This presentation reports findings from a qualitative study that was conducted in England to explore children and young people’s lived experiences of child trafficking. In-depth qualitative interviews and focus groups were held with 20 young people aged 15-21. Drawing on personal testimonies, this presentation reports how children’s hopes and dreams turned to despair. Through being subjected to multiple and severe forms of trafficking abuse, children became aware they were deceived, manipulated, and commodified as “products” for traffickers’ gain. The findings reveal how despite being under oppressive conditions, children developed various coping mechanisms and adapted to gain some knowledge and power as survival strategies. The presentation draws attention to the role of other children within trafficking situations, highlighted as a significant finding in helping others to cope and even escape. These findings are used to extend our knowledge how the trafficking process is experienced and provide valuable insight of children’s lived experience of trafficking abuse, enabling practitioners to understand the dynamics, processes, and acts children are exposed to. Knowledge of peritraumatic responses to trafficking abuse can assist practitioners engaging in trafficking protection and trauma recovery. Practice implications of recognizing the valuable role of other children in responding to trafficking abuse is discussed, reinforcing the argument for furthering children’s inclusion and participation in anti-trafficking prevention programs.

Presentation Objectives:

· Share research findings from listening to children and young people discuss their trafficking experience

· Provide an international perspective of the experiences of trafficked youth in England

· Discuss implications of findings on practice and development of anti-trafficking initiatives

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Americans are facing high levels of economic insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis. Certain populations may be at greater risk for exchanging sex in order to meet basic needs. This study examines the prevalence and demographic correlates of exchanging sex during COVID-19. An online, cross-sectional survey was administered to a general population sample of women and transgender/non-binary adults residing in the state of Michigan (N = 1,169). A total of 3.4% (n = 40) of participants reported that someone had asked them for sex as a form of payment for rent since the start of the pandemic; 3.4% (n = 40) had been asked for sex in exchange for protective equipment (PPE) (e.g., face masks, hand sanitizer); and 3.2% (n = 37) had exchanged sex for money, food, or a place to stay because of the pandemic. Participants who were ages 25-44, with high school educations, lesbian/bisexual/queer, transgender/non-binary, pregnant, and had a documented disability were all more likely to have been asked for sex in exchange for rent, asked for sex in exchange for PPE, and to have exchanged sex during the pandemic for money, food, or a place to stay. Native American women and Black women were more likely to have been asked for sex in exchange for rent than other racial/ethnic groups. Essential workers were more likely to have been asked for sex in exchange for PPE. Findings highlight vulnerable groups among women and transgender individuals who may experience heightened economic and health vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 crisis.

Presentation Objectives:

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

· Describe the implications and/or recommendations based on the research

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Give Way to Freedom developed and runs the Rapid Response Support System (RRSS), an independent and robust crisis response system for adults in Vermont. RRSS aids potential victims during the initial 48-72 hours of disclosure of trafficking or suspicion of a human trafficking case. RRSS ensures that victims and potential victims of human trafficking receive support tailored to their needs at the earliest possible point. The system provides immediate support services and allows the individual time to rest and consider the options available to them. RRSS initiates a continuum of support to victims by establishing a baseline of trust between a victim and facilitator(s) and/or service providers, ensures the safety and well-being of a victim, and enhances the trusted line of victim referral. Give Way to Freedom’s RRSS facilitators are trained in trauma-informed support and equipped with comprehensive resources to assist individuals in understanding their rights and options as well as connecting with longer-term support services should they wish to do so. Facilitators can also help with case consultation as well as logistical planning for a potential victim and help law enforcement and/or other service providers identify service provision options. This session will outline the process of developing the program, its successes, and things the presenters learned during the past six years of its operation. It is a small and mighty program that, with a small budget, can be emulated in any geographic location in the United States.

Presentation Objectives:

· Discuss ow the program was developed

· Provide an overview of the services

· Advise attendees on how to emulate the program

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Federal law in the United States (US) dictates that public child welfare agencies are now responsible for identifying and providing secondary and tertiary prevention to youth who experience or are at-risk experiencing CSEC (P.L. No. 113-183; P.L. 114-22). Child welfare system (CWS) involvement and childhood sexual abuse are two of the most well-documented antecedents to CSEC during adolescence (Franchino-Olsen, 2021), yet relatively little is documented about the extent, duration, and outcomes of CWS involvement prior to experiences of CSE. Child-level administrative child welfare data offer a way to examine system involvement longitudinally and describe any patterns or trends that emerge. This study uses data from one of the largest child welfare agencies in the US to describe the CWS involvement of 324 adolescents and transition age youth who received CSEC-specific CWS services from 2016 to 2020. Findings focus on: (1) the sociodemographic profiles of youth served; (2) the extent, timing, and outcomes of CWS service provision prior to entering CSEC specialized services; (3) CWS case outcomes following the provision of specialized programming; and (4) service provision among parenting youth. This analysis serves as a case study, shedding light on the early experiences of children who are later affected by CSEC in the U.S. Findings from this study may inform the development of prevention-focused policy and programming.

