The therapeutic relationship between client and clinician, and the space and time that the client occupies during their therapy sessions, belongs entirely to them. Knowledge of this alone can have a positive impact: some victims of trafficking have never owned or been given anything that was solely theirs. Multiple therapy sessions may be required before clients are able to fully understand and utilize therapy for themselves. Having regular access to a person who is interested in their feelings and well-being, and wants to pro-actively help them, may be a completely new experience. This has to be approached sensitively and carefully by the clinician. 9.3 Working With Internalised Beliefs and Experiences “I find that gradually my clients come to trust me, but this takes time. It relies upon my understanding them: where they are from, their experiences, how they feel, what they believe.” Helen Bamber Many victims of trafficking come from cultures in which those who suffer rape and sexual abuse are perceived as being to blame for what has happened to them. Male rape is completely taboo in many cultures and we suspect that some male victims we have worked with have been unable to disclose rape at all, or at most have disclosed “attempted rape”.113 In such cases, clinicians will explore alternative interpretations of rape and sexual abuse in which the perpetrator, rather than the victim, is responsible, and the victim should not be stigmatized, but recognized as a person who needs and deserves protection and assistance. Understanding the viewpoint of the victim is also crucial in cases of Juju trafficking, where ritualized violence ceremonies have been conducted to coerce the victim into giving an oath of silence to the trafficker under the threat of illness, injuries or death brought about by evil spirits. It is crucial for clinicians to comprehend the cultural meaning of such events and how the victim experiences them. It can take years before victims of Juju trafficking feel able even to question, with therapeutic assistance, the authenticity of the oath they have given to traffickers and the threat that it carries. Even after this has been achieved, they can swiftly return to their initial fears at any time due to the strength of the belief system which has been used and manipulated by traffickers. Belief and identity are inter-twined: any alteration of internalized beliefs which relate to victims’ own situation in the world must be initiated by them, and cannot be imposed by others. Building a relationship of trust which can enable abused people to think of themselves in a different and more positive way is an intricate process which requires very careful attention, acknowledgement and respect for each person’s attitude, needs and beliefs. 9.4 “In Meeting the Body, We Meet the Trauma”: Working with the Body-Mind Connection Body-Mind therapy uses the mutual influence of body on mind, and mind on body to facilitate healing and recovery from trauma. Some victims of trafficking come to experience their body as a continuous source of suffering, beyond their control. They are inseparable from their pain, and detached from their body as a source of vitality, which inhibits their ability to function in daily life. Responses to trauma combine to exacerbate anxiety, panic and vulnerability, resulting in isolation and withdrawal from other people. When survivors come into contact with others, their profound problems with confidence and trust can be easily misread: they may appear to be overly timid and shy, indifferent, disengaged or even hostile and defensive. This is a serious disadvantage for people whose recovery from trauma relies upon engagement in sustained, positive relationships with others. Through the use of intricate, gradual movement explorations in session with a specialist therapist, clients are helped to recover the ability to make independent choices which benefit them and minimize pain and uncertainty. In many cases, this fundamental skill has to be learned or re-learned: autonomy is lost in the experience of trafficking, and trauma from interpersonal violence and exploitation has an impact upon every aspect of victims’ lives. It impedes them from engaging effectively in basic tasks, activities and situations which they encounter on a daily basis. In Body-Mind therapy, clients are taught to observe the ways in which they experience their body within their “daily life” context. Gradually they become consciously aware (“mindful”) of the psychological and physical influences that can alter their experience and they can learn to 113 104