Makwa Dodem is an Indigenous-led program of Ally Global Foundation that works to equip Indigenous communities in Canada to prevent sexual exploitation through culturally safe, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approaches. Indigenous peoples are disproportionately impacted by human trafficking, representing over 50% of the reported cases in Canada. When it comes to the prevention of trafficking and exploitation, there is a lack of resources available that are grounded in Indigenous culture. To address this, the Makwa Dodem team works through various stages to build relationships with communities, collaborate to gather community insights, train members of the community in the Makwa Dodem prevention curriculum, and support the implementation of these curricula in a community-led manner. This approach focuses on upstream prevention by promoting consent, healthy relationships, cultural connection, and overall well-being. This presentation will unpack the lessons learned from piloting these approaches, specifically with two communities on Treaty 4 in Saskatchewan. Key insights will be shared from the program’s application of Dr. Dustin Louie’s academic research on sexual exploitation prevention education for Indigenous women and girls and the experiences gained from international collaboration. This presentation will not only reflect on the program’s methodological insights but also celebrate its impacts, demonstrated through community testimonials and improved prevention outcomes. The session aims to inspire attendees to consider how these insights can be applied to enhance their own community engagement projects. The focus will be on facilitating a deep and meaningful exchange of knowledge that respects and honors the diverse experiences and wisdom of each attendee.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe how Makwa Dodem has prioritized culturally grounded community engagement

•  Explain the importance of community-led solutions and Indigenous leadership in designing and implementing prevention strategies

•  Discuss the challenges faced in program implementation and the solutions developed to overcome them

•  Highlight the successes and measurable impacts of the program, showcasing how these approaches can be modeled in other contexts

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At the heart of this discussion is the complex and often arbitrary distinction between sex workers and sex trafficking victims. Current criminalization models fail to address the nuanced realities of individuals involved in the sex trade, frequently treating victims of trafficking as criminals—perpetuating cycles of trauma and impeding access to justice and support services. Criminalization perpetuates generational harm by compounding trauma, reinforcing stigma, and maintaining systemic inequities that disproportionately affect sex workers and trafficking survivors. This presentation offers a concrete objective for case workers, service providers, and law enforcement working directly with incarcerated or recently released victims: to shift from punitive frameworks to trauma-informed, survivor-centered approaches in one-on-one interactions. "Boots on the ground" can play a crucial role by validating survivor experiences, minimizing retraumatization, and ensuring pathways to resources without requiring cooperation with law enforcement or penal systems as a precondition for support. Case workers and first responders can also become powerful allies in the push for decriminalization by documenting systemic harm, offering diversion alternatives rooted in dignity rather than discipline, and challenging internal protocols that criminalize survival. Additionally, the fear of criminal penalties discourages sex workers from reporting violence or exploitation, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and further victimization. Evidence increasingly shows that decriminalization offers a path toward reducing violence, improving safety, and empowering individuals to seek help without fear of legal repercussions. The session calls for the full decriminalization of prostitution, immunity laws protecting sex workers who report violence, and improved care standards for women reentering society after incarceration. Attendees are urged to act not only as advocates, but as implementers—bringing these values into their daily interactions with justice-impacted individuals.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•       Define the 4 models of criminalization and how they influence the mental and physical health and well-being of criminalized survivors and sex workers

•       Promote immunity policies that protect sex workers who report violence, without requiring cooperation with law enforcement

•       Identify how reentry systems can support formerly incarcerated women through trauma-informed, rights-based approaches

•       Help advocates, first responders, and jail/prison reentry staff to better understand the complicated nuance of criminalized victims-and to respond with empathy, flexibility, and survivor-centered support

•       Encourage on-the-ground professionals to become agents of change within their institutions by aligning daily practices with de-carceral and harm reduction principles

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Health professionals have an opportunity to assist patients who are experiencing many types of violence, including human trafficking; however, current approaches are often not person-centered. The Provide privacy, Educate, Ask, Respect and Respond (PEARR) Tool, a recognized screening tool in the U.S., is a structured conversation guide for health professionals on how to provide trauma-sensitive assistance to patients who may be experiencing such violence, including human trafficking. This presentation will share a foundational overview of labor trafficking and offer practical insights to applying the PEARR tool to provide trauma-sensitive assistance to patients who may be experiencing abuse, neglect, or violence, such as human trafficking. It promotes an approach in which relationships with patients are fostered before further screening is conducted. Participants will be introduced to HEAL Trafficking’s newly released workbook, HEALing Labor Trafficking: Case Studies and Best Practices, co-written with partners at Justice at Work. Utilizing real labor trafficking case studies, participants will take a deeper dive into providing trauma-informed care for labor trafficking cases.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe real-world case studies from HEAL’s Labor Trafficking Case Workbook (a free resource for all attendees)

