Data demonstrates that runaway and homeless youth are at risk for exploitation and human trafficking. Using the Youth Experience Survey from Arizona State University, the New Day Center identified that homeless youth reported a desire for connection back to their family despite being on the street. Thirty-one percent of those youth also reported being victims of sex trafficking and thirty-three percent of labor trafficking. The New Day Center, a family homeless shelter in Arizona, identified their role to utilize the existing programs to conduct awareness, education and connection to services for families impacted by trafficking. This approach not only looked at the minors as potential victims but identified that many adult family members may also be victims. The goal was to build stronger family connections, address trauma and awareness around human trafficking to avoid youth homelessness. The New Day Center developed a strategy to provide education and awareness to parents, while empowering young adults around safety, the risks and how to seek help during their shelter stay. This approach seeks to support parents and children while addressing and linking families impacted (both adult and children) to the proper supports at the agency and in the community. This was the first-time human trafficking screenings and trainings were introduced to the shelter staff. The presenter will share lessons learned for a campus-wide approach. Attendees will understand how the data guided the programs into developing a response, while sharing the strategies, groups and conversational tools to replicate in other shelters.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Explore how the Youth Experience Survey data specific to youth and family connection developed a response within a family shelter.

·  Explain how to utilize domestic violence protocol to develop human trafficking protocol within an agency.

·  Demonstrate how to identify existing programs in your agency or community to introduce human trafficking and coordinate supports for anyone who might identify as a victim.

·  Specify the importance of shelters, including family-based shelter, to be aware of human trafficking and prepared on how to support those that might identify and need support.

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Through community-based practice, occupational therapy has impacted clients lives through sensory approaches of calming and alerting techniques to manage symptoms and increase occupational engagement. Using sensory-based approaches and a trauma-informed-care mindset expands treatment opportunities. Implementing sensory modulation techniques is beneficial to expand innovative treatment approaches for clients, especially those who have experienced trauma. Interventions related to sensory processing include activities and modalities with specific types and amounts of sensation, at strategic times of use, for a therapeutic purpose (Champagne, 2009).  Interventions through the use of the sensory modulation program created by Tine Champagne will assist in expanding growth in clients to decrease symptoms and increase occupational engagement to build skills for independent living. Increasing awareness to self-regulation, building sensory tool kits, developing sensory diets, and establishing sensory spaces will expand treatment with individuals with PTSD and other behavioral health needs. In this session you will gain an understanding of sensory based approaches and how to implement them to enhance treatment for survivors of human trafficking.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Identify specific assessments to use for sensory modulation treatments.

·  Examine sensory modulation treatment approaches to calm and alert clients to expand self-regulation skills.

·  Discuss how to put together a sensory diet for individuals with PTSD and/or other behavioral health needs.

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Through a European, Canadian and Mexican comparative study, it is possible to compare the legislation but also the public policies of these states in order to propose an improvement of the legal systems. Federal or confederal, these states have decided to adopt very different strategies in the area of human trafficking. If, at the Canadian level, federal immigration legislation needs to be studied, this must also be done at the European level. Taking into account the specificities of these states, the areas of criminal law, migration law and more broadly public policies will have to be analyzed. The ultimate goal of this presentation is to propose a process of improvement of these states according to the strengths and weaknesses of each. As a result of this research, the presenter’s aim to propose an interdisciplinary study in the field. Highly related to the law but more broadly to the social sciences, trafficking in human beings is an international crime to be fought in order to help their victims.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Compare legislation and public policy.

·  Examine how to improve the legal system through a comparative approach.

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Much of anti-trafficking efforts and literature addresses ways to identify victims of sex trafficking and sexual abuse. While this is important, this strategy may minimize the need for identifying the driving force behind sex trafficking and sexual offenses—the perpetrators. Perpetrators establish the demand for victims and are the driving force behind certain facets of sex trafficking and sexual abuse. By recognizing and understanding offender characteristics, demographics, and methods of access, service providers will gain a first-hand understanding regarding the methods behind sex-based offenses. The presenters conducted an in-depth examination of transcripts applicable to 74 federal court cases pertaining to sex trafficking and illicit sexual conduct. The first study reviewed federal court transcripts of 24 offenders sentenced for violating Title 18, United States Code (USC) § 2251 and Title 18 USC § 2252, which included multiple sex trafficking offense charges. Similar to existing research, the findings suggest that offender race and gender were largely white males, but diverse in age groups, and were involved with some aspect of digital recording and storage within the various facets of abuse. The second study focuses on sample of 82 sex offenders and examines original charges and final sentencing outcomes with the nature of offense, characteristics of offenders and victims. The focus is on whether there is disparate treatment based on offender characteristics, victim demographics and nature of the offense.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Identify characteristics of sentenced sex offenders for child molestation in a Midwestern Federal jurisdiction.

