Abstract
This chapter interrogates existing approaches to psychological well-being, demonstrating that illness-based models pathologize and dehumanize survivors of human trafficking. The chapter introduces a trauma-informed framework for understanding psychological symptoms and discusses these effects as the “old legacy” of trauma. The interconnection between individual well-being and collective well-being, and the importance of viewing individual psychological well-being within historical, social, and political contexts are also highlighted. Narrative and liberation social psychology traditions are briefly introduced and pave the way for discussing “new legacies” that survivors can create through social change efforts. The chapter closes by proposing the Legacy-Building Approach to Healing, outlining survivor advocacy as a key intervention for promoting psychological well-being.
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Notes
- 1.
There is no international consensus on the legal and operational definitions of human trafficking. This chapter aligns with the definition of “severe forms of human trafficking” outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act 2000. However, not all articles cited use this definition.
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Dang, M., Leyden, S.H. (2021). Psychological Well-Being for Survivors: Creating a New Legacy. In: Chisolm-Straker, M., Chon, K. (eds) The Historical Roots of Human Trafficking. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70675-3_17
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