Survivors of human trafficking are frequently assessed by professionals who rely on observed behavior to determine credibility, agency, and access to services. Yet behaviors shaped by fear, coercion, and survival—such as appearing emotionally flat, quickly agreeing, changing accounts over time, or seeming to “choose” harmful situations—are often misinterpreted as deception, consent, or lack of victimization. This presentation examines how coercive control and ongoing threat shape behavior in trafficking contexts and how common professional assumptions can lead to harmful misinterpretation. Drawing on survivor-informed analysis and interdisciplinary case examples, the session highlights points where systems misunderstand survival behavior and, as a result, deny protection, delay care, or create additional harm. The presentation focuses on how assumptions about choice, credibility, and responsibility can unintentionally penalize survivors across healthcare, legal, and social service settings. Rather than relying on diagnostic labels, the session emphasizes practical understanding of how people behave when options are constrained and risk is ongoing. Participants will be introduced to concrete interpretive shifts that help professionals respond more ethically and effectively when survivor behavior does not align with expectations. The goal is to improve identification, engagement, and outcomes for trafficking survivors while reducing harm caused by system-level misreading of behavior.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Dr. Felicia Rosario is a physician who teaches healthcare, legal, and social service professionals how coercion and fear shape behavior and decision-making, and how misinterpretation of those behaviors leads to harm in trafficking-related contexts. Her work focuses on improving ethical decision-making, identification, and engagement with survivors across systems.