·  Describe the characteristics of victims of child molestation.

·  Explore sentencing outcomes and disparities in those outcomes.

·  Discuss methods used by perpetrators to gain access to take advantage of victims.

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Dr. Debbie Lassiter and Dr. S Michele Cohen have over 40 years’ experience working with traumatized individuals and have developed a strategy of building Trauma Recovery Support Teams (TRST) for human trafficking survivors. TRST uses a multi-disciplinary approach to provide collaboration and a safety net during the healing process. The expertise needed to walk alongside severely traumatized survivors requires a team working together in agreement. Learn how the team is built, who the participants are, and how to identify their roles. Participants will hear case studies from Wisconsin and review the importance of the team including how it impacted the survivor. How does the team communicate? When does someone need a break or need to step back? Which techniques should the team use and how are next steps determined? Are there requirements to be on the team, if so what are they? A team approach has proven successful in helping survivors as well as supporting team members to avoid compassion fatigue. Family members, friends or anyone supporting a survivor through their journey of healing is welcome to attend. This workshop will also include a demonstration of some of the techniques currently used at Convergence Resource Center.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Explore the importance of being part of a team to support a survivor.

·  Define the importance of a single-minded approach when working with a survivor.

·  Identify other members of the trauma recovery team to create support.

·  Explain the makeup of a trauma recovery team.

·  Describe possible trauma recovery techniques for survivors.

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Human trafficking is a human rights violation occurring around the world (Polaris 2014; United Nations, 2000). Despite the profound social, physical, and economic consequences of this crime, there is a lack of comprehensive research about the prevalence and needs of human trafficking survivors (Zhang, 2012). The purpose of this study is to describe the health service needs of human trafficking survivors seeking services at the University of Michigan Law School’s Human Trafficking Clinic. A secondary analysis of the University of Michigan Law School’s Human Trafficking Clinic closed case files from 2009-2016 was performed. Data was extracted from the legal files to create a database, and data analyses were completed using descriptive frequencies and logistic regression. Data was extracted from 65 closed cases made up of 49 female survivors (75.4%) and 16 male survivors (24.6%) between the ages of 13 and 68 years old (M=30.15). Survivors were victims of labor (56.9%) and sex (47.7%) trafficking. Logistic regression modeling indicated that trafficking experiences significantly influenced post-trafficking mental health needs. Survivors of human trafficking have extensive needs; however, there are many barriers to seeking and receiving comprehensive services (Chaffee & English, 2015). In order to serve this vulnerable population, collaboration between disciplines must occur.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Examine gaps in the research related to the service needs of survivors of human trafficking.

·  Explore the health and service needs of human trafficking survivors who sought legal services at the University of Michigan Law School’s Human Trafficking Clinic.

·  Identify potential avenues to improve the provision of healthcare services for survivors of human trafficking.

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Some of the messages conveyed to victims of intimate partner violence and human trafficking have parallels in popular culture’s toxic messages about love, relationships and romance. Particularly, concepts of romantic love associated with wanting someone, having someone, and belonging to someone (with jealousy equaling love) are presented in popular music, movies, and books as unproblematic, but their real effects are seen in the victim testimonies from people who have experienced intimate partner violence and sex trafficking.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Examine toxic discourses of romantic love in popular culture and their connection to domestic violence and/or sex trafficking.

·  Discuss whether these toxic discourses of romantic love make it harder for people to recognize and leave a violent relationship.

·  Explore how toxic ideas and language use surrounding romantic love can be recognized and challenged to create healthier relationship dialogues.

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Awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in the United States has increased during the last ten years. This increase reflects the U.S. government’s considerable efforts to address the problem of human trafficking through the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and its subsequent reauthorizations and recent laws including the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, and the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) of 2015. While for a long time the federal trafficking policy has primarily prioritized international victims, recent research has shown that most victims of sex trafficking are US-born children. Addressing the needs of the latter group continues to be a major challenge for the implementation of the federal trafficking policy. This presentation systematically critiques the policy and service responses to CSEC in general, and especially domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) in the United States. Following an analysis of the characteristics and needs of CSEC victims, the presentation examines the key legislation and programs that the U.S. government has been implementing since 2000 to address the problem of CSEC. The presenter will discuss the availability and suitability of services for DMST victims and identifies challenges in service delivery. Finally, implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Provide an update on the key federal policies and programs regarding CSEC.

·  Highlight key issues in the service provision regarding DMST.

