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This study explores the psychosocial impact of photovoice participation among survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence. Photovoice is a community-based participatory research (CBPR) method grounded in empowerment theory, feminist theory, and documentary photography. While survivors, practitioners, and scholars have increasingly called for survivors to co-produce research pertaining to their own experiences, limited research has explored the impact and the potential of photovoice participation with this population. This article presents findings from a photovoice study with survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence in the Philippines (n = 34). Five themes emerged from a thematic analysis exploring the psychosocial impact of photovoice participation: enhanced self-efficacy, inspiration, sense of belonging, bravery, and overcoming shame. The use of photography provided opportunities for survivors to share about their experiences with peers in an emotionally safe manner. Photovoice shows promise as a psychosocial intervention that can help survivors to construct new self and collective narratives, build autonomy, and strengthen supportive community. Findings suggest that photovoice can serve both as a research method and a psychosocial intervention for survivors, holding particular promise for low-resource contexts in which psychosocial interventions are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to summarize 15 years of intervention science in combination HIV prevention and microfinance among women engaged in sex work (WESW) in Central Asia, identifying gaps in our understanding and recommendations for future studies. We begin by describing the emergence of HIV/STI risk among WESW in the Central Asia region, specifically Mongolia and Kazakhstan, and bridge to the formative stages of our methodology as well as completed prevention intervention studies. We describe the development of combining HIV prevention with asset-based microfinance interventions, lessons learned, and contributions these studies make to HIV prevention, intervention science, and practice. We end by recommending next steps to move prevention science forward in this area and among this key population, which continues to be underserved in HIV prevention science worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking survivors experience elevated suicide risk in comparison to the general population. Anti-trafficking service providers in the Philippines have identified capacity building in suicide prevention as a critical priority given the insufficient number of trained mental health professionals and lack of culturally adapted evidence-based interventions in the Philippines. We conducted a focused ethnography exploring the experiences of non-mental health professionals working in the anti-human trafficking sector in the Philippines in responding to suicidality among survivors of human trafficking (n = 20). Themes included: emotional burden on service providers, manifestations of stigma regarding suicide, lack of clarity regarding risk assessment, lack of mental health services and support systems, transferring responsibility to other providers, and the need for training, supervision, and organizational systems. We discuss implications for training service providers in the anti-human trafficking sector, as well as cultural adaptation of suicide prevention interventions with human trafficking survivors in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is a global challenge that violates fundamental human rights. While the risk factors and health impacts of human trafficking have been well documented, the potential for survivors' resilience is far less understood. In Southeast Asia, the majority of trafficking-specific services have historically been concentrated in shelters, and yet evidenced-based protocols for shelter services are lacking. This study aligns with the growing literature that emphasizes the importance of feminist and trauma-informed services to support the long-term well-being of survivors of human trafficking. Drawing on qualitative data collected over a 6-year period, the analysis foregrounds the lived experiences and perspectives of 10 women who resided in the same trafficking-specific shelter. Six core themes emerged: being labeled as a victim of human trafficking despite contesting this classification, feeling forced to live in the shelter, a strong desire to leave the shelter environment, disempowering engagement with staff, lack of professionalism among staff, and limitations in vocational services. Collectively, these participant narratives reflect a marked divergence from feminist principles and illustrate the potential for recreating conditions that curtail women's agency and cause harm within the shelter system. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for a feminist approach to shelter-based service delivery and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shelter programs are a core component of the service delivery system for youth who have experienced human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Southeast Asia. Limited research, however, exists regarding trafficking-specific shelter-based services. Research and programming in the anti-human trafficking sector has focused heavily on women and girls. The experiences and service needs of boys and men have been understudied. This manuscript explores the perspectives of boys who were identified by service providers as having experienced human trafficking and sexual exploitation on their experiences in shelter programs in Cambodia. We analyzed 81 interviews and narrative summaries of interviews conducted between 2011 and 2016, drawing from a 10-year longitudinal study with survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation (n = 22). An interpretive phenomenological approach was utilized. Six themes were identified: appreciation for education and provision for basic needs; importance of consistent caregiving and emotional support; lacking freedom and feeling trapped by rules; violence in the shelter; staff difficulties managing boys' behavior and responding to violence; and the impact of financial resources on shelter experiences. Findings reinforce the need to listen to boys about their experiences in services and provide guidance in strengthening shelter-based programming for trafficked and exploited boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the experiences of practitioners supporting survivors of human trafficking in developing core skills in a workplace setting in the Philippines. Safe and supportive workplace environments that use evidence-informed strategies to strengthen core skills can contribute to the healthy reintegration of human trafficking survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a person-centred, humanistic approach to strengthening a person's motivation for and commitment to change. Although MI has been successfully translated into a variety of languages, cultural adaptation of MI has been limited. Recent research has shown that culturally adapted versions of MI show enhanced effectiveness in comparison to non-culturally adapted MI. The majority of research pertaining to the cultural adaptation of MI has been conducted with Latino and Native American populations. Research on cultural adaptation of MI in Asia is extremely limited. This article presents the experiences of social work practitioners utilizing MI with survivors of human trafficking and their family members in the Philippines. Six observations regarding the use of MI in the Filipino context are presented in this article, including reflections on the context of the Filipino social work profession, manifestations of 'resistance', change talk, authority patterns, language and working with marginalized populations in the Philippines. The findings from this article can inform social workers interested in implementing MI in contexts in which cultural adaptation has not yet taken place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking is a significant human rights issue confronting social workers, and yet rigorous research on human trafficking remains limited, particularly in the social work field. Numerous ethical and methodological challenges arise when researching human trafficking. Few studies have, however, examined the process of conducting research with trafficked persons. This study explored the process of conducting research with survivors of sex trafficking and their family members, focusing on relational dynamics that emerged in interviewers' relationships with survivors. Findings were taken from a six-month financial diaries study that was conducted with survivors of sex trafficking and their family members in the Philippines, involving 352 interviews with survivors and family members. Field observations detailing the interviewers' interactions with research participants during the financial diaries were analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were identified in the analysis: the trust-building process, multi-layered relationships and managing expectations, situational responsiveness and the emotional impact of the research process. Recommendations for conducting research with trafficked persons are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women who engage in sex work are at risk for experiencing violence from numerous perpetrators, including paying partners. Empirical evidence has shown mixed results regarding the impact of participation in microfinance interventions on women's experiences of violence, with some studies demonstrating reductions in intimate partner violence (IPV) and others showing heightened risk for IPV. The current study reports on the impact of participation in a microsavings intervention on experiences of paying partner violence among women engaged in sex work in Mongolia. Methods: Between 2011 and 2013, we conducted a two-arm, non-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing an HIV/STI risk reduction intervention (HIVSRR) (control condition) to a combined microsavings and HIVSRR intervention (treatment condition). Eligible women (aged 18 or older, reported having engaged in unprotected sex with paying partner in past 90 days, expressed interest in microsavings intervention) were invited to participate. One hundred seven were randomized, including 50 in the control and 57 in the treatment condition. Participants completed assessments at baseline, immediate post-test following HIVSRR, and at 3-months and 6- months after completion of the treatment group intervention. Outcomes for the current study include any violence (physical and/or sexual), sexual violence, and physical violence from paying partners in the past 90 days. Results: An intention-to-treat approach was utilized. Linear growth models revealed significant reductions over time in both conditions for any violence (β = -0.867, p < 0.001), physical violence (β = -0.0923, p < 0.001), and sexual violence (β = -1.639, p = 0.001) from paying partners. No significant differences between groups were found for any violence (β = 0.118, p = 0.389), physical violence (β = 0.091, p = 0.792), or sexual violence (β = 0.379, p = 0.114) from paying partners. Conclusions: Microsavings participation did not significantly impact women's risk for paying partner violence. Qualitative research is recommended to understand the cause for reductions in paying partner violence in both study conditions. Trial registration: Evaluating a Microfinance Intervention for High Risk Women in Mongolia; NCT01861431; May 20, 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]