Understanding Which Youth are At-Risk for Sex Trafficking and Responding
Celia Williamson, PhD, MSW | September 20 | 9:00-10:00 AM
Topic: Direct Service, Research | Knowledge Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Location: Ingman Room
With limited time, money, and resources, advocates need to know which youth are at the highest risk for sex trafficking and then do their best to prevent it. The presenter will provide the audience with a new and free human trafficking risk assessment tool (HTRISK) developed at the University of Toledo’s Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute with support from the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund and will provide instructions on how to administer and score it. Findings from use of the tool on over 400 Ohio youth will also be presented. Once understood, the majority of the session will be devoted to discussing effective ways to implement programming and policies aimed at reducing risk, increasing protective factors, and removing the barriers to serving youth at high-risk for sex trafficking.
Presentation Objectives:
· Provide the HTRISK Assessment Tool and discuss the findings from the study
· Explain which youth are most at-risk and the importance of focusing on at-risk youth over the general population of youth
· Describe strategies to reduce risk, increase protection, and remove service barriers for youth at risk