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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This presentation addresses the significant risks faced by those involved in sugar dating or working in strip clubs with a focus on vulnerabilities for sex and labor exploitation. Strip club work has been found to include sex and labor exploitation as well as exposure to dangerous work environments. The actions and coercive control by strip club staff towards dancers mimics trafficker behaviors and in many situations, leads to sex trafficking situations. Sugar (i.e., Sugar Baby or Sugar Daddy) relationships have recently been exposed to have elements of coercion, secrecy, and targeting of young vulnerable females through aggressive marketing with promises of wealth and mentoring. This presentation explores how sugar relationships involve exploitation, coercion, and manipulation, with young individuals frequently pressured into engaging in these activities due to financial need, lack of support systems, or being coerced into the business by a trafficker. The promises of financial gain or gifts can mask a power imbalance, where young individuals may be subject to emotional, physical, or sexual exploitation. These relationships often blur the lines between consensual interaction and manipulation, with harmful effects on mental health, self-worth, and future relationships. Similarly, working in strip clubs exposes young workers to high rates of physical and emotional abuse, exploitation, and the normalization of being objectified. Many individuals enter the industry without understanding the long-term consequences, such as potential for substance abuse, trauma, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. This presentation focuses on risks, expectations, and how trafficking can occur from these types of employment.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Introduce the risks of sugar dating and strip clubs

•  Discuss risk factors of young people in sugar dating

•  Explain the transition from strip clubs to trafficking

•  Discuss vulnerabilities of young people with financial instability

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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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This presentation explores the systemic and individual vulnerabilities that contribute to the risk of human trafficking, emphasizing the importance of a multifaceted prevention approach. Participants will gain an understanding of systemic factors such as poverty, lack of access to education, systemic racism, and displacement due to conflict or natural disasters. The session also highlights individual-level risks, including age, trauma histories, mental health challenges, and vulnerabilities faced by marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+ individuals and migrants. A critical focus of the presentation is the role of intersectionality in trafficking vulnerabilities, showcasing how overlapping identities and systemic inequities compound risks. Through a case study, attendees will explore how these factors intersect and learn practical tools for identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in real-world contexts. The session will conclude by outlining actionable prevention and intervention strategies at the community, individual, and policy levels. Participants will learn how education, trauma-informed care, and advocacy for systemic changes can mitigate risks and strengthen protective factors. Attendees will leave equipped with knowledge and strategies to implement in their professional and community-based roles. This session will include interactive Q&A to address attendee questions and discuss practical applications of the material. By focusing on the interconnected nature of trafficking risk factors, this presentation aims to empower attendees with a holistic perspective on combating human trafficking.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of systemic and individual risk factors that contribute to human trafficking

•  Explain how intersectionality increases vulnerability and its implications for prevention strategies

•  Discuss actionable community, individual, and policy-level interventions to mitigate trafficking risks

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Child sex trafficking involves the use of a child in a sexual act in exchange for something of value, such as money or drugs. Exposure to sex trafficking has detrimental effects on child safety and health. Victims and survivors interact with pediatric health care providers at all stages of exploitation and recovery. It is critical that pediatric health care programs respond effectively to child sex trafficking to promote optimal outcomes. Engagement with survivor leaders should be a fundamental component of pediatric health care program development, implementation, and evaluation. Recognizing and leveraging the insight that comes from lived experience can help to inform more responsive interventions. Despite growing recognition of their valuable role, survivors are commonly overlooked or engaged in superficial, tokenistic, and sensationalistic ways. Centering and honoring the voices of survivors is therefore a vital act of social justice. In this survivor-led presentation, the presenters advocate for meaningful and ethical engagement with survivor leaders across all levels of practice, policy, and research. They propose a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, empowerment-based model of survivor inclusion and survivor-informed practice grounded in 11 guiding principles and 14 practice strategies derived from lived experience. Their framework strives to minimize risk of re-victimization, re-exploitation, and re-traumatization of survivors. This work emerged from an innovative collaboration between a diverse group of lived experience experts and pediatric health care program specializing in child sex trafficking in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Sharing this model of care will offer guidance to service providers as they move toward intentional and authentic survivor engagement.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explain why survivor engagement is instrumental to the success of pediatric health care responses to child sex trafficking