Presentation Objectives:

· Describe the children and transition age youth identified by the child welfare system as having experienced CSEC victimization and been at high risk of experiencing CSEC

· Explore the extent, timing, and outcomes of prior child welfare system involvement among youth receiving specialized CSEC programming

· Explain the relevance of these findings for prevention-focused policy and programming

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Sex trafficking will remain an intractable problem until stakeholders have accurate information that improves decision making—information about trafficking trends and how to design high-leverage interventions. To overcome policy resistance, trafficking stakeholders must look closely at the feedbacks within the system; understand the bounded rationality behind them; and meet the goals of the participants in the system while moving the state of the system in a better direction. The two-part research question is: How does sex trafficking vary over time in Connecticut, and what are the social-ecological factors that perpetuate sex trafficking trends? Researchers interviewed 18 Connecticut stakeholders about sex trafficking dynamics, the system structures that drive those dynamics, and potential policies/solutions. The researchers are following the systematic approach outlined by Kim and Andersen (2012) to code qualitative text data to generate causal maps for system dynamics modeling. Preliminary findings focus on four main areas: 1) demand for sex trafficking, 2) supply of sex trafficking, 3) public will to address sex trafficking, and 4) political will to address sex trafficking. Preliminary results indicate that all four of these areas are interconnected through feedback processes: e.g., as supply increases and sex trafficking becomes more visible, public will and political will increase in an attempt to reduce supply. However, supply-side only strategies do not address the demand side (not high leverage). The presentation will include recommendations for further research, including that improved information flows can be a leverage point, thus providing direction for trafficking surveillance systems based on stakeholder information needs.

Presentation Objectives:

· Provide an overview of the study, including main questions, methodology & findings

· Describe the implications and/or recommendations based on the research

· Provide resources for attendees interested in learning more about system dynamics modeling

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Minnesota’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Task Force acknowledges and addresses the historic, persistent, human, and Indigenous rights violations and abuses found within the state. The Task Force is intent on unearthing the root causes behind the historic violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit (LGBTQQIA) people in Minnesota. It reflects the collaboration of 27 Task Force members and other key stakeholders, calling for systemic legislative and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across our state and this country for far too long. The unique report includes mandates aiming to reduce and end violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit people in Minnesota. It will serve as a road map for the Commissioner of Public Safety, other state agencies, and organizations that provide legal, social, and other community services throughout Minnesota. Most importantly, information presented in this report reflects the truths of survivors of violence, family members, community members, government agencies, and experts. The MMIW Report was compiled over more than a year of public hearings, community conversations, interviews with experts, and evidence gathering and delivers 20 mandates for systemic and community change directed at government, institutions, social service providers, industries, and all Minnesotans. These proposed mandates recognize and consider the multigenerational and intergenerational trauma and marginalization of Indigenous communities through poverty; insecure housing and homelessness; and barriers to education, employment, health care, and cultural support. It also addresses specific colonial and patriarchal policies that have diminished their status in society, leaving them vulnerable to violence.

Presentation Objectives:

· Introduce the process of creating a MMIW task force through legislation

· Explain timeline and process of the task force

· Describe the recommendations put forth by the task force

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Presenters will pull back the curtain on the intersectionality between human trafficking and people with disabilities. This is a unique perspective that is rarely trained on. It is crucial for service providers, educators, medical and mental health professionals, and others to understand the gaps in service for this population and how it impacts the disability community. This presentation will showcase a more in-depth look into best practices when providing services to adult crime victims of human trafficking with disabilities and provide the audience with resources that victims/survivors with disabilities have available. Participants will receive the information in a myriad of forms, including lectures, facilitated group discussion, videos, and other activities as appropriate.

Presentation Objectives:

· Describe the intersectionality between human trafficking and people with disabilities

· Discuss the current gaps in service for crime victims of human trafficking with disabilities

· Describe resources that victims/survivors of human trafficking with disabilities have available to them

· Offer best practices when providing services to adult crime victims of human trafficking with disabilities

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Racial bias, both implicit and explicit, affects us all. Our decisions and choices to give someone a second chance, help someone in need, or promote or hire a new employee are impacted by bias that has been both taught and conditioned over the years. To break down these walls and reduce bias in the workplace (and life), we must first understand how we got here. We must educate ourselves on how we become reliant on generalizations and stereotypes. Only then can real change happen. This training will not only educate you on bias but open the communication for how to change our reactions for the better. It will build awareness and understanding of conscious and unconscious biases, the differences between the two, and why it matters in fair and impartial justice, while gaining strategies and tools in developing a community caretaker approach for improved interactions.

Presentation Objectives:

· Build awareness and understanding of implicit and explicit biases, the differences between the two, and why it matters in fair and impartial justice

· Discuss the current climate and challenges that exist with communities of color and law enforcement to gain understanding about why a climate of distrust exists and what can be done about it

· Leverage a broad spectrum of best practices and successful strategies and techniques to reduce disparities

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