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Trauma-Informed Advocacy

Overview

Trauma

Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening. Individual trauma may have lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.1

Impact of Trauma on Survivors of Human Trafficking

  • Clients may experience mental and physical distress such as posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, substance abuse disorder, and chronic health conditions among others.

  • Because of exposure to acute or chronic threats, clients may perceive safe environments as threatening.

Trauma-Informed Practice

  • Trauma-informed practice has gained traction and relevancy in many professional services and disciplines. This is especially important when working with survivors of human trafficking. The guiding principle of trauma-informed practice is to put “the realities of the client’s trauma experiences at the forefront in engaging with the client.”2 


Importance of Trauma-Informed Practice

  • Understand trauma triggers to minimize retraumatization. Triggers are sensory experiences that prompt trauma survivors to relive a past traumatic experience.

  • Anticipate that traumatic experiences may affect survivors’ actions and behaviors. They present themselves unexpectedly or demonstrate unusual behavior linked to coping mechanisms developed in response to trauma. These responses may jeopardize their credibility. Examples include inconsistencies in their statements and memory recall that is not structurally logical. The primary emotion expressed by survivors may be anger Alternatively, clients may be unresponsive as a self-protective measure to avoid retraumatization.

Practicing Trauma-Informed Advocacy with Survivors of Human Trafficking

Core Elements of Trauma-Informed Practice

  • Have a basic knowledge of the impacts of stress on the brain and body. <add link>  

  • Consistently emphasize safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.

  • Gather information and represent the client through the lens of “this happened to the survivor” rather than “there is something wrong with the survivor.” 

  • Employ a strengths-based approach that acknowledges clients’ skills and resilience despite their experience of significant adversity.

  • Recognize the signs of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, an compassionate fatigue. Practice self-care to counterbalance these effects. 3,4 (add 4 as footnote)

Empowering Survivor Clients

  • First ensure that survivors’ basic needs are met, including food security, safety for themselves and their families, adequate clothing, and medical and mental health care. 

  • Provide options to survivors such as selecting the location of the interview or gender of the interviewer.

  • Promote autonomy by following survivors’ lead during interactions.

  • Reinforce their sense of security by maintaining consistency and engaging in predictable ways. For example, whenever possible, return phone calls or outreach attempts promptly, follow through on agreed-upon tasks, and maintain the same advocate throughout the process of assisting survivors.5

Establishing Client Trust & Engagement

  • Focus on the client relationship, prioritizing building rapport and trust. Recognize that clients’ ability to trust others is likely to be diminished as a result of trauma. 

  • Monitor yourself to ensure interaction with client is not perceived as judgmental or biased.

  • Be authentic and practice cultural humility, empathy, and responsive listening.

Interviewing a Survivor Client

  • Frame questions from the perspective of “what happened to you” and not “what’s wrong with you.”

  • Approach questions mindfully by first asking questions that are not likely to be sensitive in nature. 

  • Ask open-ended questions. If client is unwilling to answer or is confused by an open-ended question, offer questions that involve a choice – e.g., “was the vehicle a car or a truck?”

Sources

1. Trauma - SAMHSA https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/clinical-practice/trauma 

2. Katz, S. & Haldar, S. K. (2016). The pedagogy of trauma-informed lawyering. Clinical Law Review, 22, 359-393.

3. Establishing a Trauma-Informed Lawyer-Client Relationship (2014) https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/resources/child_law_practiceonline/child_law_practice/vol-33/october-2014/establishing-a-trauma-informed-lawyer-client-relationship/ 

4. Self-Care  ̶ Trauma Informed Lawyering Fact Sheet on this website)

Resources