•  Discuss the complexities and challenges that may arise when collaborating with survivors in ethical and meaningful ways

•  Propose a model of survivor inclusion and survivor-informed practice that is trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and empowerment-base

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This presentation serves as an introduction to statistics for researchers and program leaders as an aid in understanding statistical content and making effective use of statistics in their work. Statistics and statistical content are powerful tools for gaining insight into research questions and managing programs. However, making effective use of statistics and discerning the reliability of statistical content can be daunting. This presentation provides an overview of different kinds of statistical content found in supporting research and analytics used in assessing program impact. Examples include survey design and use, common performance metrics, graphs and visualizations, statistical models and predictive analytics, and understanding statistical tests in layperson’s terms. A particular emphasis is given to assessing the reliability of statistical content, including statistical power, assessing bias, conflicts of interest, and the limitations of statistical findings. Questions and answers will focus on specific questions about statistics and their use from members of the audience. The session will empower and guide attendees to make greater, more effective use of statistics in their research and management of their programs.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss common statistical methods and how they can be used to strengthen research findings and the management of anti-trafficking and survivor programs

•  Present the limitations of statistical methods, how to assess research, and identify misinformation

•  Describe how to identify when to consult a statistical expert, how to evaluate their credentials, best practices, and making the best use of their of their findings

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This presentation includes the evaluation of a 12-session trauma-focused psycho-education group intervention for incarcerated female survivors of sex trafficking. This study used pre-post surveys of the group attendees and chi square and t-tests to analyze the data. Starting in May of 2019, there have been seven cohorts of incarcerated women participants in the STAR group, a total of 152 attendees. Pre-post survey analysis found that the participants’ scores on the Trauma Symptom Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and the URICA responded with decreased symptoms on all scales and increased self-esteem and motivation to change. This group is administered by clinical social workers and lived experience experts. The group is closed to those who attend the first group. The content of the group includes- understanding abuse and gender-based violence, experience and consequences of economic abuse, exploring the effects of trauma, family violence and abuse, relationship abuse, self-harm and avoidance, demystifying the “game”, grief, moving out of survival mode, relationships and trust, and change and coping. This scores on the trauma, self-esteem, and motivation to change scales show an overall positive impact of the group. This group is low cost and has high impact. Incarcerated women who self-identified as sex trafficked experienced high rates of trauma and low rates of self-esteem. Groups for incarcerated women should be designed to address issues related to trauma symptoms and opportunities to narrate their experiences of sex trafficking.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of the study and of the intervention group curriculum

•  Describe the research methods and analysis

•  Describe the implications and recommendations based on the research

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The intersection of poverty and the criminal justice system disproportionately affects marginalized women in Nigeria by trapping them in cycles of incarceration and socio-economic exclusion. Despite legal protections, women in poverty face systemic discrimination, from arbitrary arrests to prolonged pretrial detention and harsh sentencing. This presentation examines the socio-criminal justice implications of women’s incarceration in Nigeria by highlighting how poverty exacerbates their vulnerability within the justice system. The presentation has three key objectives: (1) to analyze the socio-economic factors that contribute to women’s incarceration, (2) to assess the impact of criminal justice policies on marginalized women, and (3) to explore alternatives to incarceration that promote social justice. Using a doctrinal and empirical research approach, the research reviews legal frameworks, case studies, and qualitative data from formerly incarcerated women. Findings reveal that poverty-driven crimes, lack of legal representation, and gender-insensitive judicial practices increase the likelihood of imprisonment for women. Moreover, incarceration further entrenches poverty by limiting employment opportunities and reinforcing social stigma. This research contributes to knowledge by exposing the socio-economic dimensions of criminal justice in Nigeria and advocating for policy reforms that prioritize rehabilitation over punishment. The presentation concludes that addressing the criminalization of poverty requires systemic changes, including gender-responsive legal reforms, improved access to legal aid, and non-custodial sentencing alternatives. A justice system that upholds equity must recognize the structural disadvantages faced by marginalized women and provide pathways for reintegration rather than perpetuating cycles of incarceration.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Present a compelling real-life story of a formerly incarcerated woman in Nigeria

