Stephanie Schiavoni is currently a junior at Bowdoin College, majoring in Government and Legal Studies with a concentration in American Politics. She is a track athlete at Bowdoin and an aspiring lawyer with a passion for human rights issues. Being that her mother is an immigrant, Stephanie is interested in educating the public on the intersection between cultures and oppression. Some of her favorite hobbies include cooking, running, trying new coffee shops, and binge-watching Food Network.
Studies have shown that communities that have experienced historical trauma and cultural loss are more vulnerable to human trafficking. Historical trauma can be defined as “an event or set of events perpetrated on a group of people (including their environment) who share a specific group identity (e.g., nationality, tribal affiliation, religion) with genocidal or ethnocidal intent.” Historical trauma leads to a sense of distrust in federal and state justice systems, which is particularly evident in groups such as Native Americans.
Congressional findings have shown that 1 in 3 Native American and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetime and 6 in 10 of them will be physically assaulted. The distrust between the tribes and the federal government has led to an even greater issue—underreporting. Consequently, many of Native victims of human trafficking victims choose to not identify themselves out of fear. The complicated and strained relationship between states and Native American tribes has also led to jurisdictional issues. These issues play a major role in what courts have jurisdiction over with the crimes that occur on tribal land.
Human trafficking leaves its victims with immense psychological health issues. 9 out of 10 human trafficking victims suffer from neurological symptoms and depression, while also suffering from PTSD after escaping. Two-thirds of these victims also contract sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, over two-thirds of human trafficking victims have reported being physically abused, including but not limited to, being raped, beaten, or threatened with a weapon. This tragic form of violence against Native American women is not new, but the continuation of the horrific cultural and historical violence these tribes have endured for centuries. Studies have shown that Native American women are more likely to be victims of interracial violence than white or black victims. Most importantly, in over 90% of these cases the offender is not Native American.
In more recent years, the federal government has taken steps to help better protect Native Americans from human trafficking. The Department of Justice has implemented a National Indian Country Training Initiative, in which it provides training to both federal and tribal law enforcement on human trafficking. This training includes education on identifying victims, working with victims, and investigating potential cases of human trafficking. The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Center has also recently partnered with the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Indian Police Academy. Together, they work to properly train tribal law enforcement on how to identify human trafficking within their communities and the rights of these victims. Similarly, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services has provided insightful tips on how to identify human trafficking and how to help prevent it.
