Posts tagged 23:10:15
Systems that Protect Predators: How the Canadian Justice System Enabled Canada’s Most Prolific Accused Sex Trafficker

In 2011, Timothy Sawa, along with two other Canadian journalists, faced an undercover sting and unprecedented criminal charges after investigating a wealthy and powerful clothing magnet for sexual misconduct. Accused sex trafficker, Peter Nygard, used his wealth and a rarely used part of the Canadian criminal code to launch a private criminal prosecution against the journalists. If convicted, the journalists faced a possible five-year prison sentence for having published a libel knowing it to be false. As a result, the legal team, led by Sean Moreman, and journalists at Canadian Broadcasting Corporation spent the next decade fighting the charges in court. That legal fight consumed valuable time and resources that could otherwise have been used to continue the investigation into Peter Nygard. Peter Nygard’s abuse of these sections of the Canadian criminal code may have deterred victims from going forward and may have chilled other media from investigating and exposing his crimes, allowing him to continue as an accused sexual predator for another ten years. Some have argued this section of the criminal code should be abolished because of its potential for abuse, citing this case. This presentation will explore the legal and journalistic ramifications of Peter Nygard’s perversion of the Canadian justice system, effectively helping him avoid scrutiny for decades. Participants will learn about the relevant sections of the Canadian criminal code, how Peter Nygard’s abuse of those sections allowed him to continue as a sexual predator, and how the journalists eventually exposed him.

Presentation Objectives:

· Describe the decade-long journalistic investigation into Peter Nygard,

· Explain how Nygard successfully used the Canadian justice system to enable his sexual predation and how he was eventually stopped

· Describe criminal libel laws in Canada and their potential for abuse against journalists in an attempt to cover up criminal behavior.

· Discuss the role of the media in investigating and exposing wrongdoing in all its forms

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A Survivor Parent’s Journey

“Well-behaved women seldom make history” (Ulrich, 2008). This quote could be perceived as a cry for activism or permission to misbehave, but the scholarly context is quite different. It is best explained by pointing “out that the ‘histories of ordinary’ women have not been widely known because historians have not looked carefully at their lives” (Harvard Gazette, 2007). This quote can be used to describe the life of human trafficking victims whose lives may appear ordinary but on the contrary are quite extraordinary. Victimization is often hidden in plain sight, as will be demonstrated through this narrative regarding one mother’s struggles to understand and find resources. The timeline provides insight, information obtained from certified medical records, and detailed experiences from encounters with providers and various law enforcement agencies as a result of years of her daughter’s victimization. Unfortunately, this story does not have a fairy tale ending. To the world, Carolyn Kinkoph’s daughter, Courtney, appeared to be a high functioning 29-year-old woman who often denied victimization, hid mental health symptoms, and was not self-aware of her own psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. The failure of several systems resulted in her death. Human trafficking not only affects victims, it can impact their family and friends who also need support. Carolyn’s story is a testimony that silos must be broken for coordinated efforts within each system and across systems to build a multidisciplinary team who works together for seemingly ordinary people to receive trauma-informed comprehensive care in order to lead extraordinary lives.

Presentation Objectives:

· Describe the survivor mother's life experience

· Discuss the evolution of awareness and the impact on treatment decisions for her daughter

· Discuss what was learned as a result of this experience

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Teaching and Supervision of Human Trafficking in Counselor Education Programs

The treatment of human trafficking (HT) survivors poses numerous challenges for counselors which should be addressed in supervision (Courtois & Ford, 2009). However, prior to ever working with a survivor of HT in a clinical setting, it is imperative that counseling students receive training on human trafficking in a trauma-informed manner. Counselor educators and supervisors must have a strong grasp on the issues that will arise in the classroom as well as in treatment, including the dynamics that will enter the educational and supervisory relationships. Research has highlighted the inherent risks of teaching about atrocities such as human trafficking, including re-traumatization and vicarious trauma (Carello, 2014). As such, counselor education programs much create and deliver curriculum that adequately trains students on the harsh realities of human trafficking while following a trauma-informed pedagogical approach. When students reach clinical fieldwork training, a Trauma-Sensitive Supervision model should be incorporated. Trauma-Sensitive Supervision (TSS) encompasses four major elements including expert knowledge of trauma theory and treatment, identifying and processing countertransference reactions, identifying and processing vicarious trauma experiences, and a safe and supportive supervisory alliance (Sommer & Cox, 2005). Navigating multicultural and social justice issues both within the educational and the supervisory relationship is also critical. Attendees will learn the benefits of using a trauma-informed teaching approach to educating students on human trafficking in counselor education programs and a TSS approach during clinical fieldwork. Attendees will also gain strategies on delivering trauma-informed curriculum from the presenters’ own experiences as counselor educators and supervisors.

