The Vital Role of Nurses in Combating Human Trafficking: A Discussion with Leah Helmbrecht, Forensic Nurse Examiner Nurse Converse, presented by Nurse.org

Disclaimer: This episode contains a discussion on human trafficking, including sexual assault, domestic violence, strangulation, and human sex trafficking. Listener discretion is advised. 

In this episode of Nurse Converse, Leah Helmbrecht, BSN, RN, also known as @offtheclocknurse, discusses the topic of human sex trafficking. As a forensic nurse examiner and sexual assault nurse examiner, Leah shares her expertise and experiences in working with patients who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, strangulation, and human sex trafficking. She debunks common myths about trafficking, provides statistics on its prevalence in the United States, and highlights the link between human sex trafficking and pornography. Leah also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the signs of trafficking in healthcare settings and offers guidance on how healthcare professionals can respond and provide support to victims. She concludes by sharing information about a human trafficking prevention program called Walking Wise, which aims to educate young people and adults about the issue. Listeners are encouraged to educate themselves, support advocacy efforts, and report any suspicions of human trafficking.

If you or someone you know is being human trafficked or in a human trafficking situation, please reach out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Or you can text INFO in all caps to 2-3-3-7-3-3.

>>>Read about human trafficking and recognizing the signs in healthcare settings

Jump Ahead to Listen:
00:02:30 - Definition of Human Sex Trafficking and the AMP Model
00:05:30 - Statistics on Human Trafficking in the United States
00:08:45 - Myths and Realities of Human Trafficking
00:12:15 - Grooming Process and Psychological Manipulation Tactics
00:15:45 - Reasons for the Existence of Human Trafficking
00:19:00 - Complicity and Normalization of Human Trafficking
00:22:30 - Link Between Human Trafficking and Pornography
00:25:00 - How Healthcare Workers Can Identify and Respond to Human Trafficking
00:29:00 - Conclusion and Resources for Help

Connect With Leah on social media:
Instagram: offtheclocknurse
TikTok: offtheclocknurse
FB: Off The Clock Nurse Travels


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