Empowering Victims of Sex Trafficking: Developing a Practice of Self-Care
Abstract
Sex trafficking (ST) is on the rise globally, nationally, and locally. This modern day form of slavery most often victimizes women and children, stripping them of their personal power. The traumatizing crime that is sex trafficking affects its victims physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and has many negative ramifications on communities. Minnesota is leading the Nation in addressing this human rights violation by implementing and enforcing the Safe Harbor Law. Guided by concepts of Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, trauma-informed care (TIC) practices, current literature support, and in cooperation with shelters like Brittany’s Place in Minnesota, nurses may utilize self-care practice tools in a self-care support group (SCSG) setting, to empower and encourage wellness development in female juvenile survivors of sex trafficking. Through nurse lead trauma-informed SCSG sessions, survivors of ST at Brittany’s Place are empowered to develop their own wellbeing by selecting individual, transcultural, holistic self-care practice technique tools from a tool box designed to support the healing process.