•  Discuss the research study, including the methodology, findings, and implications

•  Explore alternatives to incarceration that promote social justice

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While sex trafficking and porn have both been defined as forms of sexual violence, rooted in a system of gender inequality, what is often overlooked is the way these two industries are culturally, technologically, and economically linked. In the first part of this session, the presenters will explore how porn acts as both a method of recruitment into trafficking, and a major driver of demand. They will provide examples of how social media platforms are fueling sexual exploitation and prostitution, from the exchange of sexual currency in live streams to the grooming and recruitment of young people into prostitution and sex trafficking. In the second part of the session, they will discuss how the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is greatly magnifying the quantity, scope, accessibility, and harms of pornography. They will discuss how traffickers use AI to target, recruit, exploit, and abuse victims, and how sextortion has become a gateway to trafficking. AI now makes it possible for any person of any age to easily create porn - and to be victimized by porn. There are thousands of easy-to-find nudifying apps and websites – that anyone is now a potential victim. And with a few keystrokes, any person can easily become a perpetrator. Finally, they will conclude with how Culture Reframed, through a public health approach, assists parents and professionals who work with young people in navigating the treacherous terrain of social media, pornography, AI, and trafficking.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss how the pornography and sex trafficking industries are culturally, technologically, and economically linked

•  Discuss how pornography acts as both a method of recruitment into trafficking and a major driver of demand

•  Describe how social media platforms fuel sexual exploitation and trafficking and the harms this causes

•  Present the different types of AI pornography that are used by traffickers to target, recruit, exploit, and abuse victims

•  Present practical advice for how to build resilience and resistance in young people to porn and protect against the dangers of sextortion and trafficking

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Survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation in the United States face countless barriers on the path to healing. A general lack of awareness of the severity and reality of human trafficking amongst the public has only intensified the challenges survivors face. Research supports the presenters’ experiences in the field regarding how this lack of awareness has created gaps across the vital systems survivors need to exit trafficking, impacting their ability to achieve their goals for safety, success, and freedom. Exiting and healing from the trauma of trafficking requires a multi-disciplinary approach that can comprehensively address a variety of complex needs. Presenters will discuss strategies such as consistent collaboration and cross-training between agencies that can increase holistic care for survivors. The importance of having lived experience experts at the forefront of anti-trafficking care will also be emphasized during the presentation. No single agency can meet the needs of every sex trafficking survivor, and some agencies may receive more robust trauma-informed training than others. Agencies with additional resources must inform their community partners of best-practice strategies so survivors can feel adequately supported at any exit point. Including lived experience experts on staff and advisory boards and reducing perceived power dynamics can also help increase feelings of safety and decrease feelings of shame and guilt among survivors attempting to exit trafficking. This presentation concludes with a call to action for collaboration and inclusion of survivor voices in each community represented by the audience.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Review critical needs of survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation

•  Describe gaps in service delivery faced by survivors

•  Explain how to address and navigate service gaps with the resources available in one’s own community

•  Discuss how to use collaborative models like MDTs that include survivor voices

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This presentation will cover Nick Bryant’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s organized child sex trafficking network and the cover-up by state and federal law enforcement and the judiciary. Bryant will show that Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their network trafficked underage girls for 25 years, some as young as 10 years old. He will discuss how the Palm Beach Police Department identified 22 underage victims of Epstein in 2005, but a corrupt Florida grand jury did not indict Epstein on a single count of child trafficking. By 2007, the Justice Department was aware of 40 underage victims. Yet, Epstein was indicted on only one count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and served only 13 months in a county jail. Moreover, Bryant will demonstrate that the Justice Department shockingly gave blanket immunity to all of the Epstein perpetrators and co-conspirators. The presentation will also illustrate the 2021 charges against Maxwell that included only one count of child trafficking were a miscarriage of justice. On July 8, 2019, the New York Times reported that federal authorities seized from Epstein’s safe  “hundreds—possibly thousands—of sexually suggestive photographs of girls who appear underage, as well as hand-labeled compact discs with titles like ‘Girl pics nude,’ and, with the names redacted, ‘Young [Name] + [Name].’” Now in 2025, the government has yet to acknowledge that these victims even exist. Bryant will discuss how he founded Epstein Justice to institute a congressional commission that seeks justice for the victims in the Epstein network and demands government transparency in the case.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Present findings of the investigation into the organized crimes against children by the Epstein child sex trafficking network