•  Report how the PEARR Tool provides health professionals trauma-sensitive support to patients who may be experiencing abuse, neglect, violence

•  Demonstrate actionable strategies to apply immediately into current practice

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The complexities of human trafficking require integrated, trauma-informed responses that bridge gaps between law enforcement and survivor support. This study examines the Helping Alliances with Law Enforcement and Trafficking (HALT) model by Victim Services Durham Region (VSDR) as a case study in best practices. Conducted through a Community-Based Participatory Action Research approach, this research was a collaboration between Ally Global Foundation and Queen’s University, ensuring survivor voices were centered at every stage. This study evaluates the HALT model’s efficacy in improving survivor identification, engagement, and support. Developed between 2018 and 2023, HALT is a trafficking-specific, survivor-led model built within a police-affiliated victim services program. Its three core goals of prevention, identification, and intervention are guided by six core values: survivor-informed/ survivor-led, relational, intersectional, harm reduction, trauma-responsive, and client-centered. Findings from interviews, surveys, and program data highlight the HALT model’s effectiveness. Referrals to VSDR increased more than sevenfold since HALT’s launch, and police statements from survivors rose by 30%, enabled by proactive outreach initiatives, education sessions, and embedded survivor-led crisis teams. Qualitatively, survivors and service providers credited the model’s peer-led, trauma-informed approach with fostering trust, validating lived experiences, and reducing fear of law enforcement. The model’s coordinated case responses, flexible intake, and embedded partnerships were also noted as key factors in strengthening cross-sector collaboration and improving access to wraparound support. This presentation will explore the strengths and limitations of the HALT model, highlighting lessons learned, policy implications, and recommendations to enhance survivor-centered, trauma- informed approaches in anti-trafficking efforts.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of the study, including research questions, methodology, and preliminary findings

•  Discuss the implications of survivor-centered approaches in anti-trafficking efforts

•  Examine systemic barriers within law enforcement and victim services that impact survivor engagement

•  Offer recommendations for improving victim services and law enforcement collaboration

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Human trafficking is simultaneously local and global. It is a complex, nexus crime involving cross-border networks that rely on highly localized systems and relationships. Recruitment and control methods are particularly culturally dependent and context-specific. Stakeholders must incorporate knowledge and perspectives from multiple levels to gain an accurate picture of the problem and tailor solutions that simultaneously address individual needs and the international nature of the issue. The Exodus Road is learning the value of incorporating multiple types of knowledge. The presenters will share their experience, both positive and negative, in setting up an International Advisory Board to incorporate voices from lived experience experts, front-line investigators, vulnerable groups such as Indigenous populations, and key global decision-makers. The audience will follow the trajectory of this program’s way of working internationally applying learnings from its inception to its present-day form. Four presenters in a panel format will provide background, problem, proposed solution, and lessons learned when setting up an International Advisory Board to guide global programmatic decisions. Each presenter will focus on a specific issue encountered and how it was overcome, including cross-cultural communications, prioritization, incorporating voices, and recognizing global trends. Practitioners must be able to operate in a highly local way while not missing out on the opportunity to contribute to global learning. Trafficking patterns and technology use are inherently global, not respecting traditional borders or language barriers. The call to action is to incorporate a “zooming in and zooming out” approach while creating communication structures that accommodate voices from critical stakeholders.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Frame the problem by explaining the need to incorporate multiple voices and the common barriers that prevent the effective sharing of ideas

•  Present the current structure and background of The Exodus Road’s International Advisory Board and the lessons learned along the way

•  Provide suggestions for organizations and researchers to incorporate both local and global knowledge effectively

