Overview
The AMWA Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans (AMWA-PATH) was founded in 2014 to provide training and educate to physicians, residents, and medical students about issues surrounding human trafficking. Read about our 10-year anniversary.
PATH Mission Statement
To prepare medical professionals to care for victims of human trafficking by:
- Enhancing awareness of the scope of the problem
- Identifying at-risk patients by utilizing victim-centered interviewing techniques
- Providing and promoting trauma-informed care
- Equipping health professionals to intervene safely on behalf of patients
- Connecting patients, providers, clinics, and hospitals to resources.
AMWA Initiatives
The American Medical Women’s Association advocates to bring under-addressed issues to the forefront of the national agenda.
History
In 2012, AMWA President, Dr. Gayatri Devi, identified sex trafficking as an important issue for AMWA to address. This led to the development of the Human Trafficking Committee by co-chairs Dr. Suzanne Harrison and Dr. Holly Atkinson, which authored AMWA’s position statement on human trafficking. Dr. Kanani Titchen, then AMWA Resident Division President, conducted a survey to identify healthcare providers’ knowledge in this area and found that knowledge to be significantly lacking. These findings led to the creation of a series of educational videos and an interactive website to educate medical professionals about sex trafficking victims; these videos are available for viewing online at www.doc-path.org/. AMWA-PATH has also conducted webinars and supported local conferences on the issue of human trafficking.
Evidence Basis
Read an Evidence-Based Article on the Positive Impact Achieved with Clinical Training
AMWA-PATH is not a crisis response agency. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
Other resources:
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: Phone 1-888-373-7888. Available 24/7 in 200 languages.
- If you are outside the United States, you can still reach the hotline through this page.