2020 Schedule
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
9:00 - 9:30
Morning Welcome
10:00 - 11:00
Breakout Session 1
In 2018 in Rock County, Wisconsin, a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) was developed to address the growing identification of human trafficking and need for collaborative services. Today, this team has grown and has worked together to address the needs of many identified victims or at-risk youth. Currently, the Rock County Anti-Trafficking Response Team (HART) consists of Child Protective Services, medical personnel, Victim Witness, community-based advocates, and several law enforcement departments. Through HART’s collaborative work, the community has seen an increase in prevention, initial engagement, ongoing support services, and community resources and created a support group for parents of human trafficking victims. Participants will learn how to replicate this MDT approach to human trafficking including identifying team members, overcoming failure, conducting case reviews, and identifying and addressing community needs.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the importance of a multi-disciplinary team approach to addressing the needs of human trafficking victims
· Discuss how to build a multi-disciplinary team to respond to victims of human trafficking
National and international academic communities and non-profit organizations have conducted several studies to understand sex trafficking and its implications; however, research related to the areas from human rights and social justice standpoints, through the use of Participatory Action Research (PAR), is still marginal. Therefore, this study was initiated to unpack intersectional gender oppression that increased the vulnerability of the women to sex trafficking and hindered trafficking survivors in their reintegration, upon their return to Nepal. PAR, a liberatory and empowerment methodology, was conducted with eight female trafficking survivors who were recognized as “co-researchers”. This study allowed them to critically understand their oppression, develop strategies, and effectively act to address the issues of sex trafficking and their reintegration through a wide range of educational and advocacy campaigns such as conversation café, photovoice, and street dramas. Findings focus on three main areas: (1) socially constructed root causes of sex trafficking; (2) challenges of survivors in their reintegration; and (3) PAR as a transformative tool. Results indicate that intersectional gender oppression as a key factor increases the vulnerability of women to sex trafficking and micro-aggressive behaviors against survivors are one the biggest challenges for survivors in their reintegration. Overall, by utilizing survivors’ knowledge, skills, and experiences in addressing the identified issues, their meaningful and effective involvement for their liberation and emancipation are one of the most unique contributions of this PAR research. This presentation concludes with the discussion of the implications of the study for research policy and practice.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of the socially constructed root causes of sex trafficking and reintegration issues experienced by trafficking survivors in Nepal
· Share PAR as a transformative and liberatory approach
· Describe the implications of the study for policy practice and research
This presentation will provide a basic overview of human trafficking, focusing on both domestic and foreign trafficking as well as labor and sex trafficking. Topics will include the definition of human trafficking, how traffickers recruit, indicators for victim identification, the impact of social media, and how individuals can make a difference in helping to combat and end human trafficking. Using the most current research and resources, the presentation is designed not only to educate but empower the participant.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide a basic understanding of human trafficking for the first-time attendee
· Provide the best sources of statistics
· Provide resources for the participant to explore
· Provide a way not only to educate but empower the participant
CATCH Court works with survivors of human trafficking whose circumstances have led them to criminal justice involvement. The CATCH Court staff provide wraparound services to the women in the program as they exit the life. One of the main focal points for the staff during the two years of participation, outside of addiction and trauma therapy, is to help the women learn how to engage in healthy relationships and connection. The staff have witnessed a significant deficit in the participant’s ability to set appropriate boundaries, have effective communication, or display fundamental relational skills. This is largely due to their experiences and perceptions that have framed what a relationship looks like. Staff experiences show that a survivor is in need of multiple support people to effectively leave the life, which is challenging for those who have never functioned within a structure of wellness and autonomy. In addition, experiences within the docket have also provided staff with anecdotal evidence as to how unhealthy relationships can lead to the re-entrance of the life. CATCH Court has developed guidelines to assist in the process of safety and learning while navigating foreign territory regarding relationship building and appropriate connection. Connection is one of the most vital elements – to women, to addicts, and to trauma survivors. It has to be a focus for those working in the anti-trafficking field.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the importance of cultivating connections in the lives of survivors
· Describe a framework on how CATCH Court facilitates the process of healthy connections
· Explain the high influence of relationships to an increase or decrease in risk for the women who are trying to exit the life
Transactional sex – survival sex, sexual exploitation, and trafficking – among youth can result in significant and lasting harms. It is illegal, dangerous, stigmatized, and hard to study. Most research uses non-probability samples because representative sampling is nearly impossible, and there is a paucity of population-based data. What is the prevalence of transactional sex among Minnesota high school students? How do rates vary by demographics, relevant experiences, and correlated health indicators? This research study uses data from the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey (MSS), a tri-annual surveillance program administered in public school districts. The analysis sample included 71,007 students who answered the question (y/n): “Have you ever traded sex or sexual activity to receive money, food, drugs, alcohol, a place to stay, or anything else?” Overall, 1.4% of high school students reported trading sex. Similar rates characterize cisgender girls (1.4%) and boys (1.3%); a higher rate distinguishes transgender students (5.9%). Rates vary by race/ethnicity, geography, other relevant experiences, and health indicators; e.g., among youth who reported substance use, 15% also indicated trading sex. Using the rate of 1.4% and Census data, researchers estimate that at least 5,000 Minnesota youth are involved in transactional sex. This is likely an undercount. The MSS is administered on one day during school. Students most likely to answer yes are also the students least likely to attend school due to bullying, expulsion, push out, and more. This data is a call to action and helps answer a long-standing debate about actual extent of transactional sex among youth people.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide new data to help answer questions about the prevalence, scope and scale of youth involved in transactional sex (includes survival sex, exploitation and trafficking)
· Describe the methods and results from a secondary analysis of a population-based dataset administered in Minnesota high schools that added a question about transactional sex in 2019
· Identify implications for prevention, policy, and practice from this new prevalence data
11:30 - 12:30
Breakout Session 2
Established in 2015, Journal of Human Trafficking (JHT) has become a premier outlet for the dissemination of research and programming. JHT contributes innovative applied knowledge while simultaneously helps bridge the gap between scholars and practitioners. JHT is international, interdisciplinary, and devoted to all issues related to human trafficking and modern day slavery. Focused largely on the professional development of audience members, this presentation will describe the JHT and how it originated. It will also highlight key trends and standout articles that have been particularly instrumental in moving the knowledge base forward and describe how audience members can become involved. Involvement can take the form of publication (i.e., as authors) or as a reviewer for submissions. Thus, this presentation will address submission requirements, the peer review process (double-blinded), and potential outcomes of such (e.g., accept, revise/resubmit, reject). Additional details on what these potential outcomes “mean” for the author and how to move forward if a rejection is received will also be presented. The process by which audience members can contribute to JHT (while simultaneously engaging in professional service) will be addressed, as will the benefits of contribution, as authors or reviewers, for professional growth and development.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of the JHT
· Describe standout publications that have moved the knowledge base
· Identify ways audience members can contribute to the JHT
· Describe professional development benefits of contributing to the JHT
· Explain the behind-the-scenes academic publication process and how publication decisions are made
After the ending of the crack era and the climax of gang activity in urban America, a new epidemic struck this nation hard. Between the years of 1998 and 2010, nearly 55% of the people Armand King grew up with in San Diego had either become a pimp or a prostitute. This includes himself and his best friends. In this presentation, attendees will follow the lives of individuals, both male and female, that were forced into the sex trade, not by enslavement and not at gunpoint but forced by the simple denial of the real “American Dream” and poor education. It is said that in order to get rid of a weed, you must take it out from its root. This session not only tells a story that's rarely told, but also brings the audience face-to-face with the root of what we call “Urban Domestic Human Sex Trafficking” so we can truly prevent and intervene the continued growth of this weed. The presentation will end with solutions and a call to action. Learn how to really view the subculture of pimping and prostitution in America.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe what led Armand and his friends into a lifestyle of sexual exploitation
· Discuss how we prevent future generations from becoming victims
· Explain what was learned as a result of this experience
*Trigger Warning: The content in this presentation may be triggering for some.