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This training will equip anti-trafficking professionals with practical strategies for implementing ethical data collection and collective impact principles—a framework where organizations from different sectors commit to a common agenda and shared measurement systems to solve complex social problems. Brittany Dunn and Bill Woolf will demonstrate how standardized data practices are transforming fragmented anti-trafficking efforts into a coordinated national movement. Attendees will learn specific methodologies for collecting, sharing, and analyzing survivor data that maintain dignity and privacy while enabling seamless service delivery. Through case studies, presenters will examine how regions have created successful coordinated response systems where: 1) Survivors receive immediate, appropriate care without repetitive intake processes, 2) Resources are allocated based on evidence rather than assumptions, 3) Service gaps are identified and addressed systematically, and 4) Cross-sector partners develop shared accountability measures. The training covers practical implementation steps for developing ethical data protocols, establishing data governance structures, and creating trauma-informed data collection practices that build survivor trust. Attendees will learn how to initiate collective impact approaches in their community by identifying backbone organizations, establishing shared measurement systems, and fostering mutually reinforcing activities across stakeholders. Attendees will walk away understanding how to leverage both data-driven decision-making and collective impact methodologies to create a more effective, responsive anti-trafficking ecosystem that eliminates service fragmentation while honoring survivor dignity and agency.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss how to implement ethical, trauma-informed data collection protocols within their organizations

•  Discuss how to initiate or strengthen cross-sector collaborations using collective impact methodology

•  Present lessons from successful regional coordination models to their local context

•  Discuss how to design governance structures for responsible data sharing across organizations

•  Present action plans for integrating data-driven decision-making into anti-trafficking work

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Approximately 21,450 young adults, many of them women, come to the United States on J-1 visas every year to work as au pairs for American families. Au pairs have reported that U.S. au pair agencies, which are supposed to act as intermediaries between au pairs and host families, engage in fraudulent recruitment practices which misled them about the nature of the position. The current U.S. au pair system leaves au pairs vulnerable to various forms of exploitation. One solution would be to classify the au pair program under the U.S. Department of Labor and reform the program to increase federal oversight. The J-1 visa program also needs to be reformed to allow au pairs to easily change jobs without approval. Although au pair J-1 visa holders are not tied to a single employer like foreign workers on other temporary visa types, they still must receive approval from their original visa sponsor before changing employers. This makes it difficult for au pairs to leave situations involving labor exploitation and trafficking. The presenter will discuss the policy implications of reclassifying the au pair program under the U.S. Department of Labor and specific reforms that would work to reduce vulnerabilities that make labor exploitation through the U.S. au pair system possible. Attendees will understand the mechanisms of the U.S. au pair program, including pain points that make it ripe for exploitation and how policy reform could alleviate these pain points.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explain the structure of the U.S. au pair program, including its classification under the J-1 visa and the role of private recruitment agencies

•  Analyze how the current oversight system leaves au pairs vulnerable to exploitation, including fraudulent recruitment practices and labor abuses

•  Discuss the policy implications of reclassifying the au pair program under the U.S. Department of Labor to improve federal oversight and worker protections

•  Propose specific reforms, such as allowing au pairs to change employers without sponsor approval, to reduce vulnerabilities to labor exploitation and trafficking

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This presentation shares findings from a collaborative research initiative led by the Global Association of Human Trafficking Scholars (GAHTS) Survivor Research Group examining the complex experiences of survivor leaders in the anti-trafficking movement. This mixed-methods approach includes survey data from 87 survivor leaders across 4 continents and in-depth qualitative interviews with a diverse subset of participants, specifically designed to capture often-overlooked perspectives including male survivors and labor trafficking survivors. The preliminary findings reveal concerning patterns: 79% of survivor leaders report experiencing tokenization at least occasionally, nearly 90% face exploitation or unfair compensation, and 89% report being treated as less competent despite their expertise. The qualitative interview phase explored these challenges in greater depth while identifying promising practices for meaningful inclusion. This survivor-led research initiative is uniquely positioned to provide insights into effective organizational relationships, financial sustainability, and professional development pathways for survivor leaders. Presenters will share emerging themes from the interviews regarding how organizations can move beyond performative inclusion to authentic collaboration, highlighting concrete recommendations for researchers, organizations, and policymakers committed to addressing power imbalances. Finally, the presenters will provide evidence-based recommendations that center survivor voices and experiences in developing best practices for the field.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of research findings on challenges survivor leaders face in anti-trafficking work

