Emergencies and crises such as fires, floods, and earthquakes create unique opportunities to identify and support survivors of human trafficking. These radical events often disrupt control dynamics, allowing survivors to seek help when it might otherwise be unsafe or impossible. This presentation will explore how communities can leverage emergency situations to create safer pathways for survivors to access resources and escape trafficking. This session will provide actionable recommendations for improving outreach and intervention during emergencies, from raising awareness among emergency responders to equipping community organizations with tools to act effectively and sensitively. By fostering collaboration and proactive planning, communities can better support survivors during these critical moments. Through case studies, the presenter will highlight instances where survivors used emergencies to leave trafficking situations and find support. Practical strategies for communities to collaborate with state and local emergency response teams will be discussed, ensuring that critical information about resources reaches survivors—without compromising their safety. Emergencies are unanticipated but powerful opportunities to address trafficking. By acting decisively and safely during these times, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of survivors and help them break free from exploitation. Join this session to learn how we can turn moments of crisis into pathways for hope and healing.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Define and discuss what an emergency situation is and what may happen during a local emergency

•  Discuss how this can disrupt the normal pattern associated with trafficking and create a unique opportunity to support the survivor

•  Provide tangible real-life examples

•  Provide tools and discussion about how this can be applied in communities throughout the U.S. and abroad

Read More

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into anti-trafficking efforts presents both promising opportunities and significant ethical challenges. This presentation examines the dual potential of AI in qualitative research on human trafficking, particularly how these technologies affect marginalized communities. Drawing from interdisciplinary perspectives including Indigenous data sovereignty, critical data studies, and survivor-centered methodologies, the presenters analyze how AI systems can both amplify and silence vulnerable voices. This research reveals a troubling paradox: while AI tools are developed to protect vulnerable populations, they often reproduce what they term “algorithmic epistemicide”—the systematic erasure of non-Western knowledge systems through biased data practices. The presenters will introduce their framework for equity-centered AI-assisted qualitative research built on the Mi’kmaw concept of “Two-Eyed Seeing” (Etuaptmumk), which integrates Western technological approaches with Indigenous knowledge frameworks through four critical components: 1) integration of epistemological frameworks rather than prioritizing one over another; 2) centering survivor voices throughout the research process; 3) balancing efficiency with relationality; and 4) establishing collaborative research governance that distributes decision-making authority. The presentation emphasizes practical implementation considerations including technological infrastructure, approaches to preserving participant agency, and documentation for transparency and accountability. They conclude with a robust call to action for implementing the CARE principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) in AI-assisted trafficking research, providing attendees with key questions to ask when evaluating AI systems and concrete examples of how these principles can be operationalized in research practice.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Analyze the ethical implications of AI technologies in qualitative trafficking research through the lens of what Smith calls "decolonizing methodologies"

•  Present a framework for evaluating and designing AI systems based on the "Two-Eyed Seeing" approach that centers survivor agency and Indigenous knowledge systems

•  Examine case studies demonstrating both the protective applications of AI in anti-trafficking work and the exploitative adaptations by trafficking networks

•  Provide practical guidelines for implementing participatory data governance models that engage marginalized communities as co-designers rather than subjects of technological interventions

Read More

Whether and how students provide sexual services, acts, or materials for pay or compensation (SSAMP) while in university is not well understood. The purpose of this research is to identify and describe the typology of university students who report providing SSAMP. A cross-sectional survey was administered at a Midwestern public university using the SSAMP index that included items assessing perceived positive and negative SSAMP consequences. Participants were 900 students (Mage = 22.27 years [SD = 4.91). Descriptive statistics were conducted. Students who reported providing SSAMP were included for Latent Class Analysis using 21 indicator variables reflecting 5 financial, 10 health, and 6 social consequences. Class comparisons were conducted based on social and economic minoritization and frequency of and reasons for SSAMP. Almost 16% (n=143) reported ever providing SSAMP; 14.2% (n= 128) during university; 13% (n=118) prior. Students providing SSAMP before university generally reported more adverse experiences, income instability, and negative mental health consequences stemming from SSAMP than those providing SSAMP during university only. The retained two-class model revealed that the “more consequences” group (class 1) was distinguished from the “less consequences” group (class 2) on nearly all reported consequences, except increased self-esteem. Those with “more consequences” were more likely to be LGBTQ+, disabled, and to report (1) more SSAMP, (2) financial motivations, (3) being pressured to provide SSAMP, and (4) providing SSAMP to please others. Students’ consequences are shaped by coercion, economic needs/wants, and social minoritization. Practices and policies that reduce harm before and during university are crucial to reduce negative consequences.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of research study and other research focusing on university students who provide sexual acts and materials for compensation across diverse circumstances