•  Discuss the legal aberrations that allowed children to be molested with impunity

•  Show how the media has abrogated its responsibilities to victims of child sexual abuse in their inadequate coverage of this network

•  Present options for political action in an effort to seek justice for the victims

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While Sex Trafficking awareness widens, less is known about the perspective of Familial Sex Trafficking Survivors and Ritual Abuse Survivors. Anjela Glueckert is a Trauma Survivor of BOTH. In this inspiring workshop, Anjela will discuss & share her own Trauma Healing Tools that she continues to use along her own ongoing Trauma Healing Journey. Due to the lack of resources for Survivors like herself, Anjela was motivated to create her own Toolbox for Healing from Family Sex Trafficking & Ritual Abuse, as the deeper she dove into her healing, the more difficult it was to find supports. She will talk about how the Survivor’s perspective is often missing in Anti-Trafficking work, & she will share what is needed and how to offer support to Survivors as they embark on their own Trauma Healing Journey. Anjela will share how she built her own Trauma-Healing Tools of Support that continue to be helpful and necessary along her own lifelong Trauma-Healing Journey. Additionally, Anjela will share how others can offer these Trauma Healing Tools for Survivors in their own community, whether as employers, caretakers, or friends. This includes how to support Survivors as struggles arise, and they continue to build their Healing Strengths. Anjela invites attendees to join her Anjelabundance.com commUNITY! AND when you start to embrace, more intentionally, this Survivor Perspective, you will be amazed and inspired by all the Survivors who reach out to HELP You to HELP Them Just. Heal.

 

Presentation Objectives:

·  Increase awareness of Familial Sex Trafficking and Ritual Abuse Survivors

·  Share a Ritual Abuse Survivor Perspective of ongoing Trauma Healing through supportive tools

·  Build a CommUNITY of Empowering Support for other Survivors

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As trafficking prevention efforts continue to evolve, screening tools and data-driven approaches are playing a critical role in identifying and supporting vulnerable youth. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation Identification tool (The CSE-IT) is a screening tool utilized across Texas and Louisiana via the software platform, Lighthouse. Over 180,000 CSE-IT screenings of youth collected across these two states were analyzed to illuminate 1) demographic trends and 2) key risk indicators as well as to generate recommendations for improving victim identification. Using insights from one of the most comprehensive screening datasets available, the presenter will showcase screening patterns across agency types, how factors such as age, gender, and system involvement influence risk levels for trafficking, the most common warning signs among youth flagged as “Clear Concern” and what they reveal about trafficking dynamics. This session will directly connect findings to practical implications for victim identification and service provision and equip attendees with evidence-based knowledge to refine their own screening protocols and intervention efforts.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe background on screening practices, Lighthouse data collection, and methodology for analysis

•  Present comprehensive findings from 180,000 youth screenings including demographic trends and risk indicators

•  Share recommendations for improving screening protocols and expanding data-driven collaboration nationally

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Establishing evidence-based programming for survivors of trafficking requires a structured approach that integrates feedback loops, quality assessments, and data-driven decision-making to enhance care and program effectiveness. This session will focus on why evidence-based best practices are critical to providing effective, survivor-centered care — and how programs can move from good intentions to proven impact. Many services for trafficking survivors are built on compassion, but without research-backed methods, they risk missing key needs or unintentionally causing harm. The presentation will explain what evidence-based practice means, why it raises the standard of care, and how organizations can begin applying it in practical ways. The presenters will cover strategies for building survivor feedback loops, using quality assessments and certifications to measure effectiveness, and collecting meaningful data to guide decisions. Participants will leave with clear recommendations for strengthening their programs, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and aligning services with research and survivor input to achieve better outcomes.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the crucial need for evidence-based practice in programs for survivors of human trafficking

