This presentation outlines the intersection of human trafficking and armed or ethnic conflicts, highlighting unique patterns of victimization and trafficking structures in such regions. Vulnerabilities, including state collapse, forced displacement, socioeconomic stress, and family breakdown, increase risks for individuals in conflict zones, particularly for women and children. Armed groups exploit these vulnerabilities to conduct trafficking for forced labor, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, and child conscription. The research employs qualitative analysis, drawing from case studies, UN reports, and international literature to identify alarming trends. Findings reveal that trafficking in conflict zones is marked by heightened violence and systematic exploitation. Examples from various regions are included. For instance, trafficking is weaponized as a tool of terror, as seen in the operations of ISIL in the Middle East, the Lord’s Resistance Army in Central Africa, and the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone. Groups like these use trafficking to fund operations, gain political control, and exert social dominance. This presentation underscores the urgency of tailored, multidisciplinary approaches to combat trafficking in conflict zones, advocating for survivor-centered policies, better resource allocation, and international cooperation to prevent and address this global challenge effectively.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explain the intersection between human trafficking and conflict zones, emphasizing the unique vulnerabilities and patterns of exploitation specific to these areas

•  Analyze case studies from conflict-affected regions to illustrate unique patterns of trafficking, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, and child conscription

•  Describe limitations of current data and international frameworks and propose actionable recommendations to improve prevention, data collection, and survivor-centered policy approaches

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For over 15 years, 3Strands Global Foundation (3SGF) has been at the forefront of combating human trafficking through prevention education, survivor services, and advocacy. This session highlights two groundbreaking initiatives: the Survivor Advisory Board (SAB) and The Table Empowerment Center (The Table), located in Sacramento, California. The SAB is a leadership-driven platform where survivors of labor trafficking and sex trafficking inform policies, shape programs, and advocate for systemic change. Members play an active role in developing effective curricula, advising on best practices, and leading community engagement efforts. Complementing these efforts, The Table provides a safe, welcoming space for survivors and individuals at risk of exploitation. As one of the first drop-in centers of its kind in the U.S., The Table offers essential resources—including case management, counseling, job readiness training, childcare, and access to food, clothing, and hygiene products. Beyond immediate services, The Table prioritizes long-term empowerment by measuring the pre- and post-impact of individuals receiving case management, tracking progress in areas such as housing stability, employment, mental health, and overall well-being. These data-driven insights not only inform service enhancements but also strengthen the case for increased funding and policy support at local, state, and federal levels, ensuring that survivor-centered solutions remain sustainable and scalable. Attendees will explore the design, implementation, and impact of these initiatives while gaining practical strategies for launching survivor-led programs in their communities. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, this session will emphasize the critical role of collaboration in advancing sustainable, survivor-centered solutions to trafficking.

Presentation Objectives:

•  Examine the role and impact of the SAB in shaping anti-trafficking initiatives

•  Explore the comprehensive services offered by The Table and their significance in survivor empowerment

•  Discuss strategies for implementing survivor-led programs and empowerment centers in various communities

•  Highlight the importance of collaboration between survivors, organizations, and community stakeholders in combating human trafficking

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Presenting a study on sex work and human trafficking, this workshop examines how the centering of lived perspectives and personal narratives can both humanize data and promote justice in sex worker communities. In particular, this presentation will focus on trans-specific criminalization, policing, and how laws may disproportionately affect these workers and survivors. By presenting how Community-Based Participatory Research theory was operationalized, the presenters offer professionals insight for justice-driven practice. They will begin by providing an outline of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). This approach emphasizes the leadership and ongoing participation of community members of the researched population to offer breadth of understanding and co-created knowledge. Next, they will provide a brief overview of our project. Interviews with 67 participants, including 14 trans individuals, explored how laws and criminalization may impact trans sex workers and survivors. This project was designed, led, and carried out by individuals with lived experience and seeks to center the narratives that are most affected by discrimination and systemic barriers. The presenters will then demonstrate how similar CBPR projects can provide insights that inform policies, encourage advocacy, and promote efforts focused on justice and self-determination. Finally, they will facilitate discussions with attendees to design and implement projects that center lived experiences and evoke action.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explain how community-based research reduces harm while amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals and communities

•  Demonstrate the importance of centering people with lived experience, especially in the areas of prostitution and trafficking in the sex industry

•  Describe how CBPR co-creates knowledge that can be used to inform policy

•  Provide specific practices that attendees (including researchers and practitioners in the field of social justice and human trafficking) can use in their own work

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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

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We are at a conference dedicated to advocacy and social justice. Beyond people, populations, situations, and issues that demand advocacy and social justice, how do we actually do it? How do we go from seeing an issue needing addressed into positively doing something about it? How do we see people in need and effectively step up and help and/or support them? How do we start? Where do we start? What do we do? The Levels of Advocacy & Social Justice (LASJ) provide a framework to conceptualize and implement effective advocacy and social justice efforts. Expanding outward from a person or issue, the LASJ model depicts seven layers: individual, group, organizational, community, regional, state, and national. They further call upon us to take a self-inventory of our foci and abilities, coupled with our own self-care, in order to be the best advocates we can be. This presentation will aid direct service providers and concerned community members alike with foundational principles and practical tools to implement change through advocacy and social justice. The LASJ model will be provided in detail, with practical examples for each level. The accompanying self-assessment worksheet will also be provided for participants to evaluate their own strengths, goals, and self-care. All materials will be provided for free and can be immediately implemented. This in turn helps support conference attendees taking instantaneous action in areas they learn more about in other sessions of this conference.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Define and categorize the LASJ and their use in active engagement for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion

