By its very nature the crime of human trafficking strips each victim of his or her humanity. Sex trafficking in particular, which is categorized by law as a “severe form” of human trafficking, rebrands the person as a product to be bought and sold for pleasure. In the United States alone, the Central Intelligence Agency estimates that around 50,000 women and children are trafficked into the United States and as many as 400,000
domestic minors are also involved in the trade each year. These alarming figures testify to the firm foothold that this hidden criminal activity has in the United States.
On September 11, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing on a bill highlighting the importance of healthcare professionals in their role on the front lines of identifying victims of trafficking and responding appropriately. The Trafficking Awareness Training for Health Care Act of 2014, introduced by North Carolina Rep. Renee Ellmers (R), seeks to provide proper training for these professionals to allow them to recognize indicators of trafficking and offer help. (
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