This report provides the rationale for and the implementation of a collaborative partnership between providers of services to victims of human trafficking and providers of services to victims of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Survivors of human trafficking may have experienced other forms of trauma and violence, such as family violence, child abuse, domestic violence, or sexual assault. The traffickers may be an intimate partner or family member. It is important, therefore, for victim service providers to be aware of the coexistence of human trafficking and other crimes, which widens the scope of services victims need. Service providers who have the first contact with a victim can explore available options with the survivor, which enables her/him to choose the services desired. The current report focuses on assisting a survivor in assessing whether a domestic violence shelter may be a helpful option for them by discussing potential expectations, such as shelter rules. If the survivor has children, the victim server should determine whether a shelter has any age limitations for housing children of IPV victims. Other shelter rules should also be examined, such as the prohibition of using alcohol or addictive drugs; however, federally funded IPV shelters cannot withhold services from persons who use alcohol or drugs off shelter property. Other issues that might be considered before making a referral to an IPV shelter include whether the shelter has bilingual staff, whether IPV shelter staff have received training in working with trafficking survivors, the combination of services to be provided by the human trafficking service provider and the IPV shelter, the average and maximum length of stay at the IPV shelter, and whether the shelter assists residents in finding their next housing location before leaving the shelter.