Social Stigma, Financial Hardship, PTSD As Predicators of Suicidal Ideation Among Human Trafficking Survivors

Background: The social, economic, and psychological impacts of human trafficking on trafficking survivors are substantial and long-term. Trafficking survivors experience social stigma, economic hardship, and mental health problems after exiting trafficking situation which negatively affect their wellbeing and reintegration into their home communities. This study examined the association among social stigma, financial hardship, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation among girls and women survivors of human trafficking. This study will contribute to the knowledge regarding mental health of trafficking survivors.

Methods: This study conducted a secondary data analysis using a multivariate regression model. This study used a dataset that represents the evaluation data of a Ghana based intervention program. The main study was a mix method longitudinal study which was administered in three wave series. This study employed purposive sampling to recruit participants. For data collection this study utilized face-to-face interview method. The sample size of this present study included 144 female trafficking survivors aged from 23 to 34 years. The independent variables of this study included financial hardship and social stigma. The dependent variable was suicidal ideation. Control variables included age, education, and PTSD factors. In this study financial hardship refers to difficulty in living. Social stigma is defined by difficulty in getting back to the home community. The dependent variable suicidal ideation refers to the thoughts of committing suicide and of killing herself. This study measured suicidal ideation using a 4 item Ultra-short Suicidal Ideation scale. To measure financial hardship an 11 items Financial Management Condition scale was used. PTSD symptom was measure by utilizing a17 items Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale. Finally, social stigma was measured by the following question: How easy or difficult has it been to get back into the community after Lifeline? Data analysis included univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis.

Results: The results of the study indicated that PTSD and financial hardship influence the suicidal ideation of the trafficking survivors. The bivariate analysis conducted using Pearson Correlation Coefficients reported that survivors with financial hardship were prone to suicidal ideation (r = -0.20, p < 0.0143). Additionally, the multivariate regression results showed the model fit well with the data (F = 2.61, p = 0.02) and also reported survivors with PTSD symptoms were prone to suicidal ideation (β = 0.01937, p = 0.0097).

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest PTSD and economic hardship are significantly associated with suicidal ideation among trafficking survivors. These findings of this study will strengthen other studies those recommended mental health support to mitigate suicidal ideation among trafficking survivors as well as will advance the literature those have found a consistent trend of association between poverty and suicidality. Moreover, there is lack of available data on suicidal behavior among trafficking survivors in the context of Ghana. This study will encourage further research in this area which will lead to advancement of literature and data on suicidal behavior of trafficking survivors.