Page 114 - GHES-3-1

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Human trafficking victim service providers

of the victim’s gender or the nature of exploitation (e.g., follows: graduate (n = 16), master’s degree (n = 7), and
sexual, labor, organ extraction, illegal adoption, begging, secondary education (n = 4). The participants belonged to
slavery, or other criminal activities). Participants had to be the fields of social sciences (n = 12), psychology (n = 7), law
at least 18 years old, with no upper age limit. No monetary (n = 2), and nursing (n = 1), as well as other areas (n = 5),
compensation was offered to participants, and they were which included technical studies and police sciences.
informed that their participation incurred no financial cost Participants had worked as service providers for
and that they could withdraw from the study at any time. an average of 7.30 years (SD = 8.17) and had provided

2.4. Data analysis specific support to HT victims for an average of 5.42 years
(SD = 6.54).
The information collected for the study included both
quantitative and qualitative information. Descriptive 3. Results
statistical analyses were conducted on the data from the
first part of the survey (parts I–IV) using IBM SPSS 22 3.1. How did the service providers acquire
software. For the open-ended questions, a qualitative knowledge of human trafficking?
methodology was employed, using thematic analysis Almost half of the participants (n = 13) reported acquiring
(Braun & Clarke, 2012) with QSR International NVivo 10 knowledge about HT exclusively through formal means.
Software. Since each response could be categorized under Their contact with the subject occurred through reporting,
more than one theme, an inclusive criterion was used for classes, direct engagement with victims, and professional
analysis, based on the emergent themes. The initial coding practice. A small number of participants (n = 2) reported
was guided by a preliminary coding grid, which was gaining knowledge exclusively through informal and self-
later refined into core categories and further divided into directed methods (e.g., through personal knowledge and
secondary, more specific categories in the final coding grid.
interaction with co-workers). A total of 12 participants
The data revealed themes and a range of strategies, indicated that they had learned about HT through both
such as detailed explanations of the data’s meanings and formal and informal channels.
continuous comparative analysis were employed to ensure
the validity and reliability of the findings. To further ensure 3.2. Characterization of the assisted victims
data trustworthiness, an additional independent coder (the The participants reported assisting an average of 32.77
second author) reviewed 40% of the randomly selected victims (DP = 34.01) throughout their careers. In the year
responses. After this independent review by a co-coder, preceding this study, they supported an average of 13.36
the fidelity rate was calculated using Vala’s (1986) formula, victims (SD = 8.18). Participants stated that they had
F = 2(C1, 2)/(C1 + C2), where the number of agreements worked with victims of all types: 8 service providers worked
between the coders was divided by the total number with male, female, and juvenile victims; 11 exclusively dealt
of categorizations made by each coder. The resulting with adult male victims; and 3 worked exclusively with adult
calculation was 2(81)/82 + 87 = 0.96, indicating an excellent female victims. Most service providers (n = 17) supported
agreement level (Martins & Machado, 2006), thus providing victims of more than one form of exploitation, while 5
confidence in the results. Coders discussed and reached a professionals worked with only one type of exploitation.
consensus on any coding discrepancies. In addition, the The forms of exploitation reported by the professionals
coding procedure was reviewed by a senior researcher.
included sexual exploitation (n = 13), labor exploitation
Five of the participants who did not have direct contact (n = 19), forced begging (n = 10), and slavery (n = 8).
with victims were excluded from the second part of the
analysis, which focused on the characterization of the 3.3. Professionals’ perceptions of services provided
assisted victims, as the study aimed to capture the service The duration of institutional support provided to victims
providers’ perceptions regarding the support provided to ranged from 0–16 months, with an average support period
HT victims. Only the data of participants who completed of 5.76 months (SD = 5.52). The types of support provided
every survey segment were analyzed to ensure the accuracy by the institutions are detailed in Table 1.
of the findings.
As shown in Table 2, the participants generally had
2.5. Participants positive perceptions of the services provided by their
The sample consisted of 27 participants (17 females and institutions. They expressed satisfaction with the types
10 males), ranging in age from 25 to 71 years (M = 39.93, of services offered, the existence and usefulness of
SD = 10.85). The participants’ levels of education were as intervention protocols, the involvement of the victims

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 106 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3215