Beyond small island and flood-prone areas, different regions of the world carry the burden of climate change. Loss of land for subsistence, scrambling for limited resources, severe weather conditions, and desertification, among other environmental concerns, have created a new category of migrants called climate or environmental migrants. Victims of climate migration face complex exploitative challenges; including human trafficking. The category, however, does not fall within the popular definition of refugees as a people that “leave their homes because of fear of persecution, generalized violence or events or seriously disturbing public order.” Across the globe, there is an emerging jurisprudence about the existence of this class of people called climate migrants and environmental refugees. For instance, the Fulani herdsmen crisis in Nigeria, drought-induced displacement of people over resource conflicts in Mali and Ethiopia, and mudslides in some parts of Uganda are forcing people to flee from their homelands for the security of their lives and search for resources in other parts of the continents. Despite their forced migration status, climate migrants are not captured under the existing international legal framework for the protection of refugees. The presentation speaks to vulnerabilities confronted by climate migrants, explores the existing positions of scholars, the existing legal framework on refugees, international human rights laws, soft laws, and courts on climate change-related migrations. Together with the prevailing realities in Africa and other less-developed nations, the presentation argues for the recognition of climate migrants as refugees and the need to promote social justice for climate refugees.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the vulnerabilities of human trafficking for climate migrants
· Identify trajectories of climate change, violence, and displacements
· Explore the existing positions of scholars on climate migration and climate refugees
· Argue for the recognition of climate migrants as refugees
11:20 - 11:50
Breakout Session 2.1
Sex trafficking policies in the educational sector help to ensure that at-risk students have a higher chance of identification. In 2016, the Department of Education in the state of Pennsylvania added sex trafficking as a form of child abuse and neglect (S.B. 1311, 2016). Still, mandated reporter bias can shape interaction and perceptions toward youth of color (Jacoby-Senghor, Sinclair, & Shelton, 2016). One important consideration is the impact racial biases may play in warning sign identification of sex trafficking (George, 2015). This pilot pre-test post-test examines how sex trafficking professional development training in the state of Pennsylvania influence educators’ sex trafficking perceptions and the extent to which racial disparities exist when it comes to how likely educators are to report on behalf of children at risk of commercial sexual exploitation. Primary research questions include: 1) Do professional development trainings influence educators’ sex trafficking attitudes? and 2) Does the race of a sex-trafficked child influence educators’ likelihood to report? In total, researchers were able to recruit 149 people to participate in the study. The majority of the participants involved in the study were female. Despite this original sample size, many participants started but did not continue to answer any of the questions. Still, findings revealed 1) likelihood to report; 1a) report based on race; 2) attitudes of agency; and 3) empathy levels toward sex trafficked child. This presentation will reveal the pilot pre-test findings, provide a self-reflective activity which was administered in the intervention, and then go over post-test results and future research direction.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the relevance of the study including location, policy related to location, and sample
· Review the research questions and methodology
· Provide insight into the intervention
· Discuss the results of the study, limitations, and future direction
The Chab Dai Butterfly Longitudinal research project (www.chabdai.org/butterfly) is a ten-year project (2010-2020) following 128 survivors of sex trafficking from 14 different faith-based organizations in Cambodia. It explored a range of topics including the impact of spirituality. The main research question was: “How has spirituality helped build resilience for survivors?” Ethical interviews were conducted twice a year with survivors in the shelters and then in their home area. Respondents didn’t express coercion in conducting research or faith activities. The results found benefits to restoration and in their relationships with others. Spirituality, both Christian and Buddhist, had positive implications for survivors. The presenter will conclude with discussing recommendations that holistic care must include spirituality and monitoring spiritual outputs should be part of good programming. Preventing unhelpful persuasion is part of avoiding spiritual abuse in child and vulnerable persons protection policies.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the value of this longitudinal research study
· Discuss the importance of spirituality as part of holistic care
· Discuss the importance of a holistic child/vulnerable persons protection policy
12:00 - 12:30
Breakout Session 2.2
This presentation will focus on how foreign terrorist organizations are utilizing human trafficking/exploitation to fund/facilitate their criminal activity. This presentation will also examine (pending case in Chicago) how domestic sexual exploitation could fund international terrorism. The presenter will examine the Islamic State/Yazidi genocide, Boko Haram/Chibok School incident, and emerging awareness and links to the U.S. homeland. In November of 2019, Jason Brown was arrested in Chicago, IL for attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Mr. Brown was a leader of Chicago-area street gang and allegedly attempting to provide monetary funds to assist ISIS soldiers engaged in combat. This presentation will explore the emerging nexus of international and domestic trafficking supporting and funding foreign terrorist organizations.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss how foreign terrorist organizations are utilizing human trafficking and exploitation to fund and facilitate their criminal activity
· Examine how domestic sexual exploitation could fund international terrorism through an emerging/pending case in Chicago
The Institute of Medicine and the Center for Disease Control recommend that healthcare providers have knowledge of sex trafficking (ST) indicators and conduct screenings to identify people at risk. However, barriers for healthcare staff who conduct such ST screenings remain largely understudied. The research question that guided this study was, “What are the perceived barriers to ST identification among staff in a high-risk healthcare setting?” This collective case study occurred across 5 sites of a large, high-risk health care organization in a Midwestern state. Researchers conducted 23 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with medical assistants and clinicians (e.g. nurse practitioners). Organizational materials (e.g. ST training modules, screening/risk assessment protocols) were collected. Two research team members conducted independent deductive and inductive coding. Although staff routinely screened by asking “Have you ever traded sex for money or drugs?”, they tended not to introduce the question in ways that were conducive to facilitating disclosures, and/or provided minimal follow-up. Occasionally, staff provided strong examples of follow-up assessment practices that they found helpful in soliciting more information (e.g. assessed patient risk by asking where/how sex exchanges happened). However, participants primarily described avoiding further discussions of ST because they 1) aimed to be non-judgmental and sex positive, 2) viewed following up as someone else’s job, and/or 3) lacked confidence discuss it themselves. There may be some missed opportunities to assess patients for ST risk and use harm reduction strategies or safety plan to address patients’ needs. Implications for healthcare trainings and future research will be discussed.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of a collective case study in a high-risk healthcare setting, including information on perceptions of indicators and healthcare staff's challenges to follow-up
· Discuss recommendations to normalize sex trading questions/disclosure and provide harm reduction strategies for use in healthcare settings
12:45 - 1:15
Lunch Program
1:30 - 2:30
Breakout Session 3
Alexandra believes that more often than we care to think, trauma is the gateway that leads to trouble. She shares how unaddressed childhood sexual assault led a young girl from a seemingly “picture perfect” family down the rabbit hole into a world of drugs, specifically methamphetamine, and a violent relationship. After nearly losing her life, Alexandra spent three and a half years alternately in hiding from and in court against her abuser, until one fateful night when a random encounter resulted in his death. Despite recognizing her circumstance as domestic violence, it wasn’t until more than a decade later that Alexandra realized she had also been sex trafficked. This realization spurred the motivation to co-found Uprising, an anti-human trafficking non-profit organization. The more understanding there is surrounding difficult topics, the more opportunity there is for victims to be able to put a name to what is happening to them and then seek appropriate resources to help. Alexandra wants to help start this conversation in a way that makes it more approachable as she chooses to heal from her trauma through activism, human connection, and laughter.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the survivor's lived experience
· Discuss critical vulnerabilities that lead to further traumatization
· Explain what was learned through her experience and ways to prevent other victimizations
Mrs. Kent will introduce some of the investigative barriers law enforcement are encountering when investigating human trafficking suspects and the solutions that can be found by using open source tools. This will lead directly into a discussion of what open source is. The speaker will then provide examples of open source tools, in real time, that can be used to obtain information on and evidence of human trafficking suspects and associated criminal activity. Online resources will be broken down into the following groups: social media, reverse person search, reverse photo search, reverse phone number search, mapping, video downloading, and secure searching. Mrs. Kent will provide of list of all resources to attendees and emphasize the laws, policies, and procedures of using open source tools and information. She will also discuss the nature and purpose of fusion centers and their role in assisting law enforcement in investigations. She will end the presentation with recommendations to make this process easier and for organizing collected data, then open the floor for questions.
*This presentation is specifically for law enforcement ONLY.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss barriers to human trafficking investigations
· Do a real time review of open source tools that can be used in investigations
· Discuss laws, policies, and procedures of using open source data in an investigation
· Discuss fusion centers and their role in aiding law enforcement
Many qualitative and quantitative approaches have been used to explore the experiences of trafficking survivors for sexual exploitation, living with HIV, in Nepal. However, the more participatory aspects of social justice research, such as inviting (and concretely supporting) the women to become more involved in precisely and intentionally advocating for their rights are still marginal. Therefore, this research was initiated to promote transformative outcomes, through photovoice and street dramas, in collaboration with survivors living with HIV in Nepal. Photovoice is a process in which people – usually those with limited power due to poverty, language barriers, race, class, ethnicity, gender, culture, or other circumstances – use video and/or photo images to capture aspects of their environment and experiences and share them with others. The session begins with an overview of the study process followed by a brief examination of the challenges the survivors living with HIV experience from intersectionality lenses. Then, the study highlights the multi-faceted power and strength of survivors in educating the general public and political leaders to this social issue through photovoice and street dramas. This session concludes with a brief video clip and the invitation to scholars for their involvement in future collaborative research. Overall, this session provides participants with an opportunity to consider and contextualize the broader social problem in a democratic and inclusive manner, and will encourage participation through discussion and critical dialogues.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide a brief overview of how photovoice as advocacy and empowerment tool was used
· Discuss the challenges experienced by trafficking survivors living with HIV
· Share a brief video of street dramas
· Invite researchers and practitioners for future collaborative research
This presentation aims to educate and encourage victim advocates and advocacy programs wishing to expand upon their ability to serve survivors of human trafficking. In the presentation, participants will develop a better understanding of how their work as a victim services provider overlaps with anti-human trafficking work. The goal is that victim advocates, particularly those working in communities with limited resources for human trafficking survivors, will realize that they have a greater capacity to serve trafficking survivors than what they may have previously thought, and that they will leave the presentation with some ideas on how to capitalize on their already established skill set. This presentation is geared toward advocates who are predominantly working with survivors of domestic/intimate partner violence and/or sexual violence and Court Advocates. Through guided discussion and hypothetical case examples, participants will learn to utilize their victim services skills and knowledge to develop a case plan specific to the needs of a trafficking survivor. Participants will also be given the opportunity to reflect upon the services currently offered at their agencies and begin thinking about how those services can adapt to fit the needs of trafficking survivors. The presenter will discuss all services from this lens, including shelter services, case management, and legal advocacy. The hope is that this presentation will begin to diminish some of the feelings of fear and inadequacy that service providers have when it comes to serving survivors from specialized populations, such as human trafficking survivors.
Presentation Objectives:
· Define human trafficking (HT), sexual violence (SV), domestic violence (DV), and intimate partner violence (IPV), including specific victimization types
· Discuss the overlap of SV, DV, IPV and all forms of HT, and identify similar patterns of conduct and survivor responses
· Define the role of Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence Resource Centers in their most basic construct, and discuss the nuances between centers, with an emphasis on barriers for smaller rural programs
· Present hypothetical case examples to illustrate the ability for most DV and SV Resource Centers to serve HT survivors in some capacity
The University of Toledo’s Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute’s F.R.E.E. program funded by the ECMC foundation provides scholarships and support for survivors of human trafficking. Specifically, the program has four phases, (1) Foundation, (2) Readiness, (3) Education , and (4) Employment. The acronym F.R.E.E. signifies each survivor’s potential to achieve economic and psychological freedom and empowerment. The presentation will discuss community partnerships and the efficacy of the four phases of the program. The Foundation phase includes the selections and screening process of adult survivors from across the country. An overview of the Readiness course is designed to achieve four objectives (1) To get students prepared for school, (2) To encourage students to tap into and use resources offered to be supported, (3) To empower students to achieve, and (4) To get students to be committed to complete their educational and career goals. The Education phase provides a $2,000 scholarship to an accredited vocational or degree program anywhere in the US. During the Employment phase, participants are assigned a job coach that provides a series of online virtual sessions that focus on job search, career exploration, personality assessments, soft skills, effective interviewing techniques, resume building, and more. Participation in the program involves comprehensive case management services on an ongoing basis. The services include incentives, mentoring, academic coaching, and emergency assistance. F.R.E.E. Participants will share their success stories while enrolled in the program. Learn more about program development and successful interventions for survivors of human trafficking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the efficacy of the F.R.E.E. Program component
· Discuss collaborations with community partners
· Share survivor’s success stories regarding support and interventions that prepared, supported, empowered, and helped them stay committed to obtaining their educational goals
· Present findings of successful interventions for survivors in the program
· Discuss the development, implementation, and evaluation of the F.R.E.E. Program
3:00 - 4:00
Breakout Session 4
Minnesota has made ground-breaking strides in legislation and service provision for sexually exploited and trafficked youth. However, victims of sex trafficking often have a variety of needs and encounter significant structural barriers in accessing services (Gibbs, et al., 2015). In 2018, the state initiated a project, led by the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA), to coordinate multidisciplinary teams working to develop community-specific protocols to improve the systems response to survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking. Using the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) model, a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to improving the response to sexual assault in local communities, can be used effectively to coordinate services for victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking (Vietor & Hountz, 2018). This interactive presentation will describe the protocol development process for responding to sexually exploited and trafficked youth, including successes and lessons learned from the field. The presenter will focus on practical skills and techniques for developing tailored protocols that reflect the unique needs of each community, as well as best practices for team formation and coordination.