•  Present qualitative insights on the relationship between organizational practices and survivor leader experiences

•  Discuss evidence-based recommendations for meaningful inclusion of survivor expertise in research, policy, and program development

•  Highlight the importance of diverse representation in survivor leadership, particularly for historically marginalized groups

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Substances are often used in the process of recruiting, grooming, and controlling victims of human trafficking, and victims and survivors may rely on substances to cope with their victimization and other traumatic experiences. They often experience compounded stigma and shame, and may even be criminalized or penalized, facing various challenges to getting their needs appropriately met through community-based services and systems responses. Often, providers working to address substance use and providers working to respond to trafficking are siloed from one another, sometimes lacking the appropriate training and resources to properly identify, refer, and provide services to individuals. Presenters will review public health data related to drug overdoses in Minnesota and will also review data collected and analyzed from the Minnesota Student Survey showcasing which youth are most impacted by this overlapping issue, focusing on different experiences they have compared to their peers. Presenters will also use research conducted by Caroline Palmer and reviewed by Subject Matter Experts with Lived Experience in Minnesota to explore how substances are used in trafficking and how systemic barriers and service gaps impact victims and survivors’ access to adequate services and support, including opportunities to exit trafficking and exploitation and recover from addiction. Understanding how substance use, exploitation, and trafficking overlap is key to increasing proper identification of individuals at this intersection and promoting a person-centered, trauma-informed, harm-reducing, appropriate, and timely response. Presenters will share key recommendations for providers and stakeholders including examples of projects, initiatives, and approaches from Minnesota.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Review Minnesota data and research highlighting the overlapping issues of substance use and human trafficking, including disparities faced by certain populations and common experiences amongst youth

•  Explore the various gaps and challenges faced by victims and survivors who use substances

•  Share key recommendations for providers and other stakeholders seeking to understand and address the overlapping public health issues of substance use and human trafficking

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In conducting qualitative field research, especially involving a vulnerable population on a highly sensitive topic, challenges emerge that require research flexibility. Indeed, van Assche and colleagues (2023) astutely muse, “The practice of science is never merely an application of [the] scientific method, it is also a craft,” (p. 44). Their statement is germane to the presenters’ experiences investigating human trafficking (HT) in Kyrgyzstan, a former member of the Soviet Union. Although HT is thought rampant in Kyrgyzstan, little empirical data exist. Thus, the aim of this presentation is threefold, including: (1) delineation of key challenges confronted in an investigation of HT in Kyrgyzstan, where little prior literature exists; (2) discussion of key decisions made over the course of the study to overcome those challenges; and (3) explanation of how the study was transformed in sample, theory, and methodology, given challenges encountered and decisions-made. This discussion is significant on a number of fronts. First, the presenters provide a realistic account of field work adaptations that are not uncommon in qualitative methodologies, but which are rarely discussed. Realistic difficulties and how those can be approached is particularly relevant for new scholars. Second, this discussion reveals limitations of dominant methodological paradigms, thereby opening avenues for research, policy, and practice implications. Finally, this presentation will provide a window into the cultural and political conditions which deeply impact the diversity of lived experiences of HT survivors. This too has broad implications for continued research, policy and practice.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of key challenges that make research on sex trafficking in Kyrgyzstan extremely difficult-but also necessary

•  Describe key methodological challenges encountered in an investigation of human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan

•  Explain critical decisions made in response to challenges encountered in the field that transformed the data collection strategies, sample, theory, and foci of this research

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This presentation will focus on forensic nursing and the medical forensic exam. It will begin with an overview of the forensic nursing specialty, highlighting the populations served—such as survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and other forms of intentional injury. The structure of forensic nursing programs will be explored, including the importance of collaboration with law enforcement, prosecution, victim advocates, and other community partners. The presentation will then delve into the medical forensic exam, a specialized and trauma-informed process conducted by trained forensic nurses. Key components include obtaining a medical history, conducting a physical assessment, taking forensic photographs, collecting and preserving evidence, and providing necessary medical care. These exams are crucial not only for supporting criminal investigations and potential prosecution, but also for ensuring that patients receive timely, compassionate, and holistic care during a vulnerable time. Additionally, the role of the forensic nurse in providing expert courtroom testimony will be discussed, underscoring the importance of accurate documentation and communication in the legal process. The presentation will conclude by emphasizing the importance of consulting a forensic nurse and the value they bring to cases of victims impacted by violence. These professionals are uniquely trained to balance medical care with forensic evidence collection, increasing the chances of achieving justice while prioritizing the survivor’s well-being. Resources will be shared to help viewers locate forensic nursing services in their area.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Identify the role of a forensic nurse in caring for those impacted by violence, including human trafficking