•  Establish feedback channels that inform programmatic elements

•  Establish data collection mechanisms that inform practice

•  Describe the importance of engaging in third-party evaluation against research-based methodology for evidence-based practice

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Climate change and climate action can both have destabilizing effects on individuals and communities, and research suggests that one of these effects may be increased vulnerability to human trafficking. However, because most research contributions have focused on a single pathway, the range and complexity of intersections between climate change and human trafficking have yet to be aggregated and analyzed as a whole. In this research, the presenters contribute to this emerging body of knowledge by compiling and comprehensively discussing the multiple, complex, and mutually reinforcing pathways through which climate change has been found to exacerbate vulnerability to human trafficking in the extant literature. Based on the literature, they developed a causal loop diagram to illustrate the existing empirical findings on the individual, household, community, and structural factors that interplay and determine vulnerability to human trafficking in the context of climate change. They conducted a thematic analysis of relevant studies to illuminate how climate change can act as a factor that introduces risk and exacerbates vulnerability to human trafficking. Findings show that the extant literature has linked climate change to various forms of human trafficking (i.e., child marriage, forced marriage, debt bondage, sex trafficking, labor exploitation, and child labor) through three main pathways: poverty, food insecurity, and migration. The presenters will identify theoretical, methodological, and geographic gaps in the literature and explore points where interventions may enhance resilience to human trafficking in climate change-affected contexts.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of the scoping review, including main questions, methodology, and findings

•  Identify gaps in the literature on the relationship between climate change and human trafficking

•  Discuss potential points where interventions may increase resilience in climate change-affected contexts

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According to the Prohibition of Prostitution Consumption Law, approved by the Israeli parliament in late 2018, any person who consumes prostitution commits an offense subject to a fine. The objective of this research study was to examine trends in the demand for prostitution in Israel following the law’s enactment, using data on Google searches using prostitution-related terms. Google Trends provides data on the relative volume of Google searches. This platform was chosen due to the difficulty of obtaining direct information on prostitution consumption and the widespread use of the internet for advertising prostitution. Search trends were analyzed for the Hebrew equivalents of the terms “prostitutes,” “escorts,” and “discreet apartments,” terms selected following consultations with experts, women in prostitution, and consumers of prostitution. Data was gathered for each month from January 2013 to April 2024. The study compared search volumes during key periods before and after the law's enactment and examined correlations between monthly search volumes and the number of fines imposed. Search volumes sharply declined following the law’s approval. Moreover, fluctuations in search volumes were linked to variations in the number of fines imposed. From mid-2022 onward, an upward trend in search volumes emerged concurrently with a decline in fines, although volumes remained below pre-law levels. These results suggest that the law reduced the demand for prostitution, despite evidence that its effect may be diminishing over time. To conclude, this study suggests that banning prostitution consumption may be effective in reducing demand, but only if it is followed by extensive enforcement.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Present background information on the context and significance of the study topic

•  Present background information on Google trends and its utilization in social science research

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

•  Discuss the conclusions of the study and avenues for future research

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In this presentation, Angela Navarro will share her personal journey of overcoming trauma through emotional intelligence and how it transformed her life. She will discuss the struggles she faced with emotional regulation, impulsive decision-making, and the challenges of breaking free from cycles of trauma. Learning emotional intelligence allowed her to develop self-awareness, manage emotions, and build healthier relationships. She will explain how these skills not only changed her life but also influenced how she empowers others through Sweet Sisterhood, a survivor-led nonprofit designed to help women and their families build resilience and self-sufficiency. Angela’s goal is to show how emotional intelligence is more than just a concept—it’s a powerful tool for survival, growth, and leadership. Attendees will gain practical insights on how emotional intelligence can be applied in their personal and professional lives and how it can be used to create long-term positive change for survivors. Through her story, Angela hopes to encourage professionals to integrate emotional intelligence into their work, helping survivors navigate their healing journey with confidence and strength.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Share her personal journey of overcoming trauma through emotional intelligence

•  Discuss key emotional intelligence skills in trauma recovery

•  Explain how emotional intelligence can help break cycles of trauma and foster leadership among survivors

•  Provide actionable steps for integrating emotional intelligence into survivor support programs

