Experiences and impact of moral injury in human trafficking survivors: a qualitative study
Moral injury is understood to be the strong cognitive and emotional response that can occur following events that violate a person’s moral or ethical code. It is characterised by profound feelings of guilt, shame, anger, and disgust and has been conceptualised as a substantial breaking down of an individual’s relationship with self and others. Research in recent years has increasingly highlighted the relationship between exposure to potentially morally injurious events and poor mental health outcomes. Most previous research has explored moral injury in military personnel and other professions, such as journalists, police, or NHS workers during Covid-19.
Human trafficking survivors often report exposure to many traumatic and potentially morally injurious events and given the complexities of trafficking exploitation, survivors may be especially vulnerable to moral injury. This study provides some of the first evidence that human trafficking survivors may be vulnerable to moral injury and indicates the impact that can have on functioning and well-being.
Within this qualitative project, seven survivors of human trafficking were interviewed and data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Survivors were found to experience multiple potentially morally injurious events, including being betrayed and tricked into exploitation by trusted loved ones. It was also found that interactions with authorities, such as police or Home Office immigration staff, could be experienced as potentially morally injurious as survivors described not being believed when asking for help or provided with adequate care or support.
These experiences contributed towards considerable psychological distress, including intense feelings of shame, anger and worthlessness, and negatively impacted survivors daily functioning. Survivors also reported substantial difficulties forming close relationships with others and impacts on their parenting responses.
The interviews also highlighted a number of sources and features of support that survivors found particularly beneficial, such as social support groups and practical help.
Click on the arrow below to read the article in BMC Psychology.