This article by the U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), provides an overview of and link to the publication A Practical Guide to Interviewing Potential Human Trafficking Victims.
In this post, the U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), provides an overview of the publication A Practical Guide to Interviewing Potential Human Trafficking Victims as well as a link to the full report. Victims of human trafficking play a key role in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers; however, the quality of the victims’ interactions with interviewers largely determines their involvement in the interview process and the information they disclose. Victims of human trafficking have characteristics, needs, and relationships with the police that are unlike other types of victims. Law enforcement’s ability to earn their trust and willingness to participate in the process is also different. Little is known about the effectiveness of interviewing strategies with trafficking victims, and there is limited evidence-based or actionable guidance to strengthen interviewing practices with them. Interviewers do not have information about (a) the effects of interview techniques on victim outcomes and perceptions or (b) how to minimize re-traumatization.