•  Describe practice and policy implications along with future research directions related to the current study.

Read More

Stories matter. Voices matter. Experiences matter. Autonomy matters. In a time where our stories and our voices can be so quickly shared, widely accessed, and just as easily distorted, the See Me Project, is a platform for individuals who have been oppressed, marginalized, or exploited and gives them the reins on how they want to be seen, heard, understood, and supported. The See Me Project is a creative, collaborative piece with the intention of shining a light on the stories and experiences that are often ignored, forgotten, or altered and amplifies the voices of those who have been silenced by society or among their community. This presentation highlights the results collected and lessons learned from implementing the See Me Project with various populations. By exploring the intersection of theatre and therapy, this presentation shares tools on how to create spaces to amplify the voices of others, instead of telling the stories of others. Audience members will learn the personal and societal barriers that prevent us from truly seeing one another, while also exploring the concept of storytelling through a digital era, and will obtain a deeper level of understanding and connection across communities and populations. Participants will walk away with a greater ability to support clients, friends, peers, and strangers, through the process of claiming and sharing their stories. At a time when disenfranchisement is rife, the important elements of this program, such as informed consent, participants rights over their story, and egoless mentorship will be addressed.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide education on the concepts of Narrative Therapy, therapeutic storytelling, and the intersection of theatre and healing

•  Describe how to support clients in finding autonomy, authenticity, and purpose through the act of telling their story

•  Explore the ways in which increased digital connection has impacted storytelling in the global community

•  Explain the concepts, principles, and outcomes of the See Me Project(s)

Read More

The Toledo Legal Aid Society launched The Opportunity Project in 2018 as a public defender-led initiative to address mental health and recovery needs within the criminal justice system. This initiative enables attorneys to take a holistic approach to their practice, leading to better representation and improved outcomes. By promoting long-term stability for individuals facing charges, it strengthens connections, reduces the duration of involvement in the justice system, and fosters more effective legal advocacy. Many individuals repeatedly cycle through the justice system due to unmet needs, often facing minor charges like trespassing or disorderly conduct. Without access to services, they are effectively lost to the community as they risk further destabilization and re-arrest, perpetuating a costly and destructive cycle. This issue of access (and lack thereof) affects the entire community—driving up financial and social costs, fostering desensitization, and weakening social connections. A thriving community depends on the well-being of all its members. The Opportunity Project bridges service gaps by implementing data-driven, best-practice strategies. By improving access to care and resources, it helps individuals regain stability, build on their strengths, and contribute to community growth. In this session, the presenters will share recent data and findings that highlight innovative ways to create lasting change in the criminal justice system while expanding access to essential services for our community. They hope this will enlighten attendees and engage further discourse whilst promoting access to needed services.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Review current local Public Defender-led strategies for addressing needs at the intersection of criminal justice and behavioral health

•  Explain the need for addressing mental health and recovery needs within and around the criminal justice system to those lost to the community by lack of access

•  Review examples and impact surrounding lack of access to services and how to engage individuals and the community

•  Explain application and value of data-driven approaches geared at finding gaps and offering solutions to meet the needs of the community

