Trauma-Informed practice in Anti-trafficking Movement in Urban Centres, Nepal

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the intersectional oppression experienced by trafficking survivors and the cumulative trauma they experience post trafficking in Nepal, with a special focus on urban centers. A community-based participatory study with eight trafficking survivors was designed in Kathmandu, Nepal to achieve this goal. This study found that despite the involvement of the Government of Nepal (GoN) and community-based organizations in anti-trafficking practices, survivors' aspirations and needs are not met. This paper begins with a brief review of human trafficking and the programs and services available for trafficking survivors in their reintegration to urban centres and then highlights the research methodology before presenting the key results. The results reveal that trafficking survivors experience intersectional oppression, negatively impacting their mental health and psychological wellbeing. Finally, this article concludes with a discussion of the implications of this study for practice and research. Overall, the need for a trauma-informed approach focusing on the post-trafficking period is highly recommended. This article does not discuss the victimization of trafficking survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic.