This presentation explores the backgrounds and experiences of trans and third gender youth involved in the sex trade in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Bangkok (Central Thailand), and Chiangmai (North Thailand). The datasets show three unique contexts where young people of diverse SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression) are involved in the sex trade and face a variety of challenges, including stigma and discrimination from parents, teachers, and law enforcement, as well as sexual violence from clients and members of the public (including law enforcement). Many trans and third gender respondents discuss this violence as a normative part of their lived experience. This represents a crucial gap in research and programming as few organizations are open to working with trans and third gender people outside of providing them sexual health related advocacy and programming. While most praxis-focused literature on trans and third gender people tends to focus on HIV and other STIs and often ignores their broader feelings and experiences as individuals. This presentation attempts to add nuance to these discussions and advocates for the development of better resources to educate professionals in the health, social welfare, police, and legal professions.

Presentation Objectives:

· Provide a thematic overview of the study, including findings and a discussion on critical gaps in social research

· Describe the implications and recommendations based on the study for service providers, researchers, advocates, and community allies

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Survivors of sex trafficking (ST) experience a high prevalence of physical and mental health problems and frequently access healthcare during their victimization (Lederer & Wetzel, 2014). Healthcare providers are uniquely positioned to assist victims. However, a survey of Wisconsin healthcare providers revealed less than half could accurately identify victims, and 90% did not feel confident in their ability to effectively care for victims/survivors (Beck et al., 2015). The Healthcare Collaborative Against Sex Trafficking (HCAST) is a community-academic project with a goal to transform mental models and processes within healthcare and community services that reinforce health disparities among people impacted by ST. The collaborative includes survivors, community service agencies, and representatives from major health systems, community health centers, and free/reduced cost clinics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. HCAST conducted focus groups of individuals impacted by ST, interviews with community service organizations, and strategic planning sessions of healthcare representatives to inform development of a program charter and strategic plan. Through this process, HCAST identified several root causes of health inequity for victims, including 1) lack of relationships between healthcare systems and community agencies, 2) the absence of training and treatment/referral guidelines which facilitates attitudes, beliefs, and practices contributing to healthcare disparities, and 3) power dynamics that prevent survivor input into healthcare policies. HCAST is addressing these barriers through the development and implementation of education, practice guidelines, and improved connections between healthcare systems, community agencies and survivors. This presentation will outline the process and lessons learned during HCAST charter development and implementation.

Presentation Objectives:

· Describe important aspects of a systems change model to address health inequity

· Describe the process and results of a community-based situational analysis that informed strategic priorities for healthcare improvements

· Discuss successes and lessons-learned through the development of a healthcare-community partnership to address sex trafficking

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In 2014, at Washtenaw Community College, Rita found out that she had a name for the horrific thing that happened in her childhood. People in her neighborhood assumed that she just liked to wander each evening. But they did not know the reason that she tried so hard to stay away from home. Silenced as a child, Rita found her voice speaking out, a way to deal with the frustration of being told that the sex trafficking was all her fault as a child. Education was Rita's way to understand and to heal. Rita got her Undergraduate Degree at Eastern Michigan University and then went on to get her Master’s in Social Work from Western Michigan University with a trauma focus. Rita continues to speak out to educate others on how to watch for human trafficking in their communities. In this session, Rita will share her story to help people who work with survivors know how to assist them. She also will share some of the organizations that were helpful to her on her journey. Finally, she will share how “Healing Is Worth It” to her so that she can be a better person for herself, her family, and others she may help along the way.

Presentation Objectives:

· Discuss how her survivor life experiences made her more resilient

· Describe how organizations have helped in the healing/thriving process

· Discuss how to live and enjoy life as the result of this experience

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In February, the world witnessed what will be one of the worst-cases of armed conflict in Europe, producing a staggering 4,019,287 refugees as of 30th of March (UNHCR, 2022), with over 2.3 million refugees fleeing to Poland (Aljazeera, 2022). Women and children account for 90% of this figure. The speed and scale of the exodus has been described as “unprecedented” in Europe since World War II. However, this has only raised concerns and predictions on the exploitation of vulnerable and internally displaced people by human traffickers. While human trafficking is usually not the main focus in humanitarian crises like the Russian-Ukraine war and is sometimes omitted from formulations of emergency and humanitarian responses, there is no doubt that armed conflict creates a climate of impunity suited for human trafficking operations (U.S. Department of State, 2016). This presentation seeks to amplify this omission by answering the question: “What role does war play in the growth of human trafficking and how are victims of war protected from further exploitation? A desk-based methodology analyzing a broad selection of journal articles, cases and newspaper reports is used to explore the link between armed conflict and human trafficking, while considering the forms of trafficking during war, modus operandi of traffickers during war, the impact of armed conflict on victims of war (internally displaced and vulnerable persons alike), trends and forms of trafficking in armed conflict, prevention, protection, investigation and prosecution measures, and policies to protect victims and implementation challenges. The presentation concludes with recommendations for further research on both trafficker and victim identification during war, development of dynamic patterns for better investigation and prosecution of traffickers, as well as prioritization of human trafficking prevention and investigative measures within emergency and humanitarian responses during armed conflict.

Presentation Objectives:

· Provide insightful information on the interconnectedness of war and human trafficking

· Explore the 3 main trafficking trends connected to armed conflict

· Describe the impact of human trafficking on victims of war

· Provide recommendations to protect victims of war from further exploitation

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In 2021, the Institute for Shelter Care conducted a national study to examine the prevalence, characteristics, and challenges associated with cases of juvenile familial sex trafficking as experienced by justice professionals. Over 3,500 cases of child exploitation across 24 states were represented in the study. The findings are based on a mixed method descriptive research methodology. In this session, attendees will learn the results of this national study and the unique considerations of familial trafficking cases.

Presentation Objectives:

· Define familial trafficking and explain how it relates to, but is different from, domestic minor sex trafficking or incest

· Discuss the prevalence and profile of victims and perpetrators of familial trafficking

· Explain the complicated challenges associated with these cases

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Recent high-profile human trafficking cases have steered media and researcher attention toward offenders (e.g., Dahlstrom, 2021; Kernsmith et al., 2021), prompting the question: What types of individuals are involved in trafficking crimes? By commodifying humans and their labor, human trafficking is distinct from other common crimes and from other types of trafficking, for example, drug trafficking, the most frequently prosecuted trafficking crime. These crimes may also differ in their underlying social networks and organizational structures (Busch-Armendariz et al., 2009; UNODC, 2020). Given these differences, this study analyzed whether significant demographic differences exist between offenders involved in drug and human trafficking, and within human trafficking, between labor and sex trafficking. Also, because statutes differentiate among the severity of sex trafficking crimes, the study assessed whether differences exist among sex trafficking defendants, depending on the severity of the crime. Using 21 years of federal criminal justice data and multivariate statistical tests, study findings indicate that human trafficking defendants differ in important respects from other offenders. When separating human trafficking into labor and low- and high-penalty sex trafficking, significant differences among defendants remain, which will be discussed in more detail in the presentation. Future research should differentiate human trafficking crimes by type and severity and examine whether findings from this exploratory study continue to hold. Researchers should consider partnering with legal professionals to explore additional reasons for the dominance of male offenders in high-penalty trafficking cases.

Presentation Objectives:

· Describe the differences that prior research has shown among human trafficking crimes

· Explain how these differences may be reflected in significant age, gender, race, and ethnic disparities among offenders

· Discuss the demographic characteristics of federal labor and sex trafficking defendants using data from a 21-year period between 1994-2014

· Describe how these data may be used to estimate statistical associations between defendant characteristics and the type of human trafficking offense

· Demonstrate the ways in which media portrayals of human trafficking offenders may and may not be reflected in the reality of offender characteristics over time

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Online child exploitation and child trafficking due to technology has exploded around the United State and around the globe. These numbers have dramatically increased during COVID-19, and the effect of Internet Safety Presentations has a limited impact. The investigations developed strategies to proactively investigate these egregious predators that are members of these Darknet communities and chat rooms. These Darknet communities and chat groups talk about how to effectively exploit children while avoiding arrest. Investigations such as Ian Brewer, Jonathan Spraque, and George Castillo have yielded significant arrests and allowed investigators to find and protect victims. As a result, members were able to infiltrate the predator communities, gain understanding of their techniques, and implement strategies to investigate and help protect children. This presentation will focus on Darknet chat communities and the techniques that they use to exploit and groom children. There is a science and art of grooming and manipulation that predators use on children. Technology along with these strategies have victimized countless children impacting their lives. Predators are able to match children's language and style among other advanced grooming techniques. The presenter will discuss real cases and the methods that these Darknet members use and give case examples on the techniques and strategies that predators use. Attendees will learn about offender Darknet communities and methods and ways to investigate and prevent online child exploitation.

