Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
College of Nursing
First Advisor
Stephanie Armstrong
Abstract
Human sex trafficking (HST) is a pervasive human rights and public health crisis that inflicts profound physical, psychological, and spiritual harm. Survivors frequently encounter healthcare professionals, especially nurses, yet often remain unrecognized or inadequately supported, resulting in fragmented and inconsistent care. An exploratory concurrent mixed-methods design was used in this dissertation to examine survivors’ barriers to healthcare, perceptions of nursing care, and characteristics of resilience, integrating quantitative and qualitative data to inform trauma-informed and survivor-centered nursing practice. Guided by critical theory and supported by feminist standpoint theory, Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming, and Macy and Johns’ Aftercare Framework, the aim of the study was to elevate survivors’ lived experiences as central to understanding and improving nursing care. A convenience sample of adult survivors (N= 22) in South Carolina completed demographic questionnaires, the Barriers to Care Survey, a Perceptions of Nurses Scale, and the 14-item Resilience Scale (RS-14), and participated in semi-structured Interviews. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic approach. Quantitative findings revealed persistent barriers to healthcare access, including stigma, transportation, cost, and fear of judgment, and moderate resilience (M= 70.3, SD = 12.4). Qualitative themes reflected compassionate presence and support, judgmental and dismissive attitudes, and systemic gaps and survival strategies. Integration showed that trauma-informed, empathetic nursing care can bridge systemic barriers and foster safety, trust, and healing. Findings underscore the need for nursing education, interprofessional collaboration, and policy reform that promote recognition, ethical care, and empowerment of HST survivors. This work advances nursing science by situating survivor perspectives at the intersection of vulnerability and strength, offering a critical, theory-informed framework to guide future research, practice, and advocacy.
Keywords: human sex trafficking, nursing care, barriers to healthcare, trauma-informed care, resilience, feminist standpoint theory, mixed methods
Rights
© 2026, Dana C. Bowers
Recommended Citation
Bowers, D. C.(2026). Human Sex Trafficking: Overcoming Barriers to Survivorship From the Survivor’s Perspective. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8938