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Law enforcement, service providers, and medical responders experience sustained exposure to child maltreatment, sexual assaults, and human trafficking. The resulting effects can be devastating and include substance abuse, increased rates of suicide, marital distress, depression and anxiety, and decreased physical wellness. This presentation focuses on vicarious trauma and equips attendees with practical tools to assess and improve their well-being. Key topics include distinguishing vicarious trauma from secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, moral injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Through personal anecdotes and interactive discussions, participants will explore the profound impact of high-stress work environments not only on professional performance but also on personal lives, relationships, and home dynamics. The session emphasizes resilience-building strategies for self-care, aiming to reduce professional burnout, decrease turnover, and enhance overall wellness. By addressing these challenges, attendees will be better equipped to strengthen their personal relationships, maintain work-life balance, and provide high-quality support to the victims and communities they serve.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the effects of high-stress environments on personal well-being, relationships, and workplace culture, differentiating vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and other occupational stress responses

•  Present practical tools and strategies to encourage resilience, improve self-care practices, and mitigate the impact of trauma exposure in both professional and personal lives

•  Discuss how to implement workplace cultural shifts that normalize discussions around vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue, reducing turnover while enhancing team collaboration, well-being, and the quality of victim services

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The purpose of this project was to evaluate the use of unique fields in a hospital-based electronic health record (EHR) system to document indicators of abuse, including human trafficking. These fields were developed to support clinicians with screenings and to quantify the number of trafficked individuals identified. A nonprofit health system launched a program to prepare its staff to identify and assist patients who may be experiencing trafficking. As part of these efforts, the health system implemented a new field in its EHR system to document indicators of human trafficking. This was in addition to other fields available to document indicators of abuse. A data analyst compiled all patient encounters from three of the health system’s hospitals in which a clinician documented at least one response in at least one of the fields described above from March 2019 to February 2020 (N=566). The health system’s human trafficking response program director, who is also a subject matter expert on the topic, then reviewed the data to establish a final data set (n=110). Using descriptive statistics and qualitative analyses, the final data set was evaluated for hospital locations, types of services, patient demographics, chief complaints, and indicators of abuse, including human trafficking. This presentation will report on the use and outcomes of these fields and the effectiveness of having separate fields to document indicators of different types of abuse, including trafficking.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe promising practices in the use of EHR systems to track human trafficking

•  Explain how to design EHR forms and fields to document concerns of abuse, including human trafficking

•  Discuss opportunities for further research in clinical informatics and trafficking response

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This presentation explores the alarming issue of human trafficking for organ harvesting from Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe and America, focusing on case studies from Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. It begins by defining human trafficking and organ harvesting, highlighting the rising global demand for illicit organ transplants. Sub-Saharan Africa has become a hotspot due to economic hardship, weak law enforcement, and organized crime networks. Next, it examines the methods traffickers use, including kidnapping, coercion, and deception, as well as the black-market organ trade. The case studies provide real-life examples: 1) Nigeria: Organized crime and human smuggling networks trafficking victims for organ trade, 2) Ghana: Child trafficking and the vulnerabilities of rural communities, and 3) Senegal: Links between migration routes and organ harvesting. The presentation then discusses key contributing factors, such as poverty, corruption, and lack of awareness, followed by the devastating consequences on victims’ health, psychological well-being, and economic stability. Efforts to combat organ trafficking include international laws, government interventions, and NGO initiatives. However, stronger law enforcement, awareness campaigns, and international cooperation are needed. In conclusion, the presentation emphasizes the urgency of collaborative efforts to dismantle trafficking networks and protect vulnerable populations. Governments, NGOs, and individuals must work together to stop this human rights crisis.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Examine the link between human trafficking and organ harvesting, focusing on how victims from Sub-Saharan Africa are exploited for the illegal organ trade

•  Analyze case studies from Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal, highlighting real-life incidents, trafficking routes, and the role of organized crime networks

•  Identify the key factors facilitating organ trafficking, including economic hardship, weak law enforcement, and high global demand for organs

•  Explore efforts to combat organ trafficking, including international laws, government interventions, and recommendations for stronger policies and awareness campaigns

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