·  Provide recommendations for adequate responses to DMST.

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With the increase of public policy, media attention, and legislation, the issue of human trafficking has become more widely known to society and mental health clinicians, alike (Logan, Walker, & Hunt, 2009). However, one area that has not received significant attention is the impact on the survivor when the trafficking is perpetrated by the family-of-origin. Just as human trafficking has historically, yet inaccurately, been viewed as an international problem, so, too, has it been viewed as an issue perpetrated by criminals outside of the family (e.g. pimps, gangs, organized criminal groups). The dynamics inherent in familial relationships complicate the survivor’s ability to reveal the abuse or get away from the trafficking environment. In this workshop, the presenters will explore common features of human trafficking and discuss how these features differ when the trafficking is perpetrating by a family system. Given the complicating factors inherent in intra-familial trafficking, the presenters will present clinical considerations necessary for effective mental health counseling with a client who has been trafficked by their own family members. These factors include but are not limited to: trauma bonds that increase concealment of the abuse (Middleton, Sachs, & Dorahy, 2017), betrayal trauma (Birrel & Freyd, 2006), the lack of a safe family to return to, implications for children born from the trafficking (Surtees, 2017), and the likelihood of continuous threats or danger if the survivor leaves the family system.

Presentation Objectives:

·    Identify how symptoms of complex trauma may manifest within the context of the trafficking family system.

·    Differentiate the common features of intra-familial human trafficking from non-familial human trafficking.

·    Distinguish the unique challenges faced by clients and clinicians when working with intra-familial human trafficking.

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Private sector engagement can be a powerful tool to combat human trafficking. Expanding the dialogue to include industry representatives and business leaders will broaden and strengthen the coalition to combat trafficking. Because there is a very low participation of private sectors in combating human trafficking in many countries, the presenters conducted a survey on the level of private sectors’ involvement and their perception in combating human trafficking in Nigeria. This presentation expounds upon the perspective of the private sector/business community in combating human trafficking and ways to engage them to adopt anti-human trafficking as a part of their corporate social responsibilities. Moreover, this presentation provides recommendations for Nigeria to engage private sectors in combating human trafficking. A survey was conducted with 50 private sectors from 3 states in Nigeria to find out their perception about combating human trafficking, their motivation, and willingness to join in combating human trafficking through corporate social responsibilities and other ways. From the evaluation, the results showed that few private sectors indicated strong willingness to get involved in combating human trafficking, especially through corporate social responsibilities and other approaches. Many expressed different reasons why they will not get involved. The perception of many business communities is that Nigerian government has not shown a stimulating move to engage private sectors. Private sectors have vital roles to play in the fight against human trafficking, and it is important to create avenues for sustainable partnership between them, CSOs and government to achieve greater results in combating human trafficking.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Describe the role of private sectors in combating human trafficking.

·  Discuss results and challenges on private sector engagement in combating human trafficking in Nigeria.

·  Provide recommendations for Nigeria to engage private sectors in combating human trafficking.

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Youth Living Out Loud (YLOL) is a program originally initiated by Wraparound Milwaukee in 2014 through an Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Mentoring for Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation grant. Wraparound Milwaukee engaged community partners, La Causa Inc., Rethink Resources, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Diverse & Resilient to collaborate in providing comprehensive case management and medical and mentoring services to youth who are vulnerable to being sexually exploited and/or sex-trafficked. Presenters will discuss the successes and challenges in providing specialized services to youth in Milwaukee, WI. A presentation describing the current program structure and foundation will include their system response to commercial sexual exploitation of children, mentor specific training, discussion about the current program, service provision and community partnership involvement. This presentation will highlight who would benefit from specialized services, encompassing the primary concerns of health, safety and overall well-being. Participants will learn emerging best practices in working with youth populations who have experiences of being sexually exploited. In addition, they will have an opportunity to reflect on their own program and/or service capacities in the context of meeting the complex needs of youth who have experienced sexual exploitation, as well as how to connect and partner with local efforts in their community.
Presentation Objectives:

·  Examine the structure as well as the challenges and successes about the implementation of the YLOL.

·  Present promising strategies to identify youth enrolled in programming by understanding risk and response from an individual and programmatic level.

·  Exhibit evidence-based models to support changes to current programming that allow for a more competent service provision to youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation.