Presentation Objectives:
· Explain and demonstrate the need for community-specific, multidisciplinary response protocols
· Discuss how protocol development is a tool for systems change
· Assist attendees in designing a process for development and implementation of protocols
This presentation will address some of the issues when working with persons living with C-PTSD and dissociative disorders. Characteristically, abusers use a combination of fear, shaming, and conditioning to ensure their victims remain silent. Abusers have a strong interest in denial of abuse and in attempts to discredit the accounts of victims. This conditioning can be called several things: Brainwashing, Grooming, Stockholm Syndrome. This conditioning can lead to significant mental health hurdles and labels and barriers to exiting their situation. Individuals who have been deeply hurt by traumatizing, silencing, non-validating, and blaming abusers need access to systems of care, protection and justice that are knowledgeable, understanding, accepting, and validating, and which can offer interventions that become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. The presenters will discuss how they design treatment modalities that include the need for "therapeutic flexibility" by the therapist, family, and other care team members. Practices related to therapeutic flexibility start with understanding that the person being helped must be included in all stages of therapeutic engagement/treatment planning. Care team members need to work collaboratively and honestly/transparently share all input, fears, concerns, and successes when possible. Engagement with the person includes work in traditional and non-traditional settings utilizing several treatment approaches (talk, sensory integration, exposure therapy, etc.). Developing clear goals and recognizing the benefit of out-of-the-box approaches will create an environment for safety, growth, and healing.
Presentation Objectives:
· Briefly define C-PTSD and the scale of dissociative disorders and how they relate to therapeutic flexibility by understanding "out of the box" diagnosis and how therapeutic flexibility is necessary
· Describe how conditioning happens especially in childhood sexual exploitation and interpersonal familial violence
· Discuss how grooming, Stockholm Syndrome, and trauma bonding can create barriers to exiting situations and getting proper treatment.
· Describe the stance of therapeutic flexibility and why it is important for those who have experienced trafficking or CSEC
· Explore the challenges associated with the lack of properly trained therapist and inpatient care units
· Share real life scenarios and allow for conversation about out of the box solutions
How can we better support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) survivors of trafficking? This session will address this question by starting with the basics – core concepts, terminology, and simple, but powerful actions we can all take. This basic knowledge is essential to serving survivors of human trafficking. At least within the sex trafficking realm, research suggests that LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately impacted. In other words, the percentage of LGBTQ+ human trafficking survivors is greater than the percentage of LGBTQ+ individuals in the general population. LGBTQ+ individuals experience unique challenges and have historically been marginalized and underserved. Moreover, human services professionals in the trafficking realm generally recognize that “relationship IS the intervention.” This fundamental principle forms the basis of this presentation. These human service professionals need basic knowledge of LGBTQ+ concepts and terminology, as well as supportive actions for LGBTQ+ individuals, in order to develop relationships. This session will review what it means to be LGBTQ+, some of the various identities that fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, working with pronouns, and tips for creating safer and more affirming spaces. The presentation will be activity based and emphasize application, asking participants to identify how they will incorporate lessons into their work once they return home. The presenters welcome those who are unfamiliar or apprehensive about the topic and will strive to create a space where participants can openly voice their questions and apprehensions.
Presentation Objectives:
· Define basic concepts related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, as well as common terminology used by LGBTQ+ communities
· Provide concrete tips and skills for better supporting LGBTQ+ survivors and creating safer and more affirming environments for them
· Discuss how attendees can apply lessons to their own work
2:50 - 3:20
Breakout Session 4.1
Sex trafficking (ST) is a major public health problem, and service provision for ST survivors poses distinct challenges. A coalition of three agencies in Los Angeles was formed to: 1) identify the barriers ST survivors face in accessing help; 2) identify how the needs of ST survivors may differ from domestic violence survivors; and 3) evaluate a new service model to better address survivors’ needs. Researchers developed and evaluated a new model designed to serve ST survivors through interviews and focus groups with staff and clients. Results indicate that some practices excluded ST survivors from services, including requiring IDs or TB tests. Due to mistrust, survivors were reluctant to answer questions by phone or be picked-up at a police station. Curfews and safety holds triggered feelings of revictimization due to loss of autonomy. Because many came directly from crisis situations, some ST survivors triggered easily, isolated themselves, or were unwilling to open up to strangers. They had difficulty relating to other shelter clients, who generally have very different backgrounds and experiences, and felt judged by them. Substance abuse, legal, education, housing, and job placement services were especially relevant. Changes to outreach services, intensive, tailored case management, more flexible shelter intake eligibility, and specialized services such as single rooms and ST-specific counseling were effective. An appreciation of the physical, social, and emotional impact of trauma on survivors can help agencies avoid re-traumatization. A comprehensive, long-term service model is required to address the unique experiences and needs of ST survivors.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the barriers that ST victims experience in accessing help
· Explain how the needs of ST survivors differ from those of domestic violence survivors
· Discuss how a trauma-informed approach to care could benefit ST survivors
· Identify at least three strategies that could be used by community-based agencies better meet the unique needs of ST survivors
There is much published research and advocacy by victim service providers about the unique needs and challenges that victims of human sex trafficking/commercial sexual exploitation face (Clawson, et. Al ASPE, 2008). It is imperative that those working in the field as service providers and/or advocates recognize that these social determinants of health serve as barriers for getting out of “The Life”, and also mirror the risk factors that led to a victim’s experience with exploitation; thus, requiring coordinated, multidisciplinary efforts to assist victims with social reintegration. Consideration of these factors and evaluations of client outcomes led Cherise to develop the BRIDGE program, designed to move one from Victim, to Survivor, and onward to Thriver. These interventions require far more than basic needs support, and should come with the understanding that the victim needs to be equipped to cope with, combat, and overcome factors in their communities that will not only stand in the way of their progress, but may lead them back into sex trafficking. This presentation will focus on discussing those factors (social determinants of health) and will briefly discuss how we can begin to mitigate them on a macro-level (policy, etc.). This presentation will hone in on how we can create more robust programs, work with partners, and provide more than a “warm hand off” in order to equip victims of sex trafficking with the education, skills, resilience, and continued support that they need to overcome these social challenges to have positive outcomes across the life course.
Presentation Objectives:
· Explain what social determinants of health are and how they serve as barriers to social reintegration for victims of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation
· Describe how a continuum of care network should be established to serve the needs of human trafficking victims
· Discuss best practices that should be incorporated when develop programming to address the specific needs of victims of human trafficking
3:30 - 4:00
Breakout Session 4.2
This presentation will focus on how foreign terrorist organizations are utilizing human trafficking/exploitation to fund/facilitate their criminal activity. This presentation will also examine (pending case in Chicago) how domestic sexual exploitation could fund international terrorism. The presenter will examine the Islamic State/Yazidi genocide, Boko Haram/Chibok School incident, and emerging awareness and links to the U.S. homeland. In November of 2019, Jason Brown was arrested in Chicago, IL for attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Mr. Brown was a leader of Chicago-area street gang and allegedly attempting to provide monetary funds to assist ISIS soldiers engaged in combat. This presentation will explore the emerging nexus of international and domestic trafficking supporting and funding foreign terrorist organizations.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss how foreign terrorist organizations are utilizing human trafficking and exploitation to fund and facilitate their criminal activity
· Examine how domestic sexual exploitation could fund international terrorism through an emerging/pending case in Chicago
The Institute of Medicine and the Center for Disease Control recommend that healthcare providers have knowledge of sex trafficking (ST) indicators and conduct screenings to identify people at risk. However, barriers for healthcare staff who conduct such ST screenings remain largely understudied. The research question that guided this study was, “What are the perceived barriers to ST identification among staff in a high-risk healthcare setting?” This collective case study occurred across 5 sites of a large, high-risk health care organization in a Midwestern state. Researchers conducted 23 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with medical assistants and clinicians (e.g. nurse practitioners). Organizational materials (e.g. ST training modules, screening/risk assessment protocols) were collected. Two research team members conducted independent deductive and inductive coding. Although staff routinely screened by asking “Have you ever traded sex for money or drugs?”, they tended not to introduce the question in ways that were conducive to facilitating disclosures, and/or provided minimal follow-up. Occasionally, staff provided strong examples of follow-up assessment practices that they found helpful in soliciting more information (e.g. assessed patient risk by asking where/how sex exchanges happened). However, participants primarily described avoiding further discussions of ST because they 1) aimed to be non-judgmental and sex positive, 2) viewed following up as someone else’s job, and/or 3) lacked confidence discuss it themselves. There may be some missed opportunities to assess patients for ST risk and use harm reduction strategies or safety plan to address patients’ needs. Implications for healthcare trainings and future research will be discussed.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of a collective case study in a high-risk healthcare setting, including information on perceptions of indicators and healthcare staff's challenges to follow-up
· Discuss recommendations to normalize sex trading questions/disclosure and provide harm reduction strategies for use in healthcare settings
4:30 - 5:00
Wrap-Up Session
Thursday, September 24, 2020
9:00 - 9:30
Morning Welcome