Presentation Objectives:

· Discuss the unique challenges faced by counselor educators, supervisors, and graduate students when working with human trafficking

· Describe how to apply trauma-informed teaching strategies for effective teaching of human trafficking

· Outline the key elements of TSS for cases of human trafficking

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Occupational Therapists’ Role in Prevention and Rehabilitation of Human Trafficking Survivors

Human trafficking (HT) has been recognized as both a public health and human rights issues worldwide. Despite the limited research supporting the role of occupational therapists (OT) in addressing the needs of HT survivors, the role of OTs in working with similar trauma populations such as domestic violence, homelessness, etc. are well documented in the literature (AOTA, 2014; Davis & Kutter, 1998; Waldman- Levi & Weintraub, 2014). Although OTs have a profound potential to impact the lives of HT survivors through patient-centered care and advocacy efforts, the role of OTs in HT is currently unknown. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of OTs on their role in prevention and rehabilitation of HT survivors. Researchers used a qualitative inductive approach with OTs in the state of Nebraska. Interviews were conducted with eight currently practicing OTs. The interview guide was developed by the research team and content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The interviews were conducted from October through November 2019. Five themes emerged from the qualitative data analyses. They included (1) awareness and knowledge on HT, (2) OT’s role in rehabilitation of HT survivors, (3) OT’s role in the prevention of HT, (4) role of OTs in community reintegration of HT survivors, and (5) challenges for OTs in working with HT survivors in their practice. The findings of the study suggest that OTs are not currently involved in anti-trafficking efforts, but have great potential in assisting HT survivors, particularly in community reintegration. The study findings have implications for practice, education, and informing future research.

Presentation Objectives:

· Provide an overview of the study focused on exploring the role of occupational therapists in prevention and rehabilitation of human trafficking survivors

· Discuss the implications of the study to occupational therapy practice, education, and future research

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Sons of Toledo: Art/Community Collaboration Raising Awareness About Gun Violence

Two faculty members from different academic disciplines (theatre and social work) engage in social justice work in the Toledo community both seeing the value of storytelling and art forms to building confidence in voice and raising awareness about hidden community injustice (Schneider, 2003). The short film, Sons of Toledo, and poetry created by high school students from Toledo Public Schools will be presented and discussed. The process of creating film and poetry is a form of inquiry. Community involved art requires listening to lived experience and learning from and with community members. Gun violence is a problem in Toledo. According to local news coverage of gun violence in Toledo, there were 70 homicides in 2021, up from 62 in 2020, 15 of those victims were teenagers. The presenters will share their experience elevating community members as artists and story tellers and the challenges and value of this kind of work to better understanding a community and the emotional impact of gun violence on parents and children. The presenters will share their artistic process, research method, and experiences with art provoking advocacy and action by collaborating with programs like Cure Violence (Save Our Community) and Guns to Garden Tools (Rawtools) in the Toledo community (Hanzalik, 2021; Chang, Ngunjiri, & Hernandez, 2013). Participants will have an opportunity to consider the unique possibility of community engagement through artistic expression and the potential of collective art creation to social change.

Presentation Objectives:

· Consider the importance of creative community social justice projects

· Discuss the unique advantages of arts-based inquiry into social injustices like gun violence

· Describe the process of community action art interventions

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Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria and Multinational Corporations in the Fight Against Human Trafficking in Oil Producing Communities

In Nigeria, human trafficking is a hidden crime, driven by the current economic situation of the country. The Nigerian government has demonstrated significant efforts to combat human trafficking in the country by creating the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). The incidents of human trafficking in the Nigeria’s oil producing communities have remained among the highest in the country and higher than the national average. The objective of this investigation was to determine the impact of a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) model of multinational oil companies (MOCs) on the fight against human trafficking in the host communities. The researchers generated cross-sectional data from a total of 1,200 households selected across the host communities of Niger Delta using multi-stage sampling procedure. Results from the use of a combined propensity score matching and logit model indicated that MOCs hold the key to combating human trafficking by fostering effective partnership across different sectors, if highest CSR priority is assigned to reducing incidents of human trafficking in the oil producing communities. Embracing the fight against human trafficking should form the foundation of General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoUs) practice, which in turn will provide the enabling environment for more widespread responsible business. As most of the human trafficking in the Niger Delta is exploited by relatives or friends, MOCs, governments, and other stakeholders should increase awareness campaigns in public places on the risks of trafficking. Advocacy efforts should aim at changing the perception of rural people that life is better in the cities or abroad.

