Jobs for Justice: The Impact of Stable Employment in Expediting Financial Wellbeing for Survivors of Human Trafficking

Author: Bouché, Vanessa; Woldehanna, Sara; Vincent, Kyle & Nolan, Betsy

Abstract: Financial wellbeing – broadly characterized as a liveable income, savings, and autonomy over financial decisions – has been shown to influence physical and psychological health and is therefore an important element of holistic wellbeing. The present study examines the factors that impact the financial wellbeing of survivors of human trafficking in the United States. Using survey data from a sample of trafficking survivors in the U.S. we find that both temporal distance from the exploitative experience and a stable source of income significantly predict financial wellbeing for trafficking survivors. Importantly, however, stable work that provides predictable income mitigates the impact of time in establishing financial wellbeing. The implications of this research are significant for policy and programs aimed at improving the livelihoods of trafficking survivors.

Keywords: trafficking, livelihood, financial wellbeing, regression analysis, participatory action research