like 'a piece of meat with two eyes'. Another, from Ukraine, explained: 'I was beaten in the abdomen and the head, but never in the face because they didn't want to ruin the merchandise'.

Immigration and police authorities interviewed for the study recognised the severe health consequences of trafficking, yet acknowledged that they do not have victim-sensitive procedures in place to determine or meet the health needs of trafficked women. Deportation procedures rarely include systematic inquiry into whether women have pressing health needs or safety concerns. One British immigration official admitted that there was a tendency to avoid becoming involved in the welfare of women being sent back to their countries of origin after having been trafficked.

The report's authors are calling on governments across Europe to take a more joined up approach to meeting trafficked women's needs, which are multidimensional and do not simply relate to returning them to their country of origin. They are calling on governments to work to develop new strategies for supporting the women in safe and appropriate ways, which take into account their lack of security and mobility, and the language, cultural and trust difficulties they face.

Zimmerman explains: 'We found that trafficked women rarely view law enforcement or immigration officials as a source of assistance, and there is a great deal of work to be done to change attitudes among government officials and to reverse both the reality and perception that they are not concerned with the welfare of trafficked women'.

The report concludes that the range of health needs of trafficked women, and the different opportunities to provide services were best understood by considering each stage of the trafficking process and providing appropriate services at each stage. It describes these stages as the pre-departure stage, the travel and transit stage, the destination stage, the detention, deportation, and criminal evidence stage and the 5 integration and re-integration stage.

'Trafficking in women needs to be recognized', says Dr. Charlotte Watts of LSHTM, the study supervisor. 'Trafficked women's rights to health and health services are a primary and fundamental element of their legal and human rights'.

To interview any of the report's authors, please call 001-973-762-6996 (until Monday morning) or 07932 569403 or 020 7927 2412 after Monday morning.
For a full copy of the study click on http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/hpu/new_papers.htm

The event is being held in the Manson Theatre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1 between 10 am and 1 pm. If you would like to come along please send an e-mail to cathy.zimmerman@lshtm.ac.uk

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