Harold D’Souza is a survivor of labor trafficking and debt bondage in the United States of America. Originally from India, Harold is well educated and experienced in sales management. He has a Bachelor in Business and a Masters of Commerce from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. Harold stepped down from a senior management position in order to pursue the American Dream, which he believed was within his reach. Harold, his wife, and their two sons came to the U.S. following the advice and encouragement of a man who would become their trafficker. For over 18 months, they were exploited at the hands of the human trafficker, losing their freedom and struggling to keep the family safe. Today, Harold is a survivor-advocate with established expertise speaking at conferences all over the world as well as consulting for law enforcement and government agencies on the unique risks and dangers of labor trafficking. This presentation will explore unique methods perpetrators use to enslave other human beings from the mindset of a survivor, as well as discuss the social stigma and psychological impact of being a victim of human trafficking. Further, it will explain some of the ways that communities and professionals can get involved to combat this issue by utilizing survivor-expertise and prevention-education methods.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the survivor's mental, emotional, and societal experience with labor trafficking
· Reveal ways perpetrators exploit labor
· Discuss some of the most powerful survivor-informed methods currently being used to combat human trafficking
LGBTQ+ survivors of human trafficking are disproportionally served within the larger anti-trafficking movement. LGBTQ+ youth, ages 16 -24, are two to seven times more likely to be victimized and face commercial sexual exploitation than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts (Modern Slavery Research Project, 2016; Dank, et al., 2015). There is little effort to reach out to adult LGBTQ+ survivors of human trafficking, many of whom are not identified as victims because of their unique experiences but also because of systematic heterosexism and discrimination faced by this community. There is a widespread lack of resources and educational materials about serving LGBTQ+ survivors of human trafficking, and many organizations feel ill-equipped and under prepared to work with this specialized population. This presentation was created to help organizations build their capacity to competently serve LGBTQ+ individuals and reach survivors that may go unidentified. Attendees will leave the discussion with a better understanding of how to identify biases that leave LGBTQ+ individuals underserved within the existing anti-trafficking movement. By understanding these biases, service providers and organizations can begin to assess the gaps in their programs as well as areas of improvement to make LGBTQ+ survivors feel welcome and safe. The presentation will explore unique challenges and hurdles these survivors face so organizations can incorporate solutions into their overall trafficking programming. By breaking down these unique challenges, anti-trafficking organizations and service providers can gain insight on building relationships and trust within their community to address the services gap provided to LGBTQ+ survivors of human trafficking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss individual and organizational biases against LGBTQ+ survivors of trafficking
· Address gaps in services and areas of improvement for anti-trafficking organization
· Build partnership and trusts within the LGBTQ+ Community
Trafficking individuals are often invisible in the health care setting. In general, health care providers often lack training for identifying and subsequently treating the person who has been trafficked. Sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) are registered nurses who are specifically trained to provide a trauma-informed, evidence-based approach to these patients to provide a thorough and complete medical screening, assessment, examination interventions, and referrals to help identify acute and chronic illnesses and/or injuries, while empowering the patient in the decision process related to referrals and safety/psychological care. Most patients who have been trafficked do not self-report injuries/illnesses. This presentation, through case studies and national guidelines, will discuss how the SANE identifies and cares for the medical and psychological needs of the trafficked person who enters a health care facility. SANE’s are ideally trained to intervene and advocate for the trafficked patient and to subsequently provide a broad spectrum of follow up health (physical and mental) services, which will enable multi-disciplinary team (MDT) members to better serve this vulnerable population.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss what a SANE can do for a trafficked patient
· Describe lessons learned by healthcare providers through case studies
· Explain how the SANE collaborates with other members of the MDT to optimize the best outcomes for this vulnerable population
This presentation highlights the key findings of complex trauma and posttraumatic growth in complex trafficking survivors. Using ecological and trauma-informed lenses, this qualitative, retrospective study used participant-centered methods to explore identity, sexuality, relationships, and factors that facilitate/hinder community reintegration for 15 adult female survivors, using sampling method of purposive convenience selection, with snowball sampling. Criteria included adult females who were trafficked within the USA and separated from trafficker more than one year. Recruitment utilized national networks of survivors and organizations/coalitions. Interview transcripts, photovoice captioned images, and focus groups were analyzed using multi-level conceptual and thematic coding. Participants identified with all aspects of complex trauma, including dissociation, self-perception, relations with others, and systems of meaning (Courtois & Ford, 2009, Spinazzola, J, Blaustein, M, Kisiel, C, Van der Kolk, B., 2001). Critical domains of posttraumatic growth included deep appreciation for life, personal strength, spiritual change, and life meaning, particularly helping others (Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G, 2004). Participants highlighted relationship development as the primary source of growth, emphasizing the value of peer-based support and survivor leadership. The findings of this study affirm the need for ecological and relational perspectives in care of survivors and approaches using a trauma-informed, victim-centered lens. Findings affirm the value of understanding the nuances of complex trauma as well as celebrating the capacity for posttraumatic growth. Furthermore, while relationships are most significantly impacted from the trafficking experience, they are considered the greatest instrument of healing, through offering long-term commitment and belief in the individual. Findings suggest comprehensive recommendations directly from the voices of survivors for community members and service providers. While the impact of trauma is complex and multi-faceted, there is great evidence of posttraumatic growth. While relationships are most significantly impacted from the trafficking experience, they are also considered the greatest instrument of healing. Our community response must consider these implications.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the key components and impact of complex trauma and posttraumatic growth and how they are particularly observed in victims of domestic sex trafficking
· Provide recommendations for post-trafficking community reintegration that come directly from survivors of sex trafficking
10:00 - 11:00
Breakout Session 1
9:50 - 10:20
Breakout Session 1.1
Bonded labor is an illegal practice that compels laborers to provide services to an employer for little or no wages. Though outlawed by the Indian government in 1976 through the Bonded Labor (Abolition) Act, it still flourishes underground. Lack of technological modernization, social inequality, ineffective labor laws, and a demand for low cost labor are some of the factors that fuel bonded labor in India. Capacity building, awareness campaigns, and advocacy with the Public Justice System in project areas of Tamil Nadu, a State in South India, has shown a change in the trend of bonded labor cases. A qualitative analysis of the bonded labor cases encountered from 2006 to 2019 showed that there was a reduction in the bonded labor elements of advance, minimum wages, restriction of freedom of employment, and restriction of freedom of movement. The level of exploitation experienced by the laborers in terms of physical and verbal abuse had reduced considerably. Interviews with field level staff, survivors, non-governmental organizations, and government stakeholders revealed that that these changes were attributed to increased detection of cases, awareness among the labor community, and effective government machinery. The laborers were given better wages and their quality of life had improved. They were able to access rehabilitative services offered by the government and were able to utilize better medical and public services than before. A multi-pronged approach fueled by political will has resulted in effective implementation of labour practices.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the risk factors for bonded labor in India
· Discuss strategies to influence the Public Justice System
· Analyze the trends in bonded labor cases
10:30 - 11:00
Breakout Session 1.2
This project’s research objective is to generate ideas for how sensing and modeling technologies can be used to estimate the extent of labor trafficking in the agricultural industry of Florida. Advancements in technology have transformed mechanisms used by human traffickers to operate. At the same time, technology provides an unprecedented opportunity for law enforcement to uncover these illicit activities. The primary methodologies presented in this talk are 1) a literature review and 2) cross-sectional survey. First, the literature review investigates two forms of technology to support policing: sensing and modeling. Sensing technologies include the use of drones, satellites, imaging, and other advanced equipment for the observation and detection of an event or activity (Klemas, 2015). Modeling technologies refer to computational and mathematical models (e.g. data analytics, pattern mining, optimization, and simulation) for the recognition and response to an event or activity. Some technologies, including remote sensing, pattern mining of flight datasets, bank records, and cash withdrawals have been used to combat sex trafficking (Watson et al., 2015 and QC et al., 2016) and to maintain border security (Coulter, 2009). Florida ranks 3rd in number of human trafficking reports (Florida Strategic Plan for Human Trafficking). While sex trafficking is a major challenge, labor trafficking, particularly in agriculture and tourism and hospitality industries, are the dominating forms of trafficking within the state of Florida (Florida Strategic Plan for Human Trafficking). The presenters will share preliminary mixed-method results from a cross-sectional stakeholder survey on the use of technologies to estimate agricultural labor trafficking. The survey’s objective is to understand the challenges and technological needs of labor-trafficking stakeholders (e.g. police, non-profits, policy-makers, researchers, etc.).
Presentation Objectives:
· Evaluate and analyze how sensing and modeling technologies can be used to estimate of the extent of labor trafficking in the agricultural industry of Florida
· Present results of a literature review on the role of technology in human trafficking
· Share findings of a stakeholder survey on how sensing and modeling technology can be used to support policing of human trafficking
· Network and receive feedback on early-concept research plans and objectives
A series of in-depth focus groups and an online survey of 157 anti-trafficking advocates around the world revealed that advocates are passionate and committed to their work, but face several barriers that are a persistent source of frustration. Advocates reported they lack targeted training, meaningful connection to experts, knowledge of evidence-based practices, and access to funding and resources to sustain their work. Advocates also report they are often under-paid and undervalued. Despite these frustrations, they still desire to “bring more victims to freedom, traffickers to justice, and survivors to wholeness”. The Emancipation Nation Network was developed to respond to these frustrations. “The Network” is a global organization developed to connect advocates from around the world, via an online network and phone application. As a member of the Network, advocates gain access to human trafficking and social justice focused information, courses, workshops, and can join live events to hear expert speakers each month. Members also have access to assessment and screening tools, human trafficking focused grant proposals, jobs announcements, and are provided titles and abstracts of recently published research articles. Now the solutions to your problems, the barriers to your progress, and the answers to your most pressing questions are at your fingertips. Membership is free, but only to committed advocates. This session will discuss the study findings, explain the Network, and instruct attendees on how to get connected and ways to use the Emancipation Nation Network to meet their needs.