•  Discuss poly-victimization experienced by those being trafficked

•  Define the benefits of a medical forensic exam

•  Discuss how to find forensic nursing services in local areas and ways to develop partnerships

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Cisgender mental health professionals’ experiences providing services to sex workers identifying as transgender or gender non-conforming were explored in this research study. Providing nonbiased and culturally appropriate care is an ethical obligation of mental health professionals, including providing culturally competent care to the minority subpopulation of transgender and gender non-conforming sex workers. The main research question was “How do cisgender mental health professionals make meaning to experiences in providing services to transgender and gender non-conforming sex workers in the U.S.?” There was no current research on cisgender mental health workers’ experiences with providing services to transgender or gender non-conforming sex workers in the U.S. Providing non-biased and culturally appropriate care is an ethical obligation of counselors, including to this minority population. In this qualitative study, the researchers used semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling to understand the experiences of mental health professionals who have worked with the population. Cisgender mental health professionals providing services to transgender sex workers experience radical shifts in perspective and worldview. Work with the population often results in challenges because of a lack of resources, including counselors lacking specific training, education, or competent supervision. Providing training, education, and supervision surrounding the use of culturally specific language, building and maintaining rapport, practicing openness and affirming behavior, and increasing knowledge of resources, cisgender mental health professionals providing services to the population will have more support and awareness.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of the research study, including main questions, methodology, and findings

•  Describe the implications and recommendations based on the research

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Alicia Tappan will provide a testimony of overcoming from CSEC and self-exploitation, to building a survivor-centered, led, and trauma-informed agency that builds capacity for leadership development and professional credibility for survivors. This session engages the need for long-term care for survivors, as well as creating a transformative justice system that includes survivors’ voices for victims coming out of trafficking. This session will provide milestones of the recovery journey, a basic understanding of psychological theories, concepts, and definitions of common trauma responses for survivors. The training will equip survivors to become independent through professional development and leadership in the anti- trafficking movement. The audience can expect to receive resources for de-escalation techniques, understanding the need for survivor-led public speaking/training, building contracts, and how to negotiate their skills as a professional tool for other agencies.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Empower survivors to change the narrative of human trafficking through lived experience and subject matter expertise

•  Provide ways to build credibility for survivors and take back their dignity at the expert level

•  Enhance a survivor's leadership and professional development skills

•  Discuss how to ensure restorative and transformative justice to their healing journey

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Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries with $150 billion in annual profits and an estimate of over 27.6 million victims exploited through commercial sex or forced labor activities. While transportation of a victim is not compulsory for a crime to be considered human trafficking, the transportation industry plays a crucial role in every stage of the trafficking process. This is especially true for labor trafficking victims, who generally have severely limited or no mobility during long periods of exploitation. As such, there is a great need for dedicated research focused exclusively on labor trafficking. Overwhelming evidence suggests that labor trafficking (without the presence of overlapping sex trafficking charges) is woefully under prosecuted in the U.S. This study seeks to close a gap in understanding the labor trafficking timeline by examining the role of transportation through a systematic review of labor trafficking cases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate successfully litigated cases with respect to the role of transportation. The insights from the 16 opinions selected, issued at various points in the litigation process, shed light on ways the transportation network can disrupt the trafficking process, serve as a resource point for victims attempting escape, and support prosecution of traffickers.

