"Drugs Can Be a Great Coercion": Service Providers' Perspectives on the Relationship between Substance Use and Trauma Bonding among Survivors of Sex Trafficking.

This article examines the relationship between substance use and trauma bonding among survivors of sex trafficking from the perspective of licensed social workers and counselors who work directly with this population. Using qualitative interviews with 10 service providers, three key themes emerged: substance use as a tactic traffickers use to create or strengthen trauma bonds, substance use as a risk factor that increases survivors' vulnerability to trauma bonding, and substance use itself as a potential form of trauma bond. The findings highlight the complex interplay between addiction and emotional attachment in trafficking dynamics and underscore the need for integrated treatment approaches addressing both substance use and trauma bonds. These insights have implications for social work practice, policy development, and future research aimed at improving support for sex trafficking survivors.