Presentation Objectives:
· Identify persistent barriers faced by anti-trafficking advocates despite their profession, position, and approach
· Provide solutions that address persistent barriers so that advocates can effectively respond to the issue of human trafficking
In India, numerous castes practice customary prostitution (Dolson, 2014; Jha & Sharma, 2016) that is either religious (e.g., Devadasi) or tribal (e.g., Bacchara, Perna, Nat, Bedia) based. Little is known about tribal-based prostitution. Among the Bedia, sex trafficking has manifested as a customary and intergenerational form of family and community survival. Intended as a “micro-analysis” focused on small regions (e.g., a town) or those with “special, delimited populations,” (Weitzer, 2015, p. 232) two research questions guided this study: First, what are the multiple intersecting social and personal vulnerabilities that put Bedia at risk for trafficking into the commercial sex industry and how do these compare with the HT literature? Second, to what extent does sex trafficking among the Bedia reflect the dominant HT discourse—with particular attention to the “ideal” victim and perpetrator conceptualizations? As a phenomenological investigation, in-depth interview data were collected from 31 sex-trafficked Bedia women and girls residing in seven multi-caste villages in central India. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA. With the exception of poverty, vulnerabilities to sex trafficking among the Bedia do not reflect “risk factors” identified in the HT literature. Similarly, the social and cultural dynamics of sex trafficking among the Bedia defy the dominant HT discourse in multiple ways. This investigation highlights the inherent value of small-scale, micro-studies for revealing the complexity of human trafficking across cultures and geographies. Other members of the research team include Kaitlin Roselius, BS; Sarah Erwin, MS, PhD (c); Jessie Peter, MS, PhD (c); Jhaveri Panshal, PhD; Ranjan Mischra, PhD (c) & Sahu, S., MS.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of sex trafficking among the Bedia caste of India
· Identify vulnerabilities to entry into the commercial sex industry (CSI) among the Bedia, in relation to “risk” identified in the human trafficking literature
· Describe the social and cultural dynamics of sex trafficking among the Bedia and explain how these defy the dominant HT discourse
Colombia, South America has unique challenges when it comes to human trafficking. There are unique factors in Colombia that contribute to the human trafficking problem, and the government has taken a proactive approach to combat human trafficking that should be replicated in other countries around the world. In February of 2020, Dr. Sadulski conducted in-country research in Colombia as a guest of the Colombia National Police. This research included interviews and presentations from the leadership of INTERPOL and the Criminal Investigative Directorate in Colombia, which oversee combating human trafficking in Colombia. It was discovered that characteristics in recruitment and coercion are different in Colombia compared to other countries. In particular, the proactive approach of the Colombian government that focuses on five modalities of human trafficking was discovered during this research. These modalities include sexual exploitation, homeless exploitation, marriage for asylum, organ trafficking, and labor exploitation. During this research, the leadership of INTERPOL and the Criminal Investigative Directorate identified the trafficker profiles that are used by the Colombia National Police to identify those engaged in human trafficking. Global implications of human trafficking in Colombia and the international partnerships with 18 countries that have formed an alliance against human trafficking with Colombia was analyzed in an informative presentation. The in-country research provided firsthand insight into Colombia’s approach to combating human trafficking. Recommendations for how other nations can learn from Colombia’s approach were developed. This research will serve as the platform for Dr. Sadulski’s presentation on Colombia’s approach to combating human trafficking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the in-country research study and share firsthand insight into the unique characteristics of human trafficking in Colombia, South America
· Assess the five modalities that INTERPOL and the Colombia Criminal Investigation Directorate use to identify and combat human trafficking
· Discuss specific regions of Colombia that are highly susceptible to human trafficking and what the government is doing in terms of special prosecutors and investigators to address this problem
11:30 - 12:30
Breakout Session 2
11:20 - 11:50
Breakout Session 2.1
This project’s research objective is to generate ideas for how sensing and modeling technologies can be used to estimate the extent of labor trafficking in the agricultural industry of Florida. Advancements in technology have transformed mechanisms used by human traffickers to operate. At the same time, technology provides an unprecedented opportunity for law enforcement to uncover these illicit activities. The primary methodologies presented in this talk are 1) a literature review and 2) cross-sectional survey. First, the literature review investigates two forms of technology to support policing: sensing and modeling. Sensing technologies include the use of drones, satellites, imaging, and other advanced equipment for the observation and detection of an event or activity (Klemas, 2015). Modeling technologies refer to computational and mathematical models (e.g. data analytics, pattern mining, optimization, and simulation) for the recognition and response to an event or activity. Some technologies, including remote sensing, pattern mining of flight datasets, bank records, and cash withdrawals have been used to combat sex trafficking (Watson et al., 2015 and QC et al., 2016) and to maintain border security (Coulter, 2009). Florida ranks 3rd in number of human trafficking reports (Florida Strategic Plan for Human Trafficking). While sex trafficking is a major challenge, labor trafficking, particularly in agriculture and tourism and hospitality industries, are the dominating forms of trafficking within the state of Florida (Florida Strategic Plan for Human Trafficking). The presenters will share preliminary mixed-method results from a cross-sectional stakeholder survey on the use of technologies to estimate agricultural labor trafficking. The survey’s objective is to understand the challenges and technological needs of labor-trafficking stakeholders (e.g. police, non-profits, policy-makers, researchers, etc.).
Presentation Objectives:
· Evaluate and analyze how sensing and modeling technologies can be used to estimate of the extent of labor trafficking in the agricultural industry of Florida
· Present results of a literature review on the role of technology in human trafficking
· Share findings of a stakeholder survey on how sensing and modeling technology can be used to support policing of human trafficking
· Network and receive feedback on early-concept research plans and objectives
12:00 - 12:30
Breakout Session 2.2
This project’s research objective is to generate ideas for how sensing and modeling technologies can be used to estimate the extent of labor trafficking in the agricultural industry of Florida. Advancements in technology have transformed mechanisms used by human traffickers to operate. At the same time, technology provides an unprecedented opportunity for law enforcement to uncover these illicit activities. The primary methodologies presented in this talk are 1) a literature review and 2) cross-sectional survey. First, the literature review investigates two forms of technology to support policing: sensing and modeling. Sensing technologies include the use of drones, satellites, imaging, and other advanced equipment for the observation and detection of an event or activity (Klemas, 2015). Modeling technologies refer to computational and mathematical models (e.g. data analytics, pattern mining, optimization, and simulation) for the recognition and response to an event or activity. Some technologies, including remote sensing, pattern mining of flight datasets, bank records, and cash withdrawals have been used to combat sex trafficking (Watson et al., 2015 and QC et al., 2016) and to maintain border security (Coulter, 2009). Florida ranks 3rd in number of human trafficking reports (Florida Strategic Plan for Human Trafficking). While sex trafficking is a major challenge, labor trafficking, particularly in agriculture and tourism and hospitality industries, are the dominating forms of trafficking within the state of Florida (Florida Strategic Plan for Human Trafficking). The presenters will share preliminary mixed-method results from a cross-sectional stakeholder survey on the use of technologies to estimate agricultural labor trafficking. The survey’s objective is to understand the challenges and technological needs of labor-trafficking stakeholders (e.g. police, non-profits, policy-makers, researchers, etc.).
Presentation Objectives:
· Evaluate and analyze how sensing and modeling technologies can be used to estimate of the extent of labor trafficking in the agricultural industry of Florida
· Present results of a literature review on the role of technology in human trafficking
· Share findings of a stakeholder survey on how sensing and modeling technology can be used to support policing of human trafficking
· Network and receive feedback on early-concept research plans and objectives
Lunch Program
12:45 - 1:15
Human trafficking will never be overcome without first dealing with the demand side of the equation, where statistics show that buyers are predominantly men. After spending 10 years fighting trafficking with Fierce Freedom, Jenny Almquist made a radical choice to do something different in the struggling fight against demand. This session will discuss her decision to hire John Pulley, a former buyer, to find new ways to fight demand as well as the surprisingly effective impact that has had in reaching men and getting them involved in the fight. Attendees will discover the benefits gained from getting inside the mind of a reformed buyer and how this can assist you in our mission to eradicate human trafficking. After this session, attendees will leave with new strategies to communicate effectively with men and get them actively involved in the fight, will understand the impact a reformed buyer has had on legislators and law enforcement officials, and will know the right questions to ask of yourself and your organization before engaging with a former buyer.
Presentation Objectives:
· Challenge agency leaders to resource former buyers to fight demand
· Offer a space where practical questions can be discussed regarding organizational programming with a former buyer
· Give real life examples of challenges and successes
This presentation will cover the “why” and “how” of collecting data on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE) with trafficking survivors. Participants will review the importance of providing clients with the opportunity to discuss SOGIE, emerging practices on how to respectfully ask about this topic, sample SOGIE questionnaires, and common challenges to implementation. Meaningful opportunities to discuss SOGIE and collect data are rare among systems of care. This workshop is based on a multi-year collaborative partnership across three systems – child welfare, juvenile justice, and homeless youth services. In turn, this initiative is founded on the direct input of young people with lived experience. The presenters want to provide other jurisdictions around the country with the opportunity to share in their lessons learned. This session moves beyond basic LGBTQ+ competency training to focus on talking to youth about SOGIE and collecting data on it. The presentation is based on the work of the eQuality Project at the Center for Children & Youth Justice, which has partnered with juvenile courts, child welfare, and homeless youth service providers across Washington state to implement SOGIE data collection. The presentation is interactive and relies on pair and group work to review materials and for discussion. An emphasis is placed on application, so that participant’s leave with a clear idea of how to implement lessons learned once they return from the conference.
Presentation Objectives:
· Explain the importance behind providing youth the opportunity to discuss SOGIE and collecting data from those discussions
· Identify promising practices for discussing SOGIE with youth and collecting SOGIE data
· Identify strategies for addressing challenges related to SOGIE data collection
This presentation focuses on older adolescents with intellectual disabilities involved in child welfare systems and their risk of sexual victimization during transition to young adulthood. Limited studies have pointed to elevated rates of intellectual disabilities among adolescents who are sex trafficked (Reid, 2018). Using a weighted sample of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19.5 years, a secondary analysis of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II) was conducted. Two research questions were posed: 1) What factors are associated with transitioning adolescents experiencing sexual assault? 2) What factors are associated with transitioning adolescents engaging in transactional sex? Using a weighted sample of 334 adolescents ages 18 to 19.5 years, logistic regression analyses examined the relationships between sexual victimization and levels of intellectual ability, social supports, and neighborhood cohesion. Results indicate 2.5% of the adolescents experienced a sexual assault in the past 12 months and 3.9 % had engaged in transactional sex in the past 6 months. Being female was associated with greater odds of experiencing a sexual assault in the past 12 months. Higher intellectual ability scores were associated with lesser odds of engagement in paid sexual activity in the last 6 months. Caregivers, case managers, and youth can be trained to recognize the signs of sexual assault and exploitation. Prevention of sexual victimization through enhanced supports and community connections is explored in light of the Family First Prevention Act of 2018 and the Prevention of Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of the NSCAW II study and new information concerning adolescents with disabilities exiting child welfare systems
· Describes the current research on the sexual victimization of adolescents with disabilities involved in child welfare systems
· Discusses the research findings of this study and implications for social work practice during transition from child welfare services
This presentation describes best practices for making the most effective use of data, statistics, analysis, and other research to support human trafficking programs. Both new and existing research and analysis on human trafficking can be a powerful tool to strengthen a wide variety of organizations and programs. These resources support programs through more accurate identification of victims and perpetrators, identifying the most effective practices and actions, developing supporting statistics for grant proposals, fostering data-driven decision making in your organization, and engaging with volunteer statisticians. Presented at an introductory level and designed for people without analytic experience, this presentation helps program leaders and volunteers make the most of research and analysis on human trafficking. Capabilities and best practices are illustrated using Polaris data summarized by state and year, available for public use on their website. These raw data will be used to demonstrate some of the different ways data and analytics can be applied for maximum impact. Examples include a non-technical overview of how these data were used to identify risk factors for human trafficking, a description of analytic decision making showing how these data are being used to advise on legislation, and creating charts and maps to tell how the risk of becoming a victim is higher in some places and situations. These examples will show how to move from analytics to action to help find victims, strengthen programs, and guide organizations in the fight against human trafficking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe different kinds of research and analysis and how they can be used
· Discuss best practices to partner with researchers to support your program
· Illustrate some of the ways researchers can help, including managing data, new research, and help in developing grant proposals
· Help program leaders, managers, and supporters become more data-driven in their decision making
1:30 - 2:30
Breakout Session 3
The majority of language and imagery used in human trafficking education and awareness efforts is ineffective at telling a dignified and comprehensive story about human trafficking. The presentation will begin by exploring the words and imagery that come to mind when society hears or reads the phrase, “human trafficking.” The presenters will lead a discussion about where those messages come from and why advocates and the media often choose to use that framing. To encourage critical thinking, the presenters will use the story of Cyntoia Brown-Long to highlight the need to be more inclusive and trauma-informed when creating the mainstream narrative of human trafficking. They will talk about what trafficking really looks like by analyzing popular images frequently used to tell that story. The presenters will use tips from survivors from the My Story My Dignity campaign led by Freedom United to teach advocates and the media how to do a better job. The presenters will give examples of imagery and language that is best-practice, then facilitate an activity where participants will review a media story to determine whether or not the author uses respectable messaging. The presentation will conclude by sharing additional resources with participants, and will challenge them to take what they’ve learned back to their organizations and communities to hold us all more accountable to a better narrative.