Presentation Objectives:

· Analyze the level of multinational oil companies’ CSR interventions in the fight against human trafficking in Niger Delta, Nigeria

· Examine the impact of multinational oil companies’ GMoUs in reducing incidents of human trafficking in rural communities of Niger Delta region in Nigeria

· Determine the consequences of reducing the incidents of human trafficking in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

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Cultural Considerations When Working with Native Communities

A history of violence and trauma, sometimes perpetuated by U.S. government institutions, have led to Native Americans facing unique challenges as a marginalized and underserved population. As a result, many indigenous survivors of human trafficking will seek support from the community-based and culturally specific organizations that they trust, rather than from victim service agencies. Collaboration is required to overcome the many obstacles, such as limited funding and resources, that impact tribal organizations’ abilities to fully support all survivors of human trafficking and other forms of gender-based violence. A joint project between the Commission of Indian Affairs and the Council for Women and Youth Involvement, both advocacy agencies housed under the North Carolina Department of Administration, serves as a model of a successful collaboration to increase recognition of human trafficking, and to connect Native American survivors to culturally specific resources and services. This project is funded through a three-year grant awarded by the Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the federal Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF). To better reach and serve indigenous survivors, it is important to understand the historical implications that have led to their marginalization, the importance of culture as a protective factor, and how oppression impacts service delivery. This presentation will look at how to build trust-based relationships with Native communities, as well as best practices for collaborative responses to human trafficking that include community-based and culturally specific organizations. This presentation is a how-to on incorporating cultural considerations into service provision strategies that can build trust to develop lasting relationships with tribal communities over time.

Presentation Objectives:

· Provide an overview of why Native communities are vulnerable to violence

· Describe the importance of culture and how cultural misinformation impacts service provision

· Discuss ways to build trust with Native communities and the importance of collaborative responses to address human trafficking

· Explain how to provide culturally specific services to tribal communities

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Engaging Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth (CSEY) in Help-Relations: Complementary Perspectives of CSEY and Help-Providers

Attention to the problem of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of youth is on the rise in many countries in the past decade. Whereas commercially sexually exploited youth (CSEY) are at extreme risk for various psychological, physical, and social problems, helping them involves profound and unique challenges. Accordingly, the main research question was “How do we engage CSEY in help-relations?” In-depth semi-structured interviews, analyzed using a grounded theory method, were conducted with 51 CSEY and 23 help providers (HP) focused on exploring the help-seeking processes of CSEY. The findings reveal a dual perspective on CSEY’s help engagements. Firstly, CSEY’s angle highlights the significance of both formal and informal help relations and underlines good help as ‘going beyond’ the boundaries of routine helping practice and relations. Secondly, six guiding principles that support the engagement of CSEY in help-relations were elicited from interviews with HP working with CSEY. A central principle was not to assume that CSEY view their involvement in CSE as problematic. The implications focus on recommendations for HP who work with CSEY. The difficulty of helping CSEY who don’t necessarily perceive their situation as problematic, and the complexity of engaging CSEY in help relations while maintaining a delicate balance between “going beyond” without patronizing CSEY will be thoroughly discussed.

Presentation Objectives:

· Share CSEY's perspective on help relations and the characteristics of what helps

· Share research findings about the complexity of supporting CSEY and engaging them in help-relations

· Discuss the meaning of these findings to the work of help-providers and social services that specialize in assisting CSEY

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Ohio Department of Youth Services’ Statewide Response to Human Trafficking

From 2019 through 2021, 37 youth were identified as survivors of human trafficking by the Ohio Department of Youth Services (ODYS). We know this is only a fraction of the youth in the custody of the statewide juvenile justice system who have experienced exploitation. How can we do a better job of identifying youth who have experienced trafficking? How can we collaborate with other partners to better serve these youth? In this training, the presenters will discuss ODYS’ holistic response to human trafficking through highlighting four key subjects: (1) policy regarding the identification and response to youth in ODYS, (2) the use of the ODYS Human Trafficking Screening Tool (ODYS HTST), (3) strategic statewide partnerships with anti-trafficking organizations and other agencies, and (4) the importance of survivor-led prevention. At the end of this training, participants should be able to identify strategies for community collaboration, recognize the importance of survivor-led prevention, and understand how to implement the ODYS HTST in their own agencies, as it is a non-proprietary screening tool that can be utilized by other agencies and organizations. Although this training focuses on the practices of ODYS, the exploration of their goals and methodology for identifying and responding to juvenile victims of trafficking is relevant for all youth-serving organizations.

Presentation Objectives:

· Provide an overview of ODYS

· Discuss key aspects of DYS’ statewide response

· Highlight the Human Trafficking Screening Tool

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