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HUMAN TRAFFICKING a n d COURSE REQUIREMENTS
by : Kayce Hollingsworth , MS , EFDA
Many states have now implemented a new training requirement for all healthcare professionals with license renewal on human trafficking . Texas is one of those states . As of September 1 , 2020 , it is now required that each dental professional possessing a license , must complete a Texas Health and Human Services approved human trafficking prevention course to renew their license . This training requirement is the result of House Bill 2059 ( 86R ), which passed during the 2019 legislative session . Licensees must then continue to complete an approved training course for each subsequent renewal according to the board . This is an effort to help raise awareness of this issue through education and additional resources . The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners has information and a link to approved providers on their website www . tsbde . texas . gov .
The Freedom Network Training Institute indicates there is a high demand for cheap labor in many industries throughout the world . According to data from the International Labor Organization , global estimates are that :
4.8 million people are trafficked for sexual exploitation
16 million are trafficked into private enterprise like domestic servitude , agriculture , construction , fishing , hotel workers , beauty industry workers , etc .
24.9 million people are in forced labor
15.4 million are in forced marriages
25 % of all trafficking victims are children
As a dental professional treating patients on a daily basis , there are some red flags and general indicators to look for when treating potentially trafficked individuals . These are :
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Inappropriate dress Signs of physical abuse Untreated infections or injuries
Healthcare professionals are one segment of the public population likely to interact with trafficked individuals while they are still in their confined situation . According to Chisolm Straker , et al ( 2019 ), 68-88 % of human trafficking victims come in contact with a healthcare professional while under subjugation . Because of this , dental professionals are in a unique position to identify trafficking victims and provide necessary physical and psychological resources for care .
Trafficking involves an action process by the oppressor such as recruiting , harboring , or transporting by means of force , fraud or coercion for the purposes of sexual exploitation , involuntary servitude , debt bondage , or slavery ( https :// www . state . gov / reports / 2020-trafficking-in-persons-report /). Trafficked individuals could be anyone . They can be adults , adolescents or children , boys , girls , or transgender . They can be United States citizens , or immigrants from another country . They can have varied backgrounds , any race or ethnicity , income , class , education , religion , or culture .
Trafficking supplies labor for jobs which are the Three Ds :
Dirty , Dangerous , and Degrading . n n n n n n n n n
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Respiratory problems Dehydration Anxiety , fearfulness , or PTSD Hostility Avoiding eye contact Lack of emotional responsiveness Depersonalization or disassociation Scripted or inconsistent history
Unwillingness or hesitancy to answer questions
Accompanied by an individual that does not allow the patient to speak
Unable to provide a home address or I . D .
Unaware of where they are , the date or time
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