At the training. Photo: IOM

The training included 32 officials who are dedicated to the rescue, reception, protection and assistance of victims of trafficking in 7 mountainous provinces in the North.

The participants actively engaged in group works, discussions, presentations as well as exercises on psychological therapy namely “recall” and “tree of trauma”. The activities aimed to equip the trainees with fundamental understanding of trauma, signs of trauma and victim-centric principles in victim assistances. At the end of the training, the participants including police officers and frontline officials of the Women’s Unions, DSVPs and Border Guards from the 7 provinces were able to draft their own plans to apply the takeaways from the training to their duty works.

The training is within the framework of the Project “Asia Regional Migration Programme” funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration under the US Department of State. According to the Trafficking in Persons Report released in June 2019 by the US government, the “Victim-centered approach and Trauma-informed care in Assistance for Victims of Trafficking” are two essential skills that Viet Nam’s social workers particularly need to enhance./.