Read More

Sex-trafficked individuals endure extreme traumatization, which disrupts brain development and engenders mental health struggles. One response can be reflexive and repetitive thinking about the trauma, through patterns of rumination. The purpose of this research project was to explore psychological rigidity in thought patterns of formerly sex-trafficked youth. Thematic coding of responses on the Rotter’s Incomplete Sentence Blank (RISB) provided a quantitative and qualitative understanding of rumination. Dysregulated activity of the prefrontal cortex and activation of negative emotion centers in the brain can induce negative thoughts and repetitive thinking. For women, interpersonal stressors and social anxiety can lead to rumination, which can be found in a context of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Participants included 22 female adolescents (aged 14 to 18) who were formerly sex trafficked. Rumination was measured by coding the RISB for negativity, repetition, and reference to trauma. Anxiety and depression were measured by the Anxiety and Depression Beck Youth Inventories. Rumination scores correlated with anxiety, r(18) = .50, p = .025, and depression, r(18) = .68, p = .001, which lends credibility to the thematic coding of rumination used in this study. Negativity was especially prominent in the RISB responses, with themes of anger/frustration as well as deep longings for things to be different. Projective measures, such as the RISB, can allow service providers to assess rumination, thus elucidating clients’ core beliefs. Attendees will learn potential ways to intervene when they detect themes of rumination in formerly sex trafficked adolescents, including patterns of negative thinking, repeated thoughts, and references to trauma.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explore themes in the thinking patterns of formerly sex trafficked youth that reveal important facets of their functioning

•  Define rumination, demonstrate its relevance to sex trafficked youth, and offer a method of measuring rumination that could be used by service providers

Read More

Recent statistics reveal that male victims of sex trafficking are more prevalent than previously thought, with their numbers approaching those of female victims. The primary distinction lies in the higher percentage of male victims aged 0 to 11 compared to their female counterparts. This narrative recounts Mike Chapman’s experience of being sexually trafficked by his father in Oregon during the 1970s, his journey of repressed memory recovery and healing, and his subsequent support for other male survivors. Beginning at age 30, Mike began to recall repressed memories of the sexual abuse he suffered by his father. He initiated a healing process to address the trauma but paused it while raising two children. At 54, he resumed his pursuit of healing and unearthed the additional trauma of having been sexually trafficked by his father. This discovery marked a new phase toward healing. Mike intends to share his personal account of uncovering the truths of his abusive past and how it led him to find healing, resilience, and hope for others, highlighting the decades-long issue of sexual exploitation of young boys by their white, middle-class family members in the U.S. He advocates for public and NGO services to include male survivors, especially those of family-controlled trafficking, in their plans and research, emphasizing the need to support both recent and long-ago survivors, including those who suppressed the events years or even decades later, in their healing journeys.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide a description of a male survivor who was sex trafficked as a young boy

•  Discuss the process of recovering repressed memories decades after the trauma

•  Discuss how male trafficking is an epidemic within the U.S. and often overlooked in anti-trafficking efforts

Read More

Indian female sex workers (FSWs) face a myriad of barriers (discrimination, illiteracy, stigma) that limit life options for themselves and their children. Using life-course developmental perspectives and ecological systems theory, the researchers sought to understand contextual and relational dynamics among FSWs as mothers (n = 19) and children of FSWs (n = 12) residing in an urban, brothel area (Hanuman Tekdi) in Mumbai. Interviews were conducted in private, translated, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis and constant comparison. Mothers: All from impoverished rural families. Most (53%) were trafficked into sex trade (median age = 13.5). Seven women were estranged from families because of their work in sex trade. They actively took steps to keep their children safe in the brothel district neighborhood. Children: Prior to the lockdown, only four lived in the brothel area full-time; others lived in hostels or part-time in rural villages. Children received emotional support from mothers, uncles, friends, and God. Children provided instrumental and emotional support to mothers. Schools were closed for 82 weeks and remote learning was nearly impossible. All reported having friends or “best friends”, but they were in villages, school, or hostels and so no contact in over a year.  Children viewed the brothel area as “dirty” and unsafe. Implications for policy, practice and continued research will be discussed. Attendees will have a clear understanding of the relational dynamics between vulnerable mothers and their children living in an urban red-light area, and the challenges they face and protective and survival strategies they employ.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss factors which compelled mothers into the commercial sex industry

•  Identify challenges for living in an impoverished, urban brothel district for both mothers and children

