Their involvement with their traffickers

 
It should not be assumed that all women who have been trafficked will detest their captors, or even want to escape. Partly, they may take responsibility on themselves for their situation. In many cases the victims will have been complicit in the earlier stages of the process. It is only when they realise the extent of the exploitation they will suffer that they appreciate the realities of the situation they are in. However, as a result of their earlier agreement to the trafficking they may feel that they are not in a position to complain.  

In some cases they may have loyalty to or dependence on people in the trafficking network. Their exploiters may be boyfriends, husbands, or other relatives. They may regard their situation as fulfilling the terms of their contract. They still hope to earn enough money to pay off the debt and support themselves and their family at home. They may even not consider their work or situation to be exceptionally abusive in comparison with their lack of possibilities and options at home, and in the context of their lack of knowledge about their rights. 

These factors can make it hard to approach trafficked victims, to establish trust, to get their co-operation and truthful responses, and difficult to fully comprehend their decisions and their responses.  

Children who have suffered from ritual curses and threats may see their traffickers as having extra-human powers, thereby providing further obstacles to gaining the victim’s trust and co-operation.