Presentation Objectives:
· Identify and critique images and language used in trafficking awareness efforts
· Reframe stories of trafficking to respect the dignity of survivors
· Propose better language, imagery, and storytelling techniques
Housing remains the #1 most expressed need for survivors as communicated by law enforcement, victim advocates, and social service agencies. This session outlines the landscape of shelter programs available to survivors along with the types of services and postures of response available at different points in the survivor’s healing trajectory. The Samaritan Women has embarked on a significant national initiative to address the gap in residential care programs to meet the specialized needs of trafficking survivors. As of July 2020, The Samaritan Women-Institute for Shelter Care has identified 9 states with no residential shelter program and 6 states with just one service provider. Our goal is to establish 20 additional shelter programs and equip 24 existing providers over the next 5 years.
Presentation Objectives:
· Outline the landscape of shelter care available to survivors of human trafficking in the United States
· Provide research-based statistics on the national gap in services
· Describe the Institute's plan for bridging the gap
This presentation will discuss the new Minnesota tool for identifying human trafficking and exploitation for ages 13-17. Developed in 2020 by a diverse group of professionals and survivor leaders, this tool seeks to increase the identification of human trafficking and exploitation among youth across the state. It is a tool designed for those who work with youth, but may not be serving them in the same way or level as those dedicated to human trafficking services. This tool is intended for professionals within schools, juvenile detention centers, and others. There are many human trafficking risk assessment tools available like the Vera Institute for Justice’s Trafficking Victim Identification Tool; Office on Trafficking in Persons’ Adult Human Trafficking Screening Tool and Guide; National Human Trafficking Hotline’s Comprehensive Human Trafficking Assessment Tool. This tool will focus on the identification of trafficking situations, both labor and sex, as well as exploitation, that are occurring or have occurred in the past based on the federal and the Minnesota definitions of human trafficking. The presenters will explore the process of development, the content of the guide, and the tool itself. Attendees will be able to develop or adapt an identification tool specific to their state, region, or organization.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the new Minnesota toolkit
· Discuss the difference between a risk assessment and the identification tool
· Explain the process of development in order to help attendees create or adapt a similar tool
As the anti-trafficking movement gains traction, experts within the field are increasingly asked to share their knowledge as guest speakers, workshop leaders, and trainers. Their experience and expertise have earned them the right to speak, and their hard work merits a presentation that spotlights their achievements and discoveries. However, too often, experts in the field of human trafficking with important information unintentionally hijack their own presentation with a less than compelling delivery. Nancy Hardcastle has seen many such experts unable to maximize the platform they’ve been given simply because they don't know how to communicate their work in an engaging manner. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way. Human trafficking experts can also become talented public speakers and, in doing so, dramatically increase their impact. To that end, this session is designed to help presenters improve their speaking skills and is appropriate for those with any level of speaking experience. Using examples from the field of human trafficking, Nancy will cover three areas that have the potential to radically transform a presentation: 1) capturing an audience’s attention from the beginning; 2) organizing information strategically; and 3) creating effective PowerPoint slides. Attendees who incorporate this information into their presentations will be able to communicate their research, projects, and programs more effectively and, as a result, motivate and inspire audiences to become active, educated participants in the anti-trafficking movement.
Presentation Objectives:
· Explain why a captivating beginning is crucial, how to create one, and the ways conventional wisdom related to introductions has gotten it wrong
· Illustrate organizational strategies that increase audience engagement
· Demonstrate effective PowerPoint slide guidelines and provide opportunities for attendees to practice applying these principles
3:00 - 4:00
Breakout Session 4
2:50 - 3:20
Breakout Session 4.1
As efforts continue to better serve victims and survivors of sex trafficking, it is equally important to focus research efforts on understanding prevention, particularly those informed by survivors. This study was designed to address a specific research inquiry of “How do survivors of sex trafficking conceptualize prevention?” This mixed-methods study was conducted online and included (N=26) adult survivors of sex trafficking in the U.S.; participants received a gift card for their time. When asked “How can we prevent sex trafficking” during a qualitative brainstorming session, participants identified 125 various statements of prevention. Once brainstorming was complete, researchers performed a Content Analysis removing duplications or incomplete statements. No statements were removed based upon a perceived value or relevance to the study (Krippendorf, 2013). This resulted in a final set of 96 unique statements. During the second (quantitative) phase of the study, participants were invited back to first create groupings of the statements. These groupings represent the ways in which survivor participants perceive relationships/themes among the individual statements. After completing this activity of grouping the statements together, participants were then asked to rate all 96 statements according to two variables, Importance and Feasibility, separately. Upon completion of participant involvement, Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) and Hierarchical Cluster Analyses (HCA) were used to identify the collective themes and relative Importance and Feasibility according to survivor participants. This presentation will highlight survivor conceptualizations of prevention through their groupings (sorting) and discuss in-depth the meaning and action steps of each grouping. These results, while not generalizable, may be used to guide and develop prevention programming for sex-trafficking. The other contributor to this research is Dr. Justin “Jay” Miller, Dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the importance of survivor participation in strategizing prevention
· Explore survivor recommendations for prevention action/programming
· Discuss the importance of mixed-methodology contribution to survivor inclusion as well as strength and rigor in research
3:30 - 4:00
Breakout Session 4.2
At-risk youth are often excluded from research. Without eliciting their views, subtle but important factors influencing decision-making processes and self-conceptualization may be missed. Engaging this population in research is a means of respecting and affirming them as individuals, and is central to developing effective policies. However, efforts to engage with at-risk youth can be hampered by barriers such as the need to overcome distrust resulting from repeated trauma or stigmatization, and limited research opportunities with this hard-to-reach population. This presentation describes lessons learned from a yearlong study examining the lived experiences of at-risk youth at a Taiwanese placement facility for teenage boys in foster care or juvenile court. Researchers used a strengths-based approach to explore health needs and sources of resiliency and support through Photovoice, a qualitative research method in which participants produce photographs and narratives to communicate their perspectives. Researchers found that at-risk youth may lack the introspective or communication skills to express themselves, especially verbally, and are often unaccustomed to being asked to articulate their views in a research study. The presenters will discuss the six lessons learned in this research: 1) consider ethical challenges, 2) use symbolism, 3) develop mutual trust with participants, 4) take time to develop participants’ introspective skills, 5) disseminate study results widely, and 6) include participant empowerment as a key objective. These lessons may be helpful for others implementing similar studies in order to promote social justice among this population.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the importance of including at-risk youth in research pertaining to them
· Discuss how to use a strengths-based approach in research
· Provide an overview of the methods and results of this study using photovoice
· Identify ways to conduct effective research among this population
4:30 - 5:00
Wrap-Up Session
Friday, September 25, 2020
9:00 - 9:30
Morning Welcome
10:00 - 11:00
Breakout Session 1
Presenters will provide a look into the Adult Advocacy Centers (AACs). The Adult Advocacy Centers are the first centers that will be equipped to provide holistic, accessible, and trauma-informed services to adult crime victims with disabilities in a universal and multi-sensory environment. The AACs will work in partnership with state, regional, and community agencies to coordinate a response that promotes the safety and well-being of all individuals. To provide these services, the AACs will facilitate multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) within local communities. A deeper look into this unique approach to victim services will assist participates in understanding best practices for survivors.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the Adult Advocacy Center model
· Discuss how communities can work together to form a multi-disciplinary team to have a holistic response with this model
· Explain how a universal and multi-sensory building design allows for truly inclusive services for crime victims
Reconnecting back to life after selling your body to different people isn’t easy. Renee Jones survived human trafficking, and she will share her life story on how she got in it and how she got out. Renee will explain using role play and a short film on how the police handle her as well as other victims. Renee will break down the names that pimps, tricks, and the law enforcement use on the streets. Renee will breakdown the tricks that are used on social media with something as simple as a flattering comment on Facebook. Renee has documents from 1983 to 1987 from the courts of New York City to Cleveland, Ohio of each of her human trafficking cases that she would like to explain how victims are handle, charged, and booked for human trafficking. Renee will conclude the presentation with the grooming process, how and why pimps use their women to hunt other girls for them, and how pimps build trust and chip you away from other relationships.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the survivor's lived experience
· Describe ways a person would get into and out of human trafficking
· Present court documents from three states showing how each state handled human trafficking cases
Presenters will provide a look into the Adult Advocacy Centers (AACs). The Adult Advocacy Centers are the first centers that will be equipped to provide holistic, accessible, and trauma-informed services to adult crime victims with disabilities in a universal and multi-sensory environment. The AACs will work in partnership with state, regional, and community agencies to coordinate a response that promotes the safety and well-being of all individuals. To provide these services, the AACs will facilitate multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) within local communities. A deeper look into this unique approach to victim services will assist participates in understanding best practices for survivors.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the Adult Advocacy Center model
· Discuss how communities can work together to form a multi-disciplinary team to have a holistic response with this model
· Explain how a universal and multi-sensory building design allows for truly inclusive services for crime victims
In recent years, the phenomenon of the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) has primarily centered on the victimization of girls and young women. The research has focused on gender-specific victims. But sexual victimization is universal and not gender-specific, affecting both girls and boys. The sexual exploitation and trafficking of boys and young men is a pervasive - though often invisible - problem worldwide, including in the United States. It affects its victims' health and ability to thrive, and leads to a host of psychosocial, medical, and environmental problems. It nevertheless continues to be largely ignored and denied by social and governmental agencies. However, research has begun to untangle the multiple factors that lead to the sex trafficking of boys, from a poly-victimization (including sexual victimization), to homelessness, to multi-generational participation in prostitution, to lack of screening by appropriate agencies due to the false belief that boys are not victimized. The recognition of male victims of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation is now only emerging in the public consciousness. In all its abusive forms, it begs for further exploration and training from a multi-disciplinary perspective to bring this to the forefront of providers for the benefit of service needed for this population. Attendees will learn factors that contribute to the sexual exploitation of males, ways in which males identify living the “Life”, and services need to support males from exiting the “Life”.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss risk factors of CSEC/trafficking of males
· Describe ways in which males define living the "Life"
· Explain the services males need to support exiting the "Life"
Human trafficking and prostitution are deemed to be one of the biggest social problems in Ethiopia today. A review of the literature indicates that rarely do scholars consider the link between local sex trafficking and street-prostitution. Additionally, that research which is available has inadvertently limited the knowledge and understanding of these two interrelated social concerns. This study aimed to build knowledge filling identified gaps. The research was positioned through a Radical Feminism theoretical framework, documenting the narrative lived-experiences of ten street-prostitutes. Participants took part in three separate interview sessions aimed at discussing the three original research questions (part of the larger study). These interviews resulted in a total of thirty recorded cassettes of participant narratives. Due to the scale of the overall qualitative data, this presentation will focus on a subset of the overall research. The subset identified here is that which clarifies and discusses the relationships maintained by women in street-prostitution. Applying the term “relationships” in discussion with street prostitution is not common to begin with, not to mention to concept that a prostitute is capable of relationships. This presentation will elucidate that misconception as well as identify relationships as seen through the eyes of prostitutes. Areas of relationships include law enforcement, street vagabonds, crime addicted individuals, male customers, protectors, and with other street-prostitutes. In this way, the presentation brings light to human experiences of those involved in street prostitution and in turn underscores the humanity of prostitutes.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe street-prostitution in Ethiopia
· Discuss how narrative stories of women in street-prostitution are a valid and needed contribution to research and literature endeavors
· Explore the humanity of street-prostitutes, particularly through the lens of relationship development
11:30 - 12:30
Breakout Session 2
This session explores a continuum of trafficker control, personal freedom of movement, and autonomy as evident in three confirmed cases of sex trafficking which were prosecuted in a U.S. District Federal Court. These court cases are examined with methods of control theory, pertaining to instinctive aversion developed by David Grossman (2014), and the four stages of entrapment as developed by Barnado’s Street Lanes Project (Swann, 1998). This session will examine control, freedom of movement, and autonomy so as to develop and encourage future strategies for prevention by human service practitioners and law enforcement, as well as future research. The focus will be on address the grooming and maintenance process that sex trafficking survivors have experienced as well as methods to overcome such situations.
