The Reconsecration of the Self: A Qualitative Analysis of Sex Trafficking Survivors' Experience of the Body.

The understudied bodily harm women experience after commercial sex (CS) may be partially explained by the prominence of Cartesian mind-body dualism in psychological science. Accordingly, we qualitatively explored the mind-body relationship among 79 female sex trafficking survivors. Survivors reported long-term negative alterations in feelings about the body, sex, and physical touch posttrafficking and these negative outcomes did not differ across women who self-perceived as consenting and women who self-perceived as forced. Implications for future research are presented, particularly on measuring dehumanization in CS which contributes to extensive harm even in the absence of physical aggression.

What barriers could impede access to mental health services for children and adolescents in Africa? A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the mental health needs of African children and teenagers. Based on this gap, this scoping review aims to identify barriers to mental health services, treatments and services sought, and where mental health services are received. METHODS: To pursue the stated objectives, we searched the following databases a) PsycINFO, b) CINAHL, c) Medline, and d) Web of Science. The search yielded 15,956 records in total. RESULTS: Studies included in this review were conducted in six African countries: Ethiopia, Mali, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, and Tunisia. The majority of the studies were conducted in South Africa (33.32%), followed by Ethiopia (25%), and Egypt (16.67%). In terms of treatments and services sought, both professional and traditional/alternative treatments were reported. The most frequently noted services were psychiatric treatments (25%), screening and diagnostic assessment (16.67%), as well as psychiatric and psychological consultations (16.67%). The most frequently reported treatment centers were psychiatric hospitals. As for treatment barriers, the three most frequently encountered barriers were: a preference for traditional/alternative and complementary treatments (33.33%), followed by stigma (25%), and a lack of knowledge/unfamiliarity with the mental health condition (25%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study are alarming due to the significant barriers to accessing mental health services coupled with the use of potentially harmful interventions to treat those mental health conditions. We hope this scoping review will help shed light on this important issue and help tomorrow's generation reach its full potential.