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Effectively addressing trafficking requires increasing our ability to identify, reach, and serve marginalized and underserved communities (i.e. LGBTQ, men and boys, tribal communities, Southeast Asian communities, individuals with disabilities, individuals with mental illness, individuals experiencing homelessness, etc.). Within the North Carolina Department of Administration, Council for Women and Youth Involvement office (NCCFWYI), Project CLICC (anti-human trafficking program) works to foster collaboration among domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking service providers and community advocates to increase the capacity of providers to serve all victims of human trafficking. By building collaborations, identifying resources, and utilizing creative approaches, we can bridge gaps in victim-services and bring awareness to the most at risk, vulnerable, and inadequately served individuals. Through this workshop, participants will explore the vulnerabilities and unique needs of survivors, holistic trauma-informed and victim-centered response, and multi-disciplinary collaborations to combatting human trafficking.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Identify how the needs of trafficking victims differ from other victims.

·  Explore providing victim-centered response and services to underserved populations.

·  Describe what resources are needed to provide a holistic response to survivors.

·  Assist attendees in identifying collaborations and partnerships to further increase organizational capacity to provide human trafficking victim-services and support.

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In 2012, John Meekins, a Correctional Officer Sergeant at the Florida Department of Corrections, attended a voluntary training conference on human trafficking. Armed with the training, Meekins discovered a sex trafficking ring operating out of the large female correctional institution where he worked within a few months (Connolly, 2014). This presentation will be based off a case study on the trafficker and the methods used by him to recruit female offenders being released from Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida. This was the first, but not the only experience Meekins had with human trafficking in the correctional system. Based on hundreds of hours of research, interviews with victims, investigators, traffickers, and others, Meekins will explain the pipeline to prison for sex trafficking victims (Binzer, 2016). He will explain what makes female offenders especially vulnerable to traffickers. Attendees will learn what questions to ask a suspected victim and why you should ask those questions. Meekins will show criminal histories and arrest patterns indicative of victims and trafficker. Also covered will be the best practices for reporting their victimization. Meekins understands the unique reentry challenges they face and what a correctional institution needs to do to fix it. He will highlight the importance of vacatur laws to victims of human trafficking and how they can drastically improve the lives of sex trafficking victims and survivors. Most importantly this presentation will cover how to put a wedge between incarcerated victims and their traffickers, thus enhancing the victims’ chances of success upon release. 

Presentation Objectives:

·  Communicate that the best place to identify victims and sex trafficking rings are in local jails and prisons.

·  Illustrate what makes an offender vulnerable to traffickers.

·  Provide tools to identify victims of sex trafficking behind bars.

·  Educate how traffickers recruit victims to be trafficked upon release from jail or prison.

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The Atlantic Slave trade ended in 1807 and the United States ended slavery in 1865. While nations proclaimed national acts and policies that put an end to slavery, the practice did not necessarily stop. As research and anecdotal evidence reveal, slavery, in various forms, has persisted into the current century. Today, modern day slavery is present among us. Hence, human trafficking is defined as or likened to modern day slavery. While much focus has been given to urban centers, human trafficking in rural communities is often not highlighted, although such locations are also vulnerable targets of human traffickers. The presentation will compare case studies in terms of the triggers and nature of trafficking in the communities examined, paying particular attention to the rural contexts, domestically and internationally. The presenter will refer to case studies and/or research cases from Nigeria and Michigan, USA. The Michigan example comes from a) anecdotal evidence, specifically, the presenter’s observations and conversations with community members during presentations on human trafficking across three counties; b) analysis of responses to a two-part survey by the CGI Human Trafficking Coalition located in Mt. Pleasant, MI. The Coalition’s two-part survey sought to find out the communities’ knowledge on human trafficking and the communities’ resource-readiness in relation to addressing human trafficking. The Nigerian examples come from anecdotal evidence based on conversations and interactions with groups involved in anti-human trafficking work, research on the topic, as well as conversations with residents of two rural communities about the subject.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Provide knowledge of the nature of human trafficking in an international context.

·  Describe the nature of human trafficking in rural communities.

·  Consider human trafficking from a comparative perspective.

·  Discuss community responses to combat human trafficking.

·  Examine, discuss, and share suggestions for further community actions.

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Ann Marie Babb is a Satanic Ritual Abuse and Human Trafficking survivor who was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in her early 30’s and has spent the last 25 years navigating the mental health maze looking for help. She will talk about her experience and the fact that integration was not an option for her. She challenges the mental health community to think outside the box and that integration is not the only answer for DID. She will use her past as an educational experience about DID and be transparent about coping and surviving with DID.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Build on last year’s presentation that dealt with a basic understanding DID and its root causes.

·  Discuss the many faces of the disorder and the complex nature of DID.

·  Examine how DID can present by using concrete examples.

·  Illustrate how medications that effect serotonin levels in the brain can affect a person that lives with DID.

·  Discuss mapping of personalities and how that might change over the years.

