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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More