THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA ON THE BEHAVIOR OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS: REACTIONS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSISTANCE

Abstract

The study examines the impact of trauma on the behavior of victims of human trafficking and highlights the complexity of the psychological reactions generated by repeated experiences of exploitation, coercion, and control. Human trafficking, recognized as one of the most serious forms of organized crime, produces profound consequences for the mental, physical, and social health of victims, severely affecting their ability to make autonomous decisions, trust others, and return to a normal way of life. The research shows that traumatic experiences associated with trafficking contribute to the development of complex disorders such as major depression, chronic anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, attachment disorders, identity disturbances, dissociation, and severe sleep disruption. These effects are intensified by repeated abuse, social isolation, emotional blackmail, and the psychological control exercised by traffickers. At the behavioral level, victims often develop maladaptive survival mechanisms such as apathy, sub-mission, denial, emotional dependence, or avoidance of contact with authorities, which makes early identification more difficult and complicates the process of recovery and reintegration. The paper emphasizes the need for specialized, early, and continuous psychosocial intervention focused on victim protection, reduction of the risk of re-victimization, and restoration of emo-tional and social functioning. It also underlines the importance of combating stigmatization and promoting a holistic, interdisciplinary, and trauma-informed approach as an essential prerequisite for long-term recovery and social reintegration of victims of human trafficking.