Promising Practices in Preventing Youth Sex Trafficking: The SAVVY Project
Camille Beausejour, BA & Kaitlyn Ranasinghe, BA, MA | September 19 | 1:45-2:45 pm EDT
Topic: Programming | Knowledge Level: Intermediate
Sex trafficking/sexual exploitation are growing concerns in Canada. Working with survivors and those vulnerable to trafficking, BridgeNorth witnesses the prevalence of trafficking/exploitation in youth populations firsthand. With the inescapable presence of social media, youth are more accessible and vulnerable than ever to traffickers and exploiters. Yet there remains a dearth of comprehensive prevention programming for youth. As service providers, it is increasingly vital to step in early, equipping youth with the knowledge and skills they need to keep themselves safe, experience positive/ healthy relationships, build their self-esteem, and thrive. Initially funded by Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada to develop a promising prevention practice, BridgeNorth’s SAVVY Project piloted prevention programming for vulnerable youth. Co-designed with survivors of sex trafficking, it includes presentations, psychoeducational groups and one-on-one support to vulnerable youth, and education and training to parents, educators, and service providers. Through an independent, external evaluation, the SAVVY Project is demonstrating positive results and contributing to the development of promising practices in anti-trafficking prevention for youth. This presentation explores promising practices in anti-trafficking prevention for vulnerable youth by examining BridgeNorth’s SAVVY Project. It will outline the project, its activities, successes, challenges and adaptations, and the development of promising and best practices for anti-trafficking prevention. Survivor-led program design, peer mentorship, adaptability, and reduction of barriers for participants will be identified as key to successful prevention programs. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of the risk factors associated with trafficking/exploitation, and emerging best practices to contribute to its prevention.
Presentation Objectives:
• Provide an overview of the SAVVY Project’s development, contents, and implementation
• Review the SAVVY program’s evaluation results
• Discuss the impact and importance of prevention programming in anti-human trafficking sectors
• Discuss promising and best practices in anti-trafficking prevention with youth