Singing in adversity: the role of religious songs in the coping mechanism of human trafficking victims

Current research analyses the intersection of music, religion, and trauma in the context of human trafficking. This research investigates the role of religious songs based on the experiences of victims of human trafficking. In-depth interviews were applied as a data collection method, and grounded theory was used as the data analysis method. Field research was conducted in 2020 on Timor Island, one of the islands in East Nusa Tenggara Province, Eastern Indonesia, and interviewed 19 participants who are the victims of human trafficking from the migrant worker sector. The results elucidate that religious songs assist the participants in coping with estrangement from family, enduring hardship, integrating into society, and giving instruction in difficult times. Religious songs influence resilience in difficult times.