Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking: The Intersection of Abuse

Human trafficking is the worst violations of basic human rights. While extremely dangerous on its own, it can be catalyzed even further by another violation of rights: domestic violence. The relationship between human trafficking and domestic violence is not a simple comparison. The intersections between the two are numerous their interconnectedness is crucial to fully understanding either issue. The linkage between domestic violence and human trafficking must be recognized and understood in order to improve the manner in which specific cases are handled.

There are two main ways that domestic violence and human trafficking collide. The first of which is whenever domestic violence comes into play as an entry to or exit from trafficking. In a study done by Cathy Zimmerman of The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 60% of the respondents reported experiencing violence before they were trafficked. Victims of domestic abuse can find their “escape” in situations that become trafficking. On the other hand, victims of trafficking might find their way out through a relationship that becomes abusive. In both cases, the victim is vulnerable and susceptible to an abusive use of power and control to the point of manipulation. 

The other intersection occurs when domestic violence and human trafficking actually occur at the same time. These cases where the batterer and trafficker are the same person are called intimate partner trafficking. Human trafficking takes on a whole new dimension of psychologic and emotional control when the person exploiting you is also seen as your partner, your spouse, and possibly a parent of your children. There are common misconceptions such as people are only trafficked by strangers or that intimate parters/family members are only capable of abuse, but not exploitation. These misconceptions lead to people not considering intimate partner trafficking for the very real problem that it is. In 2010, the Polaris Project’s national hotline for human trafficking reports that 10% of hotline calls were reports of intimate partner or familial human trafficking. The greatest danger of intimate partner trafficking is that the elements of trust and control are on an extremely heightened level. The partner/trafficker in this case has complete financial and emotional control as well as possibly control over the children of the situation.

By understanding the extent to which domestic violence and human trafficking can be interconnected, a more appropriate approach to dealing with specific cases can be taken. While domestic violence and human trafficking share a huge amount of similarities and are often intertwined, they are not the same thing and therefore cannot be treated as such. The legal remedies to both offenses are different. The therapies and services often provided to treat cases are different. If a case is treated as only domestic violence, the victim does not all of the help they deserve and visa versa. Education of counselors working in domestic violence in terms of these intersections can greatly improve the way victims of domestic violence and human trafficking are serviced.