Many of these health-related problems will have to suffer for many years, or perhaps for the rest of their lives. Victims of sex trafficking suffer physical abuse, torture, and are at risk for numerous illnesses, diseases, and injuries. They suffer grueling injuries such as broken bones, burns, scars and even head trauma. Women are likely to experience unwanted pregnancies, “infertility, miscarriages, menstrual problems, mutilations, and forced abortions” (Deshpande & Nour, 2013). They are susceptible to numerous sexually transmitted diseases, in addition to HIV. Housing conditions are often unsanitary and poor. This makes the victim more vulnerable to diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and pneumonia. Children especially risk suffering from malnutrition and stunted growth. Due to the illegal nature of sex trafficking, traffickers typically do not allow their victims to seek medical attention for injuries and medical problems. While sex trafficking victims suffer horrendous physical injuries, they also suffer pain that cannot be seen from the outside. There are a large number of psychological effects that a victim can face, what each victim experiences differs greatly depending on the victim and their experience. Victims can face myriad effects such as shame, pain, fear, mistrust and self-hatred. Suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, insomnia and self-loathing. Much of the psychological trauma they experience comes from the torture and physical abuse they have endured throughout their lives within sex
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