Psychological Theories

Psychological Theories
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Psychological Theories
Premise Identification and the Supporting Points
The article “Treating the Hidden Wounds: Trauma Treatment and Mental Health Recovery for Victims of Human Trafficking” by Heather Clawson, Lisa Goldblatt Grace, and Amy Salomon shows traumatic experiences of human trafficking victims, their impacts, and methods of handling them (Clawson, Salomon, & Grace, 2008). The primary premise of the article is the effects of trauma on human trafficking victims and how these people should be helped to overcome the traumatic abuse they encounter domestically or internationally. For instance, foreign-born girls and females who become victims of sex trafficking encounter terrifying sexual and physical abuse. In addition, these individuals experience psychological damage, brainwashing, the fear of reprisals, and a long history of national, family, and community violence. As such, these individuals might suffer from eating disorder, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and panic disorder (Clawson, Salomon, & Grace, 2008). Human trafficking victims might also suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Some symptoms of PTSD include hyper-arousal, intrusive thoughts, avoidance of trauma-triggering stimuli, nightmares, and the loss of concentration.
There exist numerous challenges encountered when helping human trafficking victims to overcome their traumatic abuse. First, limited availability of resources and inaccessibility to proper mental health services. Victims find it challenging to establish trust with service providers. Third, the treatment provided might be counterproductive. Sex trafficking victims might not perceive their experiences as abusive since they want to keep them a secret (Clawson, Salomon, & Grace, 2008). Foreign-born victims of trafficking encounter various barriers, such as isolation, culture, and language. The primary ways of responding to the needs of victims of trafficking include trauma-specific and informed services. The core principles in addressing trauma-related needs involve the proper understanding of trauma as a life-defining event, knowing the victim’s behaviors and complaints, collaborative service relationship, and recovery and empowerment (Clawson, Salomon, & Grace, 2008). Proper training and education are required to understand how to handle victims of trafficking without triggering trauma and building trusting relationships with them to know and address their needs entirely. Consequently, human trafficking victims are vulnerable, and they should be handled well to recover and overcome trauma symptoms.
Article Synthesis and Its Corresponding Textbook Material and Personal Experience
In “Psychology in the Justice System” by Jared Linebach and Lea Kovacsiss, human trafficking is identified as a significant problem that exposes individuals to numerous traumatic events. In particular, the book portrays that trafficking is the primary cause of psychological trauma. Many women become victims of sex trafficking due to forced prostitution (Linebach & Kovacsiss, 2016). Victims of sex traffickin...