Latest modern slavery fight updates - FreedomUnited.org

How Stigma Silences Male Trafficking Victims

  • Published on
    November 20, 2017
  • News Source Image
  • Category:
    Forced Labor, Human Trafficking, Rehabilitation & Liberation
Hero Banner

“It is hard – every time I tell my story I feel people do not believe me because I am a man, and should not have fallen into this situation.” Juan is just one of many male victims of trafficking in the UK, where anti-trafficking charities are finding that men are reluctant to seek help due to societal stigma.

According to Hestia, one such charity based in London, men who have been trafficked are less likely than women to report their abuse or even recognize themselves as victims. Speaking to Thomson Reuters Foundation, Patrick Ryan from Hestia explains:

Men who have been enslaved are less likely than women to recognise their ordeal as a crime or report it to authorities, leaving them isolated, vulnerable to drug abuse and at risk of being re-trafficked.

“It’s much more difficult to get men to engage after slavery – they are more likely to write it off as just a bad employment experience, even in cases of brutality,” Patrick Ryan, chief executive of Hestia, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“Men tend to face more of a struggle than women to recover, and not dealing with this can create a risk of re-trafficking.”

Hestia says one-fifth of the trafficking victims it helped last year were men. It says many of them were reluctant to share their experiences or even accept money to rebuild their lives. Kathryn Taylor from Hestia believes this reflects the stigma these men feel: “Men don’t want to be seen as victims … it is a challenge to their self-esteem,” she said.

Subscribe

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

This week

Volkswagen loses its grip on the market, and on its moral compass

Volkswagen’s (VW) operations in China’s Uyghur region are under increasing scrutiny as human rights groups raise concerns over forced labor involving Uyghur workers. The company's assembly plant in the region, established in 2013, was initially a source of pride, symbolizing German industrial expansion. However, in recent years, the situation has changed as mountains of evidence of Uyghur forced labor have surfaced, and their position on top of the

| Thursday October 31, 2024

Read more