•  Distinguish and evaluate a personalized readiness self-assessment and strategies for self-care

•  Provide tangible tools and resources that can be used for effective change

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This presentation explores the human trafficking experiences of young adults in situations of homelessness in Arizona. This research study aims to help develop knowledge about unsheltered young adults in Arizona with a focus-on risks for human trafficking. The study aimed to explore what are their life experiences of trauma including being abused, trafficked, or kicked out by their family and what challenges do unsheltered young adults face regarding substance abuse and mental health challenges. The 2024 study included 227 surveys collected from unsheltered youth participants ages 18-25. The participants were 49.5 percent female, 41.9 percent male, and 5.9 percent transgender. They were 75.8 percent persons of color. Sex trafficking was reported by 30.8 percent of the participants and labor trafficking reported by 14.5 percent. Experiences of childhood maltreatment (sexual, emotional, and physical abuse) were more likely to be reported by the participants reporting a history of sex trafficking. Other issues impacting those reporting sex and labor trafficking included being kicked out, drug use, mental health challenges, and limited education and work experiences. Young adults were found to be at high risk for exploitation. Recommendations include developing unique interventions to connect with unsheltered young adults including drop-in centers, digital outreach/case management, mentoring programs, and treatment for substance use and mental health.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of the 2024 YES study including the research questions, methodology, and findings

•  Describe the ethical considerations of studying unsheltered young adults

•  Describe the implications and recommendations based on the research

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This presentation will explore the preliminary findings of a randomized control trial assessing The Survivor’s Journey, a 12-journey trauma healing process implemented in a women's prison. This study uniquely trains incarcerated women serving life sentences to facilitate weekly Survivor’s Journey groups, fostering peer-led trauma recovery. The presentation will detail the study’s design, the facilitation model, and early insights from preliminary data. Attendees will gain an understanding of the intervention’s impact on participants' emotional healing, self-perception, and group dynamics.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Examine the structure and implementation of The Survivor’s Journey as a peer-led healing intervention in a prison setting

•  Present preliminary findings, including pre-test results and observational insights, to assess early program impact

•  Discuss the implications of training incarcerated women as facilitators and its potential for long-term rehabilitative outcomes

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The nature of child trafficking crimes is rapidly evolving in the modern era, related to the growth of the internet and advances in technology. This presentation presents recent data reported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Europol, Interpol, Internet Watch Foundation, WeProtect Global Alliance, and others, that indicates: 1) exponential increases in distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) on the internet, recorded, live-stream and on-demand; 2) increasingly brutal, sadistic, and torture-level CSAM; 3) a trend toward victimization of younger children, including toddlers and infants; 4) increased coercion of children to harm other children in online abuse; 5) familial sex trafficking and production of CSAM is prevalent and under-reported; 6) organized crime networks are producing CSAM and trafficking children; 7) child abuse by ritualistic abuse networks has been further substantiated; 8) online sexual extortion of children apart from any physical contact; 9) use of artificial intelligence to generate CSAM and extort victims; 10) increased networking amongst offenders on dark web forums to further their crimes; 11) offenders have a technological advantage in concealing their crimes, exceeding the investigative capacities of law enforcement and, 12) an abundance of CSAM is produced on U.S. soil. Young children are in greater danger than ever before. We have an obligation to understand these trends, to recognize victims as they present in psychotherapy and to law enforcement, to educate others, to advocate for inclusion of this content within our agencies and professional organizations, and to advocate for greater funding of law enforcement and legislative change.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Present current forensic and psychological research on the nature and prevalence of modern-day sexual abuse and sex trafficking of children aged 12 and under

•  Dispel myths about the nature of child sexual abuse, child sex trafficking, and production of CSAM

•  Present current forensic and psychological research on the increased brutality and younger age of victims in modern-day child sexual abuse, child sex trafficking, and production of CSAM

•  Present current forensic and psychological research on child sex trafficking perpetrated by family and organized crime networks

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Teen dating violence (TDV) disproportionately affects marginalized youth, leading to long-term trauma, mental health issues, and cycles of abuse. This session explores prevention strategies tailored to communities of color. The presentation highlights the Our Voices Matter program, which educates and empowers youth through mentorship, peer advocacy, and community engagement to prevent TDV. The presenter will discuss risk factors contributing to TDV among marginalized youth, the role of systemic barriers in preventing intervention, and effective approaches, including culturally responsive education and community-based support networks. Attendees will gain actionable insights to implement or support TDV prevention efforts in their communities. The session emphasizes collaboration among educators, advocates, and service providers to create safer environments for youth.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss risk factors of teen dating violence among marginalized youth

•  Describe the Our Voices Matter program and its impact

•  Explain prevention strategies and community intervention methods

•  Provide recommendations for fostering supportive environments for at-risk youth

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