Presentation Objectives:

•  Help the transportation industry and anti-trafficking practitioners understand the role of transportation in labor trafficking through a systematic review of labor trafficking in U.S. court records

•  Demonstrate how the transportation network can aid in disrupting the trafficking process, serving for safe exit strategies for victims attempting escape, and facilitating prosecution of traffickers

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In this session, Brittany Dunn and Alia Azariah highlight the potential of AI-driven solutions to enhance early intervention and improve outcomes for survivors. The presentation begins with an overview of the urgent need to address reporting gaps that allow trafficking to persist undetected. Their central argument emphasizes that technology, particularly AI-enabled triage and survivor-led language, can empower bystanders, law enforcement, and service providers to identify and respond to trafficking swiftly. They illustrate these concepts through a discussion of innovative programs that incorporate round-the-clock reporting channels, robust data security, and trauma-informed communication. This approach ensures that survivors feel supported and understood, while stakeholders receive credible leads for effective intervention. Examples of successful cross-sector collaborations underscore the presentation’s core message that strategic partnerships, combined with accessible technology, can dismantle barriers preventing timely assistance. In conclusion, Dunn and Azariah recommend broader adoption of tested AI models and a unified framework for multi-agency coordination, encouraging participants to integrate these best practices in their communities. The call to action is clear: invest in trauma-informed, secure reporting systems, foster collaboration across disciplines, and amplify survivor voices to transform the fight against trafficking. This session reaffirms that AI technology, when ethically and thoughtfully deployed, holds promise for bridging the gap between silent exploitation and meaningful intervention.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Demonstrate how AI-driven tools can facilitate rapid, trauma-informed responses to suspected cases of human trafficking

•  Highlight successful cross-sector collaborations that enhance early intervention and resource allocation

•  Illustrate the potential for discreet 24/7 reporting channels to encourage earlier survivor engagement

•  Provide participants with practical strategies for implementing these solutions in diverse communities

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The internet is now the front line of exploitation and human trafficking, and many parents and practitioners are ill-prepared to help youth navigate its challenges. The statistics are alarming: 80% of child sex crimes involve social media platforms which 94% of teens use daily, 36 million tips of online child enticement are reported annually in the U.S., and sextortion ranks as the fastest-growing crime against children in North America. To address this crisis, anti-trafficking organization, The Exodus Road (TER), created Influenced™, a research-driven prevention program designed for 6-12th grade students and their caregivers. This comprehensive approach uses Gen Z-approved presentations, video-based learning, and skills-building workshops to address sextortion, cyberbullying, privacy protection, grooming, and impacts of technology on mental health. Data from extensive pre/post surveys reveals the program's critical need and effectiveness. In one 2024 workshop, 68 Colorado students shockingly reported over 100 instances of online enticement. Similar findings were discovered across 54 workshops in 9 states, where 84% of teens report encountering predatory behavior through social media or gaming. Following the Influenced™ workshop, students express feeling empowered to refuse participation in online negativity (84%), engage more mindfully in relationships (85%), and implement practical skills to identify predators and protect themselves (87%). An overwhelming 92% believe the program is effectively helping peers stay safe online. This session offers evidence-based strategies for implementing digital safety education, proven approaches to engaging youth and caregivers in critical conversations, and practical resources for attendees to address online dangers within their communities.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Build a case for digital safety education

•  Present relevant learnings from the frontlines of youth online safety programming, as well as ongoing questions and challenges to be explored

•  Offer proven approaches to engaging students and caregivers in critical conversations related to recognizing, preventing, and responding to online dangers

•  Provide practical resources for attendees to engage in digital safety education on behalf of their own communities

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Anneke Lucas is a survivor of extreme child abuse and was trafficked in exclusive, international circles. Because her perpetrators were both powerful and organized and the abuse was extreme, she has spent decades working through the countless emotionally triggering events related to power and empowerment. Relating her own experiences of power abuse both in her childhood as well as on her long healing journey, she shows that the need to substitute wounded self-esteem with power, position, or status is present everywhere, and that societal hierarchy is in fact trauma-based. She evokes emotional resonance with her approach of intertwining her personal experiences with the larger societal questions around power. She introduces a psychological application she has developed and teaches, which looks at power dynamics between victims and perpetrators both on the personal and global levels. She addresses the psychological mechanisms which underlie human interactions and which shape the global hierarchy. Attendees will walk away with a new awareness of how we each participate in the toxic power structure through our own projections of power and tools to use our own upward or downward projections as a lens into unresolved trauma or unmet emotional needs. This talk invites everyone to become empowered from within, in the context of healing the world.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe the survivor's experience with power abuse, both in childhood as in the healing process

•  Explain what was learned about power dynamics as a result of this experience

•  Address what each person can do to even out power imbalances in themselves, and in reflection, in the world

