b'In our 12 years of operating a residential program for trafficking survivors (adult and minor females), weve learned that the single most pervasive need presented in that population is dental care. The federal governments first legislative effort,the story of all survivors. Academic literature sug-the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act, putgests that approximately one-third of trafficking human trafficking on the books, but those whovictims, at some stage of their exploitation, seek were first in with the antitrafficking movementmedical attention. However, it is important to con-and, specifically, victim services were primarilysider that those who actively seek medical care well-intended, faith-guided, on-the-groundmay skew our understanding of the issue. Anecdo-individuals. In 2013, the Trafficking in Personstally, we understand that male victims present less Reauthorization Act, and a couple of notable Hol- often than females due to social stigma and shame, lywood movies, began making this a more publicand undocumented foreign victims are less likely issue. By 2014 we were seeing a significant shiftto present out of fear of disclosure of their immi-as the medical community realized the importantgration status. There are also scant studies related role that the act could have with survivors. Theirto domestic minor familial sex trafficking, but engagement was welcome, as we were collectivelysome suggest that minors who are exploited by developing an understanding of the depth anda family member will be kept home during breadth of needs of trafficking survivors. Todayhealing instead of presenting to school-nurse or we recognize that medical and mental healthemergency room settings. So we cannot assume partners are vital to providing comprehensivethat the medical community alone can tell us what case management for victims, and weve learnedvictimization looks like or what care survivors more about how best to serve them.need. We need to work together. When she cannot get the street drugs she prefers, she will misuse her medications, so its important to her that she keep those prescriptions going. She now just had a bad date, fraught with physical violence. Shes wounded, shes in pain, and she just wants out of the Life, at any cost. We have learned over the years that the mostSome might assume, given the sexual nature likely victim of sex trafficking in America is aof the wounding, that the biggest health concern female, often burdened by a history of child sexualwith survivors would be sexually transmitted abuse, poverty, and family instability, who wasdiseases. On the contrary, in our 12 years of groomed into the Life of sexual servitudeoperating a residential program for trafficking between the ages of 11 to 13but that is notsurvivors (adult and minor females), weve learned 36 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024'