Presentation Objectives:

· Discuss Darknet and chat communities

· Discuss cases of child exploitation and trafficking

· Describe predator strategies, thought process, and how they groom children

· Explain remedies and ways to protect children

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This is an introductory presentation of male victimization in human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Participants will learn the factors that contribute to the trafficking of males and will gain a better understanding of the lived experiences of male victims of sex trafficking. This presentation will cover the indicators of exploitation and what signs to watch out for, as well as the physical, emotional, and mental effects that complex trauma has on male victims (Deliver Fund, 2021; NCMEC, 2021; Palfy, 2016; Procopio, 2018). It will also cover the grooming techniques of perpetrators that try to recruit youth males into human trafficking (Palfy, 2021). Participants will learn what services are needed to provide support to male survivors of trafficking, based on fieldwork by Steven Procopio and new research based on interviews with male survivors by Ena Lucia Mariaca. This presentation will also cover recommendations for a multi-disciplinary response for frontline service providers such as law enforcement, healthcare providers and mental health professionals. The presentation will end with a call to action targeting policy and program recommendations to aid boys and men that have suffered from childhood sexual exploitation.

Presentation Objectives:

· Discuss the factors that contribute to the trafficking of males

· Describe the lived experiences of male victims of sex trafficking

· Discuss new research on male victimization

· Explain what services are needed to provide support to male survivors of trafficking

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Early career mental health professionals are likely to encounter individuals who have survived sex trafficking in private practices and community agencies (Ide & Mather, 2019). Yet limited information and guidance is available for preparing them to work with survivors of sex trafficking (Koegler et al., 2020). Multiple factors influence the preparedness of practitioners to work effectively with client-specific populations. Convenience sampling was used to answer the research question: To what extent does stage of practice, professional exposure to sex trafficking, personal exposure to sex trafficking, counselor self-efficacy, client-specific counselor self-efficacy, and positive attitudes toward survivors of sex trafficking predict preparedness of early career mental health professionals to provide services to individuals who have survived sex trafficking? Participants consisted of 112 mental health professionals who were in-training, pre-licensed, and licensed for five years or less from diverse specialty areas across the country. Findings focus on: 1) the predictor variables that seem to influence preparedness, 2) fostering the development of client-specific counselor self-efficacy and positive attitudes toward survivors of sex trafficking, and 3) how lack of information may impact preparedness of early career mental health professionals to work with this population. Results indicate that our prediction model was significantly associated with preparedness; however, client-specific counselor self-efficacy and positive attitudes toward survivors of sex trafficking were the only two significant unique predictors of variance in preparedness. This presentation concludes with implications and recommendations from the study, limitations of the study, and direction for future research.

Presentation Objectives:

· Identify predictors of preparedness for early career mental health professionals to provide services to individuals who have survived sex trafficking

· Explain the significance of knowing predictors of preparedness for early career mental health professionals to work with client-specific populations

· Discuss how attendees can apply the findings from this study to their training as early career mental health professionals

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This session will share information on using Indigenous culture and traditions to boost resilience in Indigenous populations. The presenter will discuss ways that providers can incorporate Indigenous knowledge and tools into prevention work with at-risk, exploited, and trafficked Indigenous population, based on research and recommendations the presenter co-created with the Human Trafficking Leadership Academy through the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC) as well as experience from the field. The presentation will also include details on an indigenous prevention curriculum developed by the presenter in partnership with NHTTAC, survivors, and subject matter experts from across Minnesota, with examples of activities. This presentation will include key takeaways on ways to implement culture and tradition in daily case management, which participants can bring back to their work with Indigenous youth.

Presentation Objectives:

· Discuss the importance of culture as prevention of human trafficking and in enhancing resilience among Indigenous populations

· Provide concrete ways to implement Indigenous culture and tradition into human trafficking prevention work

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