•  Discuss implications for policy, practice, and continued research

Read More

Since pushing heavily for the creation of the legal category of “human trafficking” in the early 2000s, the U.S. has self-described as a “hero” within the anti-trafficking movement. The U.S. has used this status to justify grading other countries on their anti-human trafficking efforts and threatening changes to trade and aid agreements if certain policy metrics are not met. What are the political, economic, and institutional factors that explain why the U.S. has chosen the anti-trafficking policy recommendations it pushes on other countries? This project conducts a comparative analysis of the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report and the Department of Labor’s Worst Forms of Child Labor (TDA) Report. The researcher compiled and coded a dataset of more than 50,000 formal policy recommendations on human trafficking and forced labor made by the United States to more than 125 countries to chart differences between federal departments and presidential administrations, track changes over time, and examine differences between regions and countries. This analysis is rooted in feminist analysis of state coercion and informed by international relations and comparative politics theory of policy creation. The presenter concludes that the policy recommendations the U.S. makes to other countries force boundaries on what policies become acceptable for the U.S. to accept domestically, as the government risks reputational damage to repeal harmful policy models after the fact. This research concludes with an exploration of internationally coordinated, grassroots efforts to combat exploitation as an alternative to coercive state policy models.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide a descriptive overview of U.S. federal anti-trafficking policy recommendations, specifically comparing policy recommendations and country reports between the TIP and TDA Reports

•  Examine the political, economic, and institutional factors that influence policy recommendation creation

•  Explore how self-reinforcing institutional models, like the U.S. model examined, can be challenged and influenced by grassroots movements that organize internationally

Read More

Through the lens of complex trauma and posttraumatic growth, this workshop will share findings from a qualitative study focused on the impact and experiences of sex trafficking survivors. Participants completed open-ended interviews, took photos, and participated in online focus groups to explore identity, sexuality, relationships, and factors of community reintegration. Data analysis included multi-level conceptual and thematic coding. Participants identified with all aspects of complex trauma and posttraumatic growth. Participants particularly highlighted relationship as both the primary need and greatest source of healing and growth, emphasizing the value of peer-based support and survivor leadership. The findings 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 also considered the greatest instrument of healing, offering long-term commitment and belief in the individual. This has great implications for our work as service providers. We must consider the barriers of traditional social services that are time-limited, often with rigid boundaries in the access and interaction with service providers. We must think creatively and explore nontraditional service models that provide trafficking survivors with a relational context that includes survivors, professionals, and community members who are committed to a long-term, empowering, trauma-informed approach. This workshop will not only provide survivors’ perspective of the integral role of relationship, but opportunity to explore ways to meet this immediate and long-term need.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explore the role of relationship before, during, and after sexual exploitation

•  Discuss the impact of complex trauma on relationships

•  Identify ways survivors of trafficking exhibit posttraumatic growth through relationship

•  Explore the implications in service provision based on relationship being named the greatest need and greatest source of healing for sex trafficking survivors

Read More

The conversation around sex trafficking and modern slavery has never been more urgent. With legislative changes underway in both the U.S. and the U.K., the discussion comes at a crucial moment. Illinois is on the cusp of making history in the U.S. It could be the first state to decriminalize sex work and so strengthen protections against trafficking for sexual exploitation. Meanwhile, in the U.K., lawmakers are debating legislation that makes it an offence to pay for, or attempt to pay for, sex either for themselves or on behalf of others. It also includes measures to criminalize anyone who benefits or provides support related to the purchase of sex. This presentation aims to answer the most pressing questions in the conversation around how to address trafficking for sexual exploitation and how to improve protection for sex workers including: 1) Is increasing the policing of the sex industry an effective way to find and protect trafficking survivors? 2) How does the further criminalization of sex work affect trafficking victims and survivors? 3) How does this issue affect society at large? and 4) Why now? With lawmakers actively shaping the future of sex work policies in both the U.S. and U.K. to better protect people from exploitation, this presentation will provide crucial insights into the real impact of these and existing laws and what is the most effective path forward.

