### Question
Can you define what serious harm means?


### Answer
**Serious harm** is defined as the following in *18 U.S.C. § 1589*:

> any harm, whether physical or nonphysical, including psychological, financial, or reputational harm, that is sufficiently serious, under all the surrounding circumstances, to compel a reasonable person of the same background and in the same circumstances to perform or to continue performing labor or services in order to avoid incurring that harm

#### Citation:
  - *18 U.S.C. § 1589*
  - Heading: **PART I-CRIMES > CHAPTER 77-PEONAGE, SLAVERY, AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS**

