Breanne Rowland Sex Trafficking Reflection

Social Justice was one of my favorite classes and really helped me understand how oppression relates to occupational therapy. I really enjoyed the topics that were discussed as well as the readings. With that said, our group project on sex trafficking was one of my favorite presentations I have done and I really enjoyed learning about its relation to occupational therapy. The group that I was assigned to worked well together even though it wasnt the initial group I had signed up to work with. We all worked well together on the presentation and used our resources well. The book that we chose to read was one of the best books I have read in a long time and I would recommend it to anyone. The book changed my assumptions regarding this population. Prior to reading this memoir, I assumed that most girls willingly elected to engage in the lifestyle of prostitution. I presumed that for whatever reason, whether it was for drugs, money, or other justifications, it was a decision that was made by that individual. I never really considered that prostitution could be the same thing as sex trafficking. I recognized human trafficking as a concern but was never fully made aware of its prevalence. I believe that this topic is not discussed enough or brought to the publics attention as much as it should be. This book really opened up my eyes to the type of exploitations that are forced upon individuals in public without anyone ever acknowledging it. Additionally, the insight I have gained from our PowerPoint will influence the way I interact with future clients from this population by allowing me to gain the perspective through the analysis of a first-hand experience. Having researched this topic, I can use the insight I have gained as a guide to help understand the type of emotions and reactions an individual may be experiencing. It can also assist me in learning the ways in

which I should approach an individual who has experienced this type of exploitation and help me determine appropriate interventions in which trust can be reestablished. As a future occupational therapist, I will address advocacy for this group by focusing on culturally sensitive interventions, preventing and rehabilitating both the individual and community. Sex trafficking negatively impacts all areas of occupations. Occupational therapists can focus on empowering the individual and community by emphasizing human rights and occupational justice. This would include providing community outreach and educational programs, anxiety management training, offering various skill trainings, and working with policy makers and law enforcement in order to advocate for the individual.