Trauma-informed Services
"If people providing services just have compassion, everything follows. "
-Mimi Jalmasco, Survivor Leader and RAB member
This outcome describes the need for staff who are trained and experienced in working with survivors who have traumatic histories. Survivors need to be able to trust all the professionals who work with them including police, immigration authorities, support workers, social workers, and shelter staff. This means developing trusting relationships, working to realistic expectations, supporting survivors to understand all the information they are being given, communicating to survivors in their language, and being honest. At a very basic level, this outcome is about staff treating survivors as human beings, listening to their stories and needs, and being a positive force in people's lives. All services need to be as inclusive and sensitively delivered as possible,
Survivor accounts on trauma-informed services
Keith explains the need for trauma-informed services in the criminal justice system
If all services for survivors were trauma-informed, there would be many more trafficking prosecutions and convictions. To be understood, and to speak out about the terrible things that have happened to us, we need to have faith in the police and authorities, but also in the entire system of professional services that should be there to help and protect us.
Ruth explains the importance of working together with, rather than working for a survivor
Survivors have suffered unimaginable things in modern slavery: all sense of their power is crushed, their hopes are crushed, there is no trust left – they feel they cannot have trust in anyone. So they need to have support from people that they are comfortable speaking to. Often, they will feel shy nervous, or uncomfortable with professionals, especially those who are not trauma-informed. When you approach survivors in a trauma-informed way, you are helping them regain those powers back, build their trust back, the ability to do things for themselves, and able to be involved in whatever plans are being made for them. It is really important that they can choose the gender of interpreters also.
When trauma-informed services work with survivors they get better outcomes from their situation, better understanding of how to deal with challenges. They also ensure survivors feel educated and empowered, rather than being told what to do.