"I Feel Like We Are People Who Have Never Known Each Other Before": The Experiences of Survivors of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Transitioning From Shelters to Life in the Community
Date
2020
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Forum: Qualitative Social Research
Abstract
In this article, we explore the experiences of survivors of human trafficking and sexual
exploitation in Cambodia as they transition from living in trafficking-specific shelter facilities to living
in the community. We analyzed data from Chab Dai's Butterfly Longitudinal Research (BLR)
project, a 10-year longitudinal study with survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in
Cambodia utilizing a prospective panel design. We present findings from our analysis of 236
interviews and narrative summaries of interviews conducted with survivors between the years 2011
and 2016 (n=79). An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to understand survivors'
experiences during this transition. Themes included: conflicted feelings about life in the community;
difficulties completing school and securing employment; violence in the community; limited followup;
unfulfilled expectations; feeling loved like a family member in the shelter, but abandoned in the
community; vulnerability in the community due to dramatic differences between shelters and the
community; and varied experiences with case closure. We underscore the importance of
understanding and listening to the voices of survivors about their experiences in the anti-human
trafficking sector and discuss implications for the design and implementation of services for
survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Southeast Asia.
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Keywords
human trafficking, qualitative research, Southeast Asia, International Resources, longitudinal research, reintegration, sexual exploitation, interpretive phenomenological analysis
Citation
Cordisco Tsai, L., Lim, V., & Nhanh, C. (2020). I Feel Like We Are People Who Have Never Known Each Other Before": The Experiences of Survivors of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Transitioning From Shelters to Life in the Community. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 21(1),