Presentation Objectives:

•  Present information supporting the idea that the decriminalization of sex work is the most impactful step law makers can take to stop sex trafficking globally

•  Discuss the reasons it is important to distinguish between sex work and sex trafficking/exploitation in discourse around finding solutions

•  Explain the differences between the concepts of decriminalization of sex work and the “Nordic Model” including the challenges around each

Read More

The Çîyako Adventure Therapy Programme serves the Syrian Refugee Children in the Kurdish Region of Iraq. These refugees are a forgotten community that were driven from their homeland by ISIS and face enormous hurdles in their quest to find hope in their context. The main research question of this project was, “Do outdoor activities, and especially rock climbing, help these young refugees improve their mental health and well-being?” The literature looks at the region's history, displacement from homelands, the history of adventure therapy, and its impact in the different parts of the world. A series of interviews and surveys were conducted with some of the young people who participated in the Çîyako program. The research showed that the program helps young people face fear and gives them a practical pathway to managing it. Many of the young people made the leap of imagination to see how it could help them manage and overcome fear in other areas of their lives. It also showed the importance of leaving the refugee camp, which helped buoy their spirits. This was closely associated with the beautiful mountain environment the young people enjoyed. Investment in friendship groups was also highlighted as a significant benefit of the program, along with feelings of pride in their achievements as they returned to worried parents. This research shows that the Çîyako program is effective, though it needs to be scaled up to reach its full potential. It also provides a model that could be replicated in other areas with many displaced people.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of the Çîyako Adventure Therapy Programme

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

•  Describe the implications and recommendations based on the research

Read More

Data is essential to understanding human trafficking patterns, and federal prosecutions data fills a critical gap in the existing ecosystem, shedding light on trends in minor sex trafficking. This presentation will: (i) highlight the importance of federal prosecutions data, (ii) describe the data and analysis developed by Allies Against Slavery in partnership (iii) illustrate key insights, and (iv) demonstrate compelling use cases. First, the presenters will discuss how federal prosecutions data enhances our understanding of minor sex trafficking. By analyzing prosecution trends alongside other data, we gain broader insights into prevention, protection, policy, and prosecution. Second, they will describe a dataset of over 2,500 federally prosecuted human trafficking cases spanning two decades. This includes information on case details, trafficking locations, and victim and defendant characteristics. They will briefly cover the methodology used to ensure data integrity. Third, key trends in minor sex trafficking, including federal prosecutions by state and year, trafficking locations, and demographic data on victims and defendants will be discussed. Data visualizations will illustrate these insights. Finally, the presenters will highlight how this data can be used to examine racial disparities in sentencing, coercive trafficking methods, and the prosecution of victims. Finally, advocacy applications and how this data can be paired with other sources to create a more nuanced narrative on minor sex trafficking in the U.S. will be provided.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of the importance of federal prosecutions data in understanding patterns of minor sex trafficking and its role in filling empirical gaps in human trafficking research

•  Describe the federal prosecutions dataset, including the methodology used for data collection and analysis, and its scope across more than two decades

•  Illustrate key trends and insights from federal prosecutions data, such as geographical distribution, prosecution disparities, and demographic patterns among defendants and victims

•  Demonstrate how the data can be used in practice, including its implications for policy, advocacy, and future research on human trafficking

Read More

Child trafficking is an ongoing health crisis that demands a paradigm shift from the current downstream, criminal-justice-based, crisis-intervention approach to an upstream, public-health-based, prevention model. Healthcare providers, particularly nurses who consistently rank as the most trusted professionals, are uniquely positioned to identify and respond to trafficking. However, many lack the education and training needed for effective intervention. Additionally, misinformation perpetuated by well-meaning advocates or sensationalized media often misguides efforts, leading to moral distress when awareness is raised without equipping providers for action. To address these challenges, healthcare environments must engage in proactive planning to identify risks early and implement prevention-focused strategies. Pediatric healthcare professionals play a vital role in identifying signs of trafficking, yet the challenges of modern contexts—such as the rise of social media, the effects of social distancing, and the growing emphasis on social justice—add complexity to this responsibility. This presentation highlights innovative, nurse-led programs designed to combat child trafficking, including the development of screening and response protocols across clinical settings, partnerships with schools to implement federally issued trafficking response toolkits, and advocacy for state legislation mandating continuing trafficking education for healthcare providers. Further initiatives include the creation of a train-the-trainer program to amplify evidence-based education, collaboration with a national nursing organization to produce toolkits on trauma-informed care, and the integration of simulation-based learning in academic nursing programs. These efforts showcase how nurses can drive systemic change, empowering healthcare systems to respond more effectively to child trafficking while fostering prevention through education and advocacy.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Identify gaps and opportunities in current approaches to human trafficking response