·  Review original mapping and discuss how the mapping has changed over the years.

·  Discuss satanic ritual abuse and the resurgence that we are seeing in new survivors.

·  Discuss techniques and programming, long-term effects, and how it might present in survivors with DID.

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We are all New Abolitionists- our mission is to abolish slavery everywhere, forever. Slavery is the fastest growing organized crime in the world. It’s real, hidden in plain sight, and tearing at the social fabric of every nation and economic structure.  But that's why we exist- 21st century abolitionists determined to bring change. A21 Campaign is fueled by radical hope that human beings everywhere will be rescued from bondage and completely restored. A21 works with you to reach the vulnerable, free slaves, and disrupt the demand. Education about human trafficking is key to ending slavery. A21 prevents slavery from ever happening by engaging people through events, student presentations, and education programs. During the session, attendees will learn motivating and engaging prevention strategies and techniques that are age-appropriate, well-designed resources that are immediately applicable for members of their community ages 12 and up. They will also learn how to bring awareness of the crafty and tricky methods that human traffickers use and identify vulnerability traits and actions to take when others are in danger. It’s vital that the younger generation is informed and equipped to combat human trafficking. A21 educational curriculum is designed for everyone who would like to share prevention and awareness strategies in their communities, schools, and/or churches to help eradicate slavery now. A21’s Founder Christine Caine said, “When a lot of people do a little, it adds up and makes a difference.” The time is now. Let’s create history together.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Explore ways to bring awareness and action against injustice.

·  Empower all with human trafficking prevention and awareness standards-based strategies.

·  Discuss participatory and sustainable solutions to injustice issues internationally.

·  Examine pathways of engagement for others to be a part of the solution to end slavery.

·  Identify the role of abolitionists and its effect on human trafficking in the 21st century as they see something, say something, and do something.

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In March of 2018, two acts were legislated into action in both the House and the Senate: Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act (SESTA). These acts seek to punish the hosts of online sites where sex workers post their ads for work allegedly to protect victims of sex trafficking. The presenters examine the difference between sex trafficking and sex work, the conflation of the two, and critically assess the ramifications of FOSTA/SESTA in relation to net neutrality, freedom of speech, and the impact on the lives of sex workers, particularly the more marginalized workers. In the wake of FOSTA/SESTA, they seek to analyze attitudes toward and the legislative history of sexuality in order to consider why we as a society are so interested in and committed to controlling issues relating to sexuality.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Define sex work and sex trafficking.

·  Examine the intent of FOSTA/SESTA.

·  Explore the impact of FOSTA/SESTA.

·  Discuss the history of the legislation of sexuality.

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This engaging journey will provide a greater understanding of how childhood sexual abuse, the foster care system, and human trafficking are all connected. Amy’s personal testimony will leave you inspired and hopeful for a future without human trafficking. Amy explains how her own experience with abuse, severe disassociation, substance abuse, and cognitive issues set her up to be a target for predators. Children in foster care, runaways, throwaways, and homeless are at a much greater risk of being trafficked than the typical child in America (Gerassi, 2015;

Landers, 2017). Preventing human trafficking has proven to be a difficult endeavor, but do not lose hope. Through holistic approaches in mental health, intervention and restoration are possible (Bessel, 2014). This session will explain the physical, emotional, and spiritual impact that trauma in childhood had on Amy’s life and how her experiences can be used to identify and respond to victims, and potential victims, of human trafficking.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Describe how early childhood sexual trauma creates greater vulnerability to sex trafficking.

·  Discuss the connection between foster care youth, runaways, throwaways, and homeless children and sex trafficking.

·  Explain how early intervention, support systems, and holistic therapy options can prevent sex trafficking through research and the presenter’s personal testimony.

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Empirical evidence indicates that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often an undiagnosed consequence of exposure to trauma. There is limited to no research regarding brain injury rates among survivors of human trafficking although substantial evidence is available among similar trauma populations including survivors of domestic violence and refugees. Diagnosing TBI in survivors of trauma proves difficult due to symptom overlap with other diagnoses including dissociation, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse. Survivors of brain injury experience cognitive, physical and/or psychological symptoms which may impact their participation and independence in daily activities. This presentation aims to provide education on brain function, the symptoms of TBI, impact of TBI on everyday functioning, and screening tools and compensatory strategies utilized in brain injury rehabilitation. Furthermore, this presentation aims to advocate for the expansion of brain injury screening and treatment among survivors of human trafficking.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Discuss the symptoms of brain injury related to or resulting from trauma.

·  Examine the impact of brain injury on daily functioning and quality of life.

·  Specify screening tools/compensatory strategies to integrate into practice.

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