Development of Multi-Disciplinary Team for Human Trafficking: Sexual Exploitation Prevention

Abstract

The objective of this qualitative research was to study the problems, obstacles and solutions in the implementation of the prevention of human trafficking and sexual exploitation enforced by multi-disciplinary team. The study focused on human resource issues. A structured interview was used for collecting data from a sample of 20 multi-disciplinarians: 3 prosecutors, 5 police officers, 5 social workers, 2 psychologists and 5 sexual exploitation victims. Selected through a Purposive sampling.

The research findings revealed that there are 3 problems and obstacles of implementation of the prevention of human trafficking and sexual exploitation enforced by the multi-disciplinary team: 1. Lack of manpower 2. Personal qualities and 3. High turnover rate. In relation to the 3 problems and obstacles, the following suggestions were made 1. Relevant staff should request for additional manpower from relevant agencies and for a long term solution, the human resource plan should be well prepared and managed, employee ratio should be suitable and proportionally to employee’s work load and organization’s size. 2. At the recruiting process level, administrators should consider the candidates’ qualification based on specific functional competency, relevant certification and experience before accepting or hiring them. Furthermore, training should be provided to increase and strengthen the multi-disciplinarians’ competency and understanding especially about discourses on definition of many forms of human trafficking: forced prostitution, sexual exploitation, other forms of sexual exploitation and prostitution. 3. Increasing employee’s morale by approving a pay raise and promotion in order to retain high potential employee and keep the turnover low.