•  Examine evidence-based, nurse-led initiatives for human trafficking response

•  Develop strategies for effective, trauma-informed human trafficking response in healthcare

Read More

This presentation examines the importance of qualitative data obtained directly from interactions with human trafficking (HT) service providers in Peel, Ontario, Canada in order to better understand human trafficking trends. Front-line service providers directly interact with victims/survivors of HT, and in doing so, they are knowledge-holders of anecdotal evidence that can be utilized to better understand emerging issues and trends in the HT sector beyond what is quantitatively captured and published. Some of these trends identified include complexities associated with victims/survivors over the age of 25, sextortion, forced pregnancy, stigma and shame associated with culturally imposed barriers to disclosure, and suicide. It examines an overreliance on quantitative data when determining service portfolios and programs for vulnerable populations even though there is a consensus that sex-based crimes, intimate partner crimes, and trafficking crimes are severely underreported. The presentation discusses these trends and the power of anecdotal information, interconnectivity of various service providers, and the importance of working together. Service providers who directly support victims/survivors are in a unique position to identify a “trend” and develop appropriate programs to address it. Oftentimes, trends require significant quantitative data to validate its existence, and by the time it becomes a statistic, it has already occurred albeit undetected. An analysis of emerging issues and trends obtained through qualitative data can inform service providers in the HT sector in the development and utilization of proactive programming.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Highlight the importance of qualitative evidence obtained by HT service providers to identify and address emerging issues and trends in human trafficking

•  Bring awareness to ongoing undocumented trends in trafficking

•  Explain strategies to address trends that may not be displayed in data

•  Provide potential solutions to protect clients who may be being trafficked

Read More

What if you were a victim of human trafficking but had no voice to tell your story? Marci works with "Strawberry Girls," Moroccan women recruited each year to pick "red gold" in the strawberry fields of Spain. The shocking reality is that many of these vulnerable women are lured into sex trafficking through lies, deception, and empty promises. Once they step foot in a brothel, they are trapped, and it will take a miracle for them to get out. But miracles do happen! One day, a safe house called and asked Marci to translate for a Moroccan woman who had just been rescued. This woman was a Strawberry Girl. In Marci’s continued work with these women, she began to identify a sex trafficking line between Morocco and Spain. Unwilling to stay silent, Marci began writing and telling their stories. Marci's poetic words invite you to step into the shoes of the Strawberry Girls and journey with them on the road from slavery to freedom. Marci demonstrates how leveraging the power of storytelling can build a bridge directly to the heart of the listeners, triggering their emotions, and moving them to action. Marci explains the neuroscience of what is happening inside the storyteller and the listener, as well as the importance of ethical storytelling. Marci will encourage attendees to consider writing and telling their own stories of freedom to inspire people in their own communities and around the world to action.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Tell the first-hand story of a “Strawberry Girl”

•  Demonstrate how the telling of stories can raise awareness of human trafficking by building emotional bridges and moving people to action

•  Explain the neuroscience and what is happening in the storyteller and listener, as well as look at the concept of ethical storytelling

•  Invite attendees to consider telling their own stories of freedom to raise awareness and move people to action in their own communities and around the world

Read More

Familial trafficking looks different, has different outcomes, and needs different interventions than what is considered “traditional” human trafficking. In this session attendees will consider literature where the variations occur, and be given resources to try and address familial trafficking in their communities. A survivor’s case study will be given and several resources on familial trafficking vulnerabilities and outcomes will be discussed. Offender profiles and parental warning signs and contributing factors considered in a broad lens of trafficking and vulnerabilities will be given. General applicable information about working with youth and key signs of risk will be presented as well. Familial trafficking is more prevalent and more complicated than typically perceived. In this session, attendees will be equipped with resources to begin incorporating this reality into their work. Learning to distinguish the unique factors associated with familial trafficking can support wholistic service provision and comprehensive awareness in our communities.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the risk factors in familial trafficking

