“Judged, Misrepresented and Misunderstood”: Human Trafficking Survivors’ Engagement with Journalists

This mixed-methods study surveyed 49 human trafficking survivors in 2024 about their experiences with media to understand why they engage (or do not) with the news media, and how they characterize those interactions and expectations. A qualitative analysis yielded five themes related to motivation, preparation, consent violations, setting boundaries, and backlash after sharing their stories with media. Based on findings, we recommend journalists adopt a power-sharing model to improve coverage and to give trauma survivors more control over how their stories are represented to the public.