Back-to-School Physicals: What Survivors Remember, What Professionals Must See
As the school year approaches, families across the country are scheduling back-to-school physicals. For many, it’s routine—a quick exam, a signed form, and the reassurance that their child is ready for the year ahead.
But for children trapped in family-controlled human trafficking, those appointments can be terrifying. I know, because I was one of them.
I dreaded those doctor’s visits with everything in me. I knew I would have to be careful. I knew I would have to hide. And, I knew that no matter how careful I was, somehow I would end up in trouble when it was over. My mother never left the room. There was no privacy, no chance to be honest, no way to risk letting someone see the truth of what was happening to me. If a doctor asked too many questions, I paid the price later. It was never about health or safety—it was about abuse, power and control.
That’s the reality many children still live today.
Why This Matters for Professionals
If you are a provider, a teacher, a school nurse, or someone following up on these appointments, please understand what you may be looking at. These children:
Often cannot safely disclose, even when directly asked.
Are coached to give the “right” answers and may appear overly rehearsed.
Live with the fear that any slip will bring punishment later.
Rarely, if ever, are given private time with a doctor or nurse.
I share this not to instill hopelessness, but to invite vigilance. The signs are subtle. The opportunities are few. But every time a professional sees past the surface—every time someone chooses to notice, document, and believe—it can open the door to change.
A Call to Vigilance
When you see a child who seems especially anxious about a physical, or when repeated “mystery” illnesses follow these appointments, pause and consider what might be happening beneath the surface. When you’re in the exam room, find ways to create even brief moments of privacy. Ask the questions that matter—but do so knowing that disclosure may not come easily, or at all.
Why I Speak
As the founder and CEO of Mezzo Allies, and as a survivor myself, I carry these memories into the work we do every day. Back-to-school season is not only about sharpened pencils and fresh notebooks—it’s also about vulnerable children passing through systems that could, if we are vigilant, become pathways to safety.
I’m asking you to hold this truth close: you may be one of the only adults outside the home who can notice. Your persistence and your belief in the child in front of you can change the trajectory of their life.