•  Present a survivor case study

•  Describe parental risk/familial perpetrator risks

•  Explain the differences in “traditional” human trafficking narratives

Read More

Featuring two powerful and dynamic survivor leaders, Katie and Marjorie will share their journey on how they recovered from feeling hopeless as human trafficking victims to helping other survivors. Both will share their compelling stories about their trafficking experience. They will emphasize the force, fraud, and coercion that kept them psychologically stuck in the cycle of trafficking. They will capitalize the audience on their inspiration to leave their trafficking situation and describe their miraculous trauma recovery. In an interview style, Katie and Marjorie will focus on the importance of survivor engagement. They will highlight their experiences serving on the 3Strands Global Foundation Survivor Board and other survivor leader community involvement. They will highlight the magnitude of lived experience while working with law enforcement and community service providers. Marjorie will share her passion for advocating for survivor-driven policy reform, while Katie will provide essential components when engaging with human trafficking victims in trauma treatment. They will speak about the importance of providing trauma-informed care in mental health and healthcare settings and an emphasis on the psychological impact of trauma bonding with their traffickers. In a call to action, Katie and Marjorie hope to inspire other survivors to become survivor leaders in their own community.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe each of their strengths as survivor leaders

•  Detail the force, fraud, and coercion tactics that kept each survivor stuck in their trafficking experience

•  Explain the importance of survivor engagement

Read More

Metanoia Manor is a residential recovery program for adolescent survivors of human trafficking in the American Gulf South. Their instructor has implemented a trauma-informed, healing-centered educational model designed to promote academic success and emotional healing. Drawing on Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, the instructor differentiated instruction and used scaffolding to help students progress academically, regardless of past disruptions in their education. The classroom environment was structured and predictable to foster psychological safety. Movement and sensory regulation activities were integrated throughout the day to support focus and emotional regulation. The instructor prioritized relationship-building, recognizing that consistent, affirming connections with adults are critical for students recovering from trauma. Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) were co-developed with counselors to include both academic and emotional goals. Progress monitoring was a collaborative process that kept students engaged and motivated. The instructor also worked to educate youth advocates on recognizing trauma responses, helping them understand that certain behaviors are often rooted in survival rather than defiance. Beyond direct instruction, the instructor actively challenged misconceptions about the academic potential of trafficking survivors. She promoted a strengths-based mindset and maintained high expectations. Her efforts contributed to the program’s state certification, enabling students to pursue higher education and access financial aid. Within two years, three students earned GPAs above 3.5 and were accepted into college. This work illustrates that, with the right support and belief in their potential, adolescent survivors can achieve academic success. This session calls for increased funding, research, and systemic commitment to trauma-informed education.

 

Presentation Objectives:

·  Inform educators about best practices to serve youth trafficking victims and others with adverse experiences in classrooms

·  Inform youth advocates about the root causes of behavior in children recovering from trauma so they may identify and respond better to students that may be facing exploitation or survival responses

·  Inform the public about the misconceptions surrounding attainment in youth trafficking survivors and promote a growth mindset and elevated expectations

Read More

This presentation will provide an overview of human trafficking, including the legal definitions and modifications of the law. The presenters will define and discuss sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and familial trafficking, with a focus on the most vulnerable populations (e.g., runaways, those with addictions, those with language barriers, etc.). They will also discuss the general profile of the trafficker and some ways in which

traffickers might approach victims. This will include a short video to help attendees recognize some signs of potential human trafficking. Information will be shared about updated human trafficking statistics and some common myths about trafficking. The presentation will include the growing social media component of human trafficking and how to make social media safer for children. The presenters will then provide attendees information on how they can take steps to prevent human trafficking (e.g., buying fair trade items, reporting suspicious activities, utilizing privacy tools on social media, etc.). Finally, the presenters will stress the importance of awareness and vigilance inside of communities and the importance of reporting suspicious activities. Information about agencies and resources will also be shared, giving attendees greater access to further education and information.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide a clear definition of human trafficking

•  Describe how to recognize human trafficking

•  Provide reliable resources for human trafficking information

•  Empower the audience to take action to help prevent human trafficking

Read More