Presentation Objectives:
· Present three confirmed cases of sex trafficking and examine them using control theory
· Examine control, freedom of movement, and autonomy to develop and encourage future strategies for prevention and future research
Drawing on an innovative study with trafficked young people in England, this presentation charts the development of a participative child trafficking research methodology. Child trafficking research with young people as active participants is scarce due to methodological barriers of gaining access (Goździak, 2008; Kelly, 2012) and a mistrust of adults (Hynes, 2010). “Embodied circles” (Gearon, 2020), a dynamic method of improvised dance, is presented as a creative method that successfully built trust and fostered young people’s engagement. An argument is made that the physical dimension of “embodied circles” enriches the research process for both researcher and participants, promotes social bonding, and aids confidence in participation and expression. “Embodied circles” is a novel method of not only addressing barriers in trafficking research, but also communicating epistemology, empowers participants, and is therapeutically aligned with trauma recovery approaches (Van der Kolk, 2014). The adaptability of “embodied circles” to different cultures is highlighted. This original participative child trafficking methodology will be of interest to those who seek to conduct research with at-risk, marginalized, and traumatized people. The ethical challenges of participation, practical examples of “embodied circles” and the importance of empowerment in the research process is highlighted.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss ethical challenges and ways to mitigate these in trafficking research
· Share research methods which successfully engaged marginalized and traumatized young people
· Highlight the importance of empowerment and trauma-informed approaches in trafficking research
Geared toward professionals who work with survivors of trauma, and particularly those interested in dissociative disorders, this engaging presentation will provide a greater understanding of how early childhood sexual abuse, the human brain, and human trafficking are all connected. Amy’s personal testimony will leave you inspired and hopeful for a future without human trafficking. Amy presents the data and her own experience with abuse, severe dissociation, substance abuse, cognitive issues, and deeper systemic issues. There is an emphasis on Dissociative Identity Disorder, its prevalence among survivors of long-term trauma and implications related the diagnosis; a diagnosis for which Amy is very familiar. While no child, or adult, is completely immune from the evils of human trafficking, those who have already experienced severe trauma are more likely to fall victim. Preventing human trafficking has proven to be a difficult endeavor, but do not lose hope. Through realistic approaches in mental health, early education, law enforcement, and foster care, intervention and restoration are possible.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss how early childhood sexual trauma impacts the developing brain
· Explain how childhood sexual abuse, children in foster care, and sex trafficking are all connected
· Describe early intervention, support systems, and holistic therapy options to help heal trauma
11:20 - 11:50
Breakout Session 2.1
Identity development is an important area with which professionals working with children should be familiar. The number of biracial children in the United States is increasing (Saulny, 2011) and, although this may not be the reason that a child presents for initial intervention, it is an area that often should be explored. This presentation will discuss the biracial experience as well as review the similarities and differences between black and white racial identity development in the United States and address special challenges for the biracial child. Attendees will be provided a framework for understanding healthy biracial identity development and how to translate this information into practical care giving strategies. This is how one can help youth grow up with pride, confidence, and a strong sense of self (Hud-Aleem & Countryman, 2008). Attendees will gain a greater understanding of the biracial experience including identity development, problems biracial youth experience, and issues such as acceptance and belonging, family position, friendship/relationships, body image, and effectively communicating and engaging with biracial youth (Shih & Sanchez, 2005).
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the biracial experience
· Discuss the similarities and differences between black and white racial identity development as well as biracial identity development in the United States
· Describe ways to engage biracial youth
12:00 - 12:30
Breakout Session 2.2
Renee Adams was adopted at the age of 2, to a middle class family. They worked hard, but their expectations of their child were “harder”. By the age of 13, Renee was placed back into the orphanage, The Miami Children's Home. By the age of 14, Renee began to runway, as she felt she didn’t belong; she was broken. Her days of walking the streets became tiring, until a couple of her so-called friends offered her a place to stay. Little did she know, that’s where it would all begin. Since her “friends” had done Renee a favor of finding her a place to stay, they now wanted payment for letting her stay there. She was only 14. Her predator began kicking her, as blood splattered from her head. The next thing she knew, she was taken to a truck stop to perform sexual activities for payment with knives to her throat and guns to her head. Renee decided that she could not live this way. Since the age of 17, she has lived a life as a survivor, until she became vulnerable with herself, by ripping off the band-aid and coming to grips on who she is and how worthy her life means to her. She now identifies as a Thriver! Renee will share her story in hopes that she can bring more awareness to others to end human trafficking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss the survivor's lived experiences and how she entered back into the system
· Explain how and why she endured sex trafficking
· Express how the vulnerability within herself became my blessing in disguise
· Describe her plan to move forward to bring more awareness and help end human trafficking
While health care providers are in a unique position to be able to respond to the needs of trafficking victims, they often do not have the training necessary for appropriate identification and response (Pardee, Munro-Kramer, Bigelow, & Dahlem, 2016). Studies surrounding the knowledge of health care providers in rural areas are scant (Cole & Sprang, 2015). The main goal of this research was to provide empirically-grounded data about knowledge and needs of key health care professionals in terms of identification and response to human trafficking victims/survivors in a frontier/rural state. A convenience sample of 404 health care professionals (including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapist, dentists, social workers, health sciences faculty, and other medical professionals) were recruited to complete an anonymous survey. Descriptive analyses were conducted using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-24). Key findings include an increased knowledge of: providers’ professional preparation around human trafficking; their overall awareness of trafficking and specific knowledge of trafficking policies and confidence to respond; providers’ sense of responsibility to engage in identification of human trafficking as a routine element of practice; providers’ use of formalized protocols in the practice setting and knowledge of community resources, and; needs for the improvement of a coordinated statewide trafficking response. Such findings and other results will be presented and translated into both overall recommendations for improving the knowledge of and response of health care professionals to human trafficking in the state, as well as the role of social workers in ensuring collaborative research, practice, and advocacy.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss health care provider perceptions of the issue of human trafficking in the frontier context
· Identify cultural, social, professional, and other barriers to health care providers’ ability to respond to human trafficking
· Provide recommendations for improving the knowledge of and response of health care professionals to human trafficking and improving research, policy, training, and service capacity for human trafficking victims and survivors in the frontier state
12:45 - 1:15
Lunch Program
1:30 - 2:30
Breakout Session 3
Mass incarceration has a far-reaching impact when an estimated 70 million, 1 in 3 adults have a criminal record (American Civil Liberties Union, Back to Business: How Hiring Formerly Incarcerated Job Seekers Benefits Your Company, 2017). The impact of mass incarceration is exacerbated due to collateral consequences. Collateral consequences can be defined as hidden sanctions which emerge automatically at the onset of a criminal conviction. They are referred to “hidden” since they are not formally quantifiable in a sentence or imposed penalty. Due to the disproportionate rate in which African-Americans are incarcerated, collateral consequences have a profound impact by limiting access to jobs and professional licensure and restricting access to the ladder of economic mobility. This presentation explores the evolution from forced slave labor to convict leasing to the tangled web of mass incarceration; examines how collateral consequences impact the African-American community’s economic mobility and restricts its access to financial liberation; and offers strategies for policy changes.
Presentation Objectives:
· Develop a deeper understanding of the history of mass incarceration and collateral consequences
· Explore legal and policy implications of collateral consequences (i.e. attorneys do not have a duty to warn clients about collateral consequences except when immigration status is impacted in criminal cases)
· Develop systemic change strategies from the theoretical framework of Planting People Growing Justice© (leadership, social justice advocacy, public policy advocacy)
This presentation will be on sex and labor trafficking of individuals with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and their vulnerability to traffickers. Risk factors, signs of victimization, trauma, and prevention will be discussed. Attendees will learn how human trafficking affects individuals with IDD physically and behaviorally. Presenters will assist attendees in how to develop and establish protocols and supports within the DD system. They will also discuss how to implement community integration in a safe and playful manner to protect our individuals from labor trafficking. The session will also cover some labor trafficking stories in order to protect the DD population from employers who have immoral practices. Cases will be discussed based on real life experiences and factual data gathered from Disability Right Ohio research. Presenters will also utilize a Disability Fact Sheets and a powerful video called “The Boys of Atalissa”. Attendees will take away how their individual vulnerabilities have made them targets in the United States as well as overseas.
