Trauma bonding refers to the emotional attachment that develops between an abused person and their abuser, often characterized by a cyclical pattern of abuse. This bond can lead the victim to develop sympathy or affection for the abuser, despite the harm they endure. It is a complex relationship where the victim may feel a strong connection to the perpetrator, making it difficult to break free from the cycle of abuse.

 

The trauma bond is one of the most powerful coercive tools a trafficker has to maintain control over those they are exploiting. It's why many victims delay seeking help or are even afraid of helping professionals. It's the reason some never find the will to leave and even become the trafficker's assistant in exploiting others. 

 

WHAT IS A TRAUMA BOND?

 

The most comprehensive definition of trauma bonding is reflected in the 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report.   It says, "The most common meaning of trauma bonding is when a trafficker uses rewards and punishments within cycles of abuse to foster a powerful emotional connection with the victim." 

 

Traffickers maintain complete control of the victim, all while developing a connection with the victim, which creates a sense of loyalty, obligation, or even love for the trafficker.

 

Blending feelings of love, fear, and gratitude disorients victims. This bond can occur within romantic relationships and familial trafficking situations. 
 

ARE STOCKHOLM SYNDROME AND TRAUMA BOND SYNONYMOUS?

 

Stockholm syndrome refers to a unique dynamic in which a captive emotionally bonds to their captor/abuser. This is broadly understood as a trauma response born of self-preservation.   According to broadly adopted research by M Namnyak, Stockholm syndrome usually consists of six characteristics:​​​​​​​​​​​​
 

• Affection for/emotional attachment to an abuser

• Feeling negatively towards anyone trying to help them leave the abuser

• Sympathy for or defending the abuser

• Rationalizing the abuse

• Seeing basic decency as exceptional kindness

• Feeling powerless to leave
   

She continues, "Although the terms are often used interchangeably, “trauma bonding” offers a broader umbrella of symptoms — although is not a clinical diagnosis. Trauma bonding is not a full condition in its own right, but rather a way of talking about one potential symptom of PTSD. Trauma bonding has also been misrepresented in pop media; it is glibly used to describe bonding through a shared traumatic experience. In actuality, “trauma bonding” refers to the way a victim might bond to the person who is traumatizing them. 

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HUMAN TRAFFICKING & TRAUMA BONDING
 

In a trauma bond experience, any small act of kindness the abuser offers is expanded in the victim's mind. “When our survival is threatened, our primal drive is to do whatever it takes to stay alive—even if that means bonding with our abusers,” Dr. Van Zyl writes. “A brief moment of eye contact, a supportive smile, a bathroom break, or a glass of water could all become ‘proof’ that the abusers have compassion and that they aren’t monsters.”  This mindset is a survival mechanism. The trauma bond keeps a victim protective of the abuser and makes it more difficult to leave. Still, we cannot forget that it is also a testament to their ability to survive, their resilience, and their capacity for empathy.                   

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