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Integrating data from two qualitative studies, this presentation will explore the often unidentified and unaddressed impact of shame on sex trafficking survivors. The first study focused on the impact and experiences of sex trafficking survivors through the lens of complex trauma and posttraumatic growth. Participants completed open-ended interviews, took photos, and participated in online focus groups to explore identity, sexuality, relationships, and factors of community reintegration including what survivors described as helpful in their aftercare and healing process. Data analysis included multi-level conceptual and thematic coding. Data revealed how experiences before, during, and after being trafficked perpetuated shame, which in turn, impacted the shaping of their identity. The second study was a recent mixed-methods study that explored the potential impact of trauma related shame on survivors of child sex trafficking and identified the influence shame has on the pathology of complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, the study aimed to provide insight to best practices in supporting survivors as they receive interventions, especially in their mental health recovery. This research also explores how survivors of child trafficking define shame and complex trauma from their own lived experience. The findings from both of these studies will be interwoven and presented to participants in such a way that they will leave with a greater understanding of survivors’ expression of how they define and experience shame, how it shows up in their identity formation, and contributors of healing to inform how we approach interaction and services with survivors.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the impact and presentation of shame in sex trafficking survivors

•  Discuss the impact of sex trafficking on identity formation

•  Present key factors important for healing from shame, as expressed by survivors of sex trafficking

•  Explore ways service providers can contribute to identity formation in relating with trafficking survivors

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The global sports industry is expected to grow from $388.28 billion in 2020 to $440.77 billion in 2021. Projected to outpace global GDP, the sports industry is a lavishly oiled, complex machine that is entirely dependent on exceptionally talented individuals with the skills, drive, and discipline to chase their dreams. Oftentimes, young, socially and financially vulnerable athletes are targets for traffickers who hold the deceptive promise of wealth, fame, and opportunity. Traffickers, regularly going by the alias “recruiter,” exploit young athletes through force, fraud, and coercion for social and economic power. There is a dearth of publications, information, and vocabulary surrounding the human trafficking of athletes despite its growing threat to human rights. Though the presenters have identified specific domestic and global legal cases surrounding the topic, they also recognize that the void of information perpetuates this growing and time-sensitive issue and seek to address it. This presentation is a much-needed examination and discourse of this emerging social and public health problem. The presenters will seek to define trafficking within the global sports industry as a human rights violation, identify and explore the push and pull migration factors, and center this call-to-action as an international human rights issue by utilizing methodologies such as case study analysis and systems thinking maps. Conference attendees will begin to recognize the signs of trafficking of athletes from this newly gained information and initiate social justice changes in the sports industry.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Define and conceptualize human trafficking within the sports industry through social work and public health epistemological approaches

•  Discuss the challenges of conceptualizing this multifaceted social problem

•  Identify the areas within the global sports industry where the human trafficking of athletes are the most prominent

•  Identify and define the key vulnerabilities of athletes through the recruitment process

•  Discuss potential solutions and next-steps to addressing this problem

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Human trafficking, mental health, and systemic oppression intersect, requiring a culturally responsive, individualized, and holistic approach to assessment, diagnosis, and intervention. Join clinical, culturally responsive human trafficking experts, Dr. Shobana Powell and Ashante Taylorcox, as they discuss commonly misdiagnosed and misunderstood mental health symptoms among survivors, as well as the co-occurring mental health needs that often accompany their experiences. This workshop is not only for mental health providers but anyone who works with survivors, as a deeper understanding of the intersections of trauma, mental health, and systemic oppression results in a deeper understanding of survivors. This workshop will also examine the impact of systemic oppression, bias, lack of cultural humility, and lack of language access on mental health diagnosis and treatment for survivors of human trafficking. Attendees will learn about the nuances of victim blaming, implicit bias, and adultification bias, and how these factors can shape access to and interactions with mental health support. By the end of the session, participants will have a better understanding of the complexities of human trafficking and mental health, and will be equipped with practical strategies for enhancing their trauma-informed, culturally responsive approaches to assessment, diagnosis, and intervention.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe misdiagnosed mental health conditions and misunderstood symptoms of survivors of trafficking

•  Explain co-occurring mental health needs of survivors of trafficking

•  Discuss the impact of systemic oppression, bias, and cultural insensitivity on mental health diagnosis and treatment for trafficking survivors

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