Presentation Objectives:
· Inform the community that IDD individuals are being targeted for human trafficking
· Describe risk factors of human trafficking within the IDD population
· Assist with how to develop and establish protocols and supports in the DD system
· Discuss how integration in the community can be a risk for IDD individuals to be labor trafficked
· Describe how our own systems can cause barriers and limitations in this area
The speakers will address three different impacts, behavioral responses, and needs pertaining to trauma that sex trafficking victims and service providers may experience. The impact on development that trauma has presents itself in many forms: acute, chronic and complex (Peterson, 2018). The speakers will focus on complex trauma, as that is what a majority of sex trafficking victims experience. Secondly, they will explain in-depth the different responses to trauma, such as: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. These four responses each carry varying implications that are critical for service providers to understand when providing services to victims of sex trafficking or others dealing with complex trauma (Walker). Lastly, the speakers will conclude their presentation with addressing healing needs and treatment approaches to individuals experiencing complex trauma and sex trafficking victims. Trauma impacts the person physically, emotionally and relationally. Trauma has both a short and long term physiological impact on the brain function, immune system, and overall general bodily health. In regard to the emotional impact of trauma, it causes the need for counseling, mindfulness habits, and skills training. This emotional impact in turn affects one's relational health and idea of relational health, such as secure attachment, community, family boundaries, friendships, and intimate relationships (Kolk, 2015). The speakers’ goal is to relay to the audience a deeper understanding of trauma and how having an understanding of it greatly impacts the victims served and gives them the understanding they both need and deserve.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss trauma's impact on development and three types of trauma common to victims of sex trafficking: acute, chronic, and complex trauma
· Outline the trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) and the varying implications each has
· Explain the healing needs (physical, emotional and relational) and treatment approaches for each area
3:00 - 4:00
Breakout Session 4
When investigating labor trafficking cases, investigators must consider a series of steps involved in building a labor trafficking case that includes victim recruitment, case discovery and management, case prosecution, and the resulting response from victim services providers. Investigators will benefit from expert knowledge that demonstrates a holistic approach to investigating a labor trafficking case. This presentation will identify several processes involved in a labor trafficking investigation. Topics to be explored will include common vulnerabilities of trafficking victims who are exploited in their recruitment or forced entry by traffickers; identification of common labor trafficking worksites, discovery methods, and investigative strategies; and the use of multidisciplinary teams to manage and prosecute labor trafficking cases while also providing services to victims. This presentation is designed to improve the awareness, responsiveness, and accountability among law enforcement, businesses, communities, and other stakeholders on labor trafficking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide an overview of labor trafficking, common indicators, and victim vulnerabilities
· Provide strategies to identify common labor trafficking worksites, discovery methods, and investigative approaches
· Discuss the use of multidisciplinary teams to manage and prosecute labor trafficking cases
· Discuss innovative investigative strategies to aid in the successful investigation and prosecution of labor trafficking cases
Trafficked individuals are often invisible in the health care setting (Peck et al., 2020). Asphyxiation (strangulation and/or suffocation) is a serious medical condition that involves intentional pressure applied to the neck that is often used as an effective tool to gain power and control over the already vulnerable sex trafficked patient. This presentation will focus on the dynamics of strangulation, the repeated exposure of strangulation, and the medical consequences to the sex trafficked patient. Despite the severe consequences of being strangled repeatedly and often on a daily basis, general medical providers often fail to address the specific needs of the trafficked survivor (Faugno et al., 2013). Recognizing the signs and symptoms of strangulation in the trafficked patient and concentrating on getting the trafficked survivor appropriate medical care can often provide them with life-saving medical care. Identification of patients who have been strangled, once or more than once, will enable multi-disciplinary team (MDT) members to better serve this vulnerable population.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss risk factors, signs, and symptoms of asphyxiation in sex trafficking patients
· Describe when to refer patients to medical providers when necessary
· Explain how to collaborate with other members of the MDT to identify trafficking victims who have been asphyxiated
Edee will share with you how she and her team built the much needed 2-year program, Sanctum House, for adult women survivors of sex trafficking. Creating a program takes love for subject, patience, and persistence. Before a program can become a reality, it needs a foundation. To build a program with integrity and quality takes time. Doing your research is a necessity. It is essential to engage all members of the human trafficking community so that you can acquire knowledge of the needs in the field for the victims. It is essential to educate yourself on how to build the appropriate team, then enlist the support of your community. You must network, and engage with qualified, experienced, and committed people. It is this group that you will join forces with to build a planning team and begin building the foundation of your organization. It is important to be clear on your vision and mission statement. By visiting and learning about other programs, it will help you understand who you want to serve and who you do not want to serve. Once you decide who and what you want to be, it is from there you start to build your program. Edee will leave attendees with some of the specific steps their team took to build their program. These are steps that you too can take to build an organization that will not only help to heal the people it serves, it will fill the mission that you decide is yours.
Presentation Objectives:
· Discuss how Sanctum House was started
· Describe who and how to engage with the community to create awareness for need and funding
· Discuss how to decide what type of program you want to create
Those who intend to do harm to another person look for vulnerability and a lack of confidence and self-esteem in their potential victim. Understanding how trauma related outcomes create vulnerabilities in victims of childhood abuse helps advocates, first responders, teachers, foster/kinship care providers, and others understand the behaviors of these children. Learn how the experience of trauma impacts the development of children, their behaviors, and how trauma sets them up as potential victims of human trafficking. Learn processes for assisting children to develop a healthy path of healing and building a resilience protocol to support these children. Find alternative methods of behavior modification and learning tools to equip children to understand their feelings in a positive manner.
Presentation Objectives:
· Define trauma and discuss its effect on child development, self-esteem, and confidence
· Describe how trauma effects child behaviors in different settings and possible triggers to consider
· Explain how to develop protocols to assist children with trauma and adults suffering from childhood trauma that remains untreated
· Discuss how to build resilience in children of trauma
4:30 - 5:00
Wrap-Up Session
Art Exhibits, September 23-25, 2020
Your story matters. Your voice matters. Your experience matters. Your autonomy matters. I Want You to See Me is a creative, collaborative piece with the intention of shining a light on the stories and experiences that are often ignored, forgotten, or distorted and amplifies the voices of those who have been silenced. This narrative performance removes the layers of lenses that are often used to fuel disconnection and drive false narratives in order to truly highlight human dignity. I Want You to See Me invites the audience to acknowledge the personal and societal barriers that prevent us from truly seeing one another and facilitates participants to obtain a deeper level of understanding and connection across communities. I Want You to See Me gives platform to individuals who have been oppressed, marginalized, or exploited and gives them the reigns on how they want to be seen, heard, understood, and remembered.
Performance Objectives:
· Provide attendees with education and awareness regarding oppression, trauma, and exploitation
· Provide hands on materials regarding advocacy, mental health, and recovery
· Provide elements of narrative therapy to those sharing their stories as way for them to reclaim autonomy over their personal narratives and to counteract against stigma.
Performance Showtimes:
· Wednesday, September 23rd @ 11:30 am EST
· Wednesday, Setpember 23rd @ 7:00 pm EST
· Thursday, September 24th @ 11:30 am EST
· Thursday, September 24th @ 9:00 pm EST
· Friday, September 25th @ 11:30 am EST
· Friday, September 25th @ 7:00 pm EST
Purchase Tickets Online HERE.
This exhibit is intended for education, relaxation, and therapeutic interactions. We understand the topics discussed throughout this conference are vital but can also be draining. Should you feel as though you need a mental health break, find yourself with a gap between sessions, or if you just love art and are interested in how it can be used for coping and relief, come explore this interactive exhibit!
Exhibit Objectives:
· Use art as a coping mechanism to deescalate attendees who may be in distress
· Create a space where attendees can feel safe
· Provide attendees with accurate information about the benefits of art on the body and mind
· Provide hands on materials for attendees to interact with and learn from
Young adult artists and writers from Toledo-area high schools share their experiences and perspectives on societal stigmas, stereotypes, and mental health. This art experience aims to highlight the individuality of the artists, celebrate their resiliency, and fuel connection across generations. This exhibit provides a space for attendees to explore and learn about the concepts of narrative, biases, traumas and struggles, relationships, and the use of art as a therapeutic process. Most importantly, this exhibit hopes that attendees will utilize the ability to see the individuals that are often hidden behind generational stereotypes.
Exhibit Objectives:
· Highlight the use of art as coping skill and therapeutic intervention
· Provide space for teens and young artists to share their stories and shape the narrative of their generation
· Celebrate resiliency
· Understand mental health, stereotypes, social stigma, and trauma from the perspective of young adults
This art experience provides attendees a space to learn from, connect with, and understand the stories of those who are living with mental illnesses. This exhibit aims to highlight the ways in which art can be a coping skill, form of expression, and/or a therapeutic intervention. The theme "Seeing Me" focuses on the need to value the individual, their resilience, their artistic process, and their talent – above their mental health struggles. Art is a form of language and expression, and through the art in this exhibit, it is the goal to create a space where the topic of mental health can be explored, but furthermore, that the individual’s abilities and experiences can be celebrated.
Exhibit Objectives:
· Highlight the use of art as a coping skill and therapeutic intervention for mental illnesses
· Express lived experiences of individuals living with mental illnesses
· Provide a safe space for exploration, conversation, and celebration of mental health
Young adult artists and writers from Toledo-area high schools share their experiences and perspectives on societal Sarah Demerath is a survivor of childhood trauma and sex trafficking. Throughout her life, Sarah has turned to art as an emotional outlet, coping mechanism, and as an avenue for self-expression and escape. Her life experience has led her to become a peer-to-peer counselor & case manager at Convergence Resource Center (CRC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and she has assisted the CRC in creating the first transitional housing center specifically for survivors of sex trafficking in the state of Wisconsin.
Sarah’s physical artwork is heavily entwined with her love for music, through which she finds a source of inspiration and motivation. Sarah hopes that by telling her story through art, she can inspire others to connect with their own resiliency, creativity, and self-worth.
Exhibit Objectives:
· Share a survivor’s life experience through art
· Inspire resiliency and highlight creativity
· Spread the message of art as therapy