He’s never going to let her go by herself, because then she’s out of his control. He will take her, and it will be apparent right from the ER waiting area that there’s something odd about these two people. It will be a boy and a girl, and there will be obvious signs of control over the girl from the boy. She’s not going up to the desk by herself. He’s standing with her, and she clearly is giving a story that doesn’t seem all that credible. “You fell down the stairs is why you’re here?” Perhaps she is afraid she is pregnant and has vaginal bleeding. “Is this your husband? Is this your boyfriend?” He’ll still be standing there and not looking very caring or loving. He’ll often look quite menacing. He just wants to get her in and get her out. He won’t have health insurance, and she won’t either. Chances are, he will want to pay cash.
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ACEP Now: Vol 37 – No 04 – April 2018I’ve spoken with other ER personnel before, and the best thing you can do is get her alone. He will want to go everywhere with her. He will say, “I’m her husband, I’m the father of the baby,” whatever it takes, and she will say, “I want him right here with me.” Get a female to talk to her, if possible, and keep her there as long as you can.
Now, I know you and I are both sensitive and very aware of HIPAA violations and HIPAA protection, and when that question comes up, I always tell medical personnel I respect HIPAA the same way you do. I don’t want to get in trouble with HIPAA, but there are things you can do to bring attention to this girl who is in your care and in your control, because as physicians you can help her in a variety of ways without violating HIPAA.
She needs law enforcement. Whomever can break away, call the local police department and say, “I’m not going to violate HIPAA, and I’m not going to talk about who I have in the ER, but there is a gentleman who is standing in the emergency department wearing jeans and a red baseball hat and you might want to talk to him.” He’s not your patient. You’re not violating HIPAA by calling the police department. Chances are, if you develop a relationship with law enforcement and it’s a familiar name who makes the call to a certain officer, the person on the other end of the phone will understand what you are conveying.
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3 Responses to “How to Spot and Help Human Trafficking Victims in the Emergency Department”
April 23, 2018
Eric S.My girlfriend was a victim of child sex trafficking so I’ve seen the lifelong impacts this has on a person both psychologically and physically. Several times she came close to being rescued as medical personnel noticed indicators of sexual abuse but no one ever called child protective services. If only they had asked one more question, checked one more thing, or made one phone call her life could have been radically different.
September 19, 2018
Stacy T.I am a Emergency Department RN, have been one for over 20 years. The amount of human violence against one another is staggering, the depravity is abhorrible. The incidence of healthcare workers violence is escalating. A chaotic emergency department could miss the signs of human trafficking certainly. I believe more structure and certainly less legal gray areas are needed before police or security guards can get involved. We live in a litigious society and approaching someone suspicious opens the door for “bad publicity for the institution and legality for police and healthcare workers”. I won’t say where I am employed, however the administration ‘frowns’ on armed police because it gives the impression that the hospital is unsafe. Call a spade a spade and protect human life against the depravity of society. Until stricter guidelines and social safe environments are in place there will continue to be a under reporting of human trafficking.
December 21, 2019
RichardoInteresting. I would suggest sending information to the detectives involved with this type of crime after the fact so they can gather information. I agree armed conflict in the ER is a significant risk.