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Human Trafficking — DFSRH MCQ

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EasyHuman TraffickingDFSRH

A 24-year-old woman attends a sexual and reproductive health clinic with a man who describes himself as her cousin. He insists on interpreting, answers questions for her and refuses to leave the consultation room. The clinician arranges to see her alone with an independent professional interpreter. She discloses that her passport has been taken and that she is forced to have sex with paying clients. A handler is waiting outside the clinic. She has just received a message stating that he will enter the clinic and harm her unless she comes out within 10 minutes. She has capacity and asks the clinician not to contact the police because she fears reprisals. She has no immediately life-threatening clinical condition. Which is the most appropriate immediate management plan?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: E — Alert senior safeguarding and security staff, encourage her to remain in a safe area, continue urgent care and call 999

Explanation lettering: C = shown as A · E = shown as B · D = shown as C · A = shown as D · B = shown as E

The controlling companion, confiscated passport and forced commercial sexual activity establish a strong concern for trafficking. The explicit threat to enter the clinic and cause harm makes this an immediate safety emergency rather than a routine consent-dependent referral decision. Current UK statutory guidance advises healthcare professionals to ensure their own safety, prioritise the potential victim’s safety, encourage the person to remain with them and call 999 when there is an immediate threat. Senior safeguarding staff should be informed and urgent health needs addressed using trauma-informed care. A would usually reflect the autonomy of an adult with capacity when no immediate serious threat justifies disclosure, but it is inadequate here. C correctly recognises that an adult must consent to entry into the National Referral Mechanism; however, seeking routine referral consent must not delay emergency protection. D risks alerting the suspected exploiter, escalating danger and compromising both patient and staff safety. E is incorrect because an adult cannot be entered into the National Referral Mechanism without informed consent, and NHS clinicians are not themselves designated first responders merely by virtue of their clinical role. Emergency police involvement in this case is distinct from a routine National Referral Mechanism referral.

Reference: Modern Slavery: statutory guidance for England and Wales and non-statutory guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland (11 May 2026) — https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69f3634f7c02660a84d1eb9a/Modern_Slavery_statutory_guidance_for_England_and_Wales__under_s49_of_the_Modern_Slavery_Act_2015__and_non-statutory_guidance_for_Scotland_and_Northern_Ireland.pdf National referral mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales) (7 April 2026) — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-trafficking-victims-referral-and-assessment-forms/guidance-on-the-national-referral-mechanism-for-potential-adult-victims-of-modern-slavery-england-and-wales