Law enforcement, service providers, and medical responders experience sustained exposure to child maltreatment, sexual assaults, and human trafficking. This can lead to signs and symptoms of secondary traumatic stress (STS) due to the trauma that the helping profession witnesses. Due to the ongoing exposure to traumatic experiences, providers start to experience negative impacts on their everyday life. The resulting effects of STS can be devastating and include substance abuse, increased rates of suicide, marital distress, depression and anxiety, and decreased physical wellness. This session will primarily focus on learning more about our personal STS and gaining tools to assess STS to improve our wellbeing. Discussion regarding personal experiences, cultural changes within the workplace, and the normalization of STS and compassion fatigue will be a main priority during this session. Attendees will gain skills for resilience and a new perspective on the effects of the work.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Assist attendees in understanding their own levels of compassion fatigue and secondary trauma through discussion and information on terms associated with secondary trauma and compassion fatigue

·  Discuss the need to normalize impacts of high stress work and provide access to tools and resources to improve attendees’ personal and professional lives

Demonstrate how to advocate for culture change in the workplace by discussing the importance of leadership buy-in and tools to make a difference

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Vulnerability to human trafficking increases during and post disasters (Stoklasa et al., 2021) which create additional operational challenges for policy makers as well as on-the-ground operations. Unfortunately, the number of disasters and their impact is increasing (Ruiter et al., 2020). COVID-19 and Ukrainian crisis have raised the concerns about the amplified human trafficking risk with complex crisis. However, there is limited research about the intersection of human trafficking and disasters. The purpose of this research is to present the nexus between disasters and human trafficking and share examples from complex disasters, like the Syrian refugee crisis. Through semi-structured interviews of 25 anti-trafficking and/or humanitarian practitioners, this presentation will first show the pathways to human trafficking during/after each type of disaster, the operational challenges for decision makers, the current state of awareness in this intersection, and the activities in the disaster response cycle to integrate human trafficking. Then, through field observations and analysis of past decade work in the Syrian refugee crisis, this study will present efforts on combating human trafficking through policy, training, public awareness initiatives, and partnership in Turkey. This study will highlight gaps and opportunities for international refugee management to combat human trafficking, especially for California, which has housed an increased number of refugees due to recent crises around the world. It will also provide initial learnings about refugees as beneficiaries from other complex disasters (i.e., recent Turkish/Syrian earthquakes). Participants will gain a deeper understanding for the nexus of different disaster and exploitation as well as emerging best practices for preventing and combating human trafficking post disasters.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Present the link between disasters and human trafficking especially in the complex emergency settings

·  Introduce examples for preventing labor trafficking among refugee population

·  Describe learnings for international refugee management to combat human trafficking

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You may be aware of the invisible wounds that victims often face, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), but what about the invisible wounds to one’s morality or soul (Barnes, Hurley & Taber, 2019)? A moral injury can occur in response to acting or witnessing behaviors that go against an individual's values and moral beliefs (Norman & Maguen, 2020). This session will take attendees on an intentional journey through the lens of moral injury (Price, Steuwig & Mashek, 2007). Presenters will look at moral injury through the viewpoint of a survivor with lived experience and learn how they have used this approach to move further in their own healing. The presenters will also explore how the understanding of moral injury has been a game-changing tool for working in the anti-trafficking field by hearing from a non-profit director. Session attendees will be provided with an opportunity to gain an understanding of the distinctions between PTSD and moral injury. They will also acquire knowledge on implementing diverse strategies to address moral injury when working with clients. Additionally, attendees will be given an opportunity to learn more about how they can equip themselves with strategies that can be applied in their personal and professional lives to cultivate moral resilience, aiming to prevent burnout within their respective fields.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Discuss what causes moral injury and what the symptoms of moral injury are

·  Describe the difference between PTSD and moral injury

Explain different ways to address and treat moral injury

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University students’ involvement in the sex trades is critically understudied in the U.S. Further, many U.S. quantitative studies that identify sex trading use a single item (e.g., “have you ever traded sex for money or drugs?”) to address a complex, stigmatized phenomenon (see ADD Health). However, using multiple, behaviorally specific questions has been shown to better detect highly sensitive and stigmatized behaviors (Cook et al., 2011). To address these gaps, this study sought to 1) adapt, develop, and refine a preliminary, multi-item measure, and 2) understand the experiences of undergraduate and graduate students who are involved in virtual and in-person sex trades. The presenters use a community engaged, direct content analytic approach and conducted 34 cognitive interviews with students who were familiar with sex trading. Results suggest that some students, particularly those from low-income and first-generation backgrounds, trade sex in-person and virtually to support themselves and report positive (e.g., money, access to social capital) and negative health consequences (e.g., sexual assault, being blackmailed and scammed, and reproductive and mental health issues). Further, language used in single-item studies may not reflect participants’ views of the sex trades. Items that address the circumstances of sex trading (including economic needs, wants, exploitation, empowerment/pleasure) were important in capturing diverse experiences. Findings call for integration of multi-item measures to identify involvement in and circumstances of the sex trades in general populations as well as university specific contexts. Implications for practice, policy, and future research that can support and empower students are discussed.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Provide an overview of sex trading involvement among college students in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany

·  Provide an overview of the benefits of multi-item measure to identify complex social phenomena, including sex trades

·  Present research study findings

·  Examine calls to action for practice and policy implications, as well as future research with university students and multi-item measures

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In The Story of Foster Care vol. 1, audiences were invited into the intricate world of foster care as told by former foster youth, foster parents, and caseworkers. In this sequel work, viewers will see the perspectives of individuals who experienced both foster care and human trafficking, individuals who work at organizations supporting their healthy exit from trafficking, and from child-welfare professionals who see the connections. This gallery is a collection of photos and stories that illustrate the foster care system’s connection to the world of human trafficking. The intersection is not as simple as we perceive it. Join Empty Frames Initiative for a conversation panel with the artists and authors of this work as they discuss the evolution of their understanding of this topic, their takeaways from the gallery and book's creation, and their hopes for people working in this field. There will be the opportunity for audience members to ask questions to the panelists. Viewers will have the opportunity to hear from survivors, anti-trafficking professionals, and child-welfare workers on the intersection of foster care and human trafficking. They will learn from each panelist the joys and struggles of taking ownership of your story. Then, they will have the chance to safely submit questions that will be reviewed by a moderator in real time.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Describe the collaborative work and its impact on the authors/artists

·  Explain what steps were taken to help engage everyone authentically and ethically

·  Give authors/artists the opportunity to share what they believe people should know about the intersection of foster care & human trafficking

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We are often challenged to create programs and services incorporating survivor leaders. We want to show respect and opportunities for those with the lived experience of human trafficking. These individuals are often very effective at helping others with similar experiences. Lived experience is invaluable but it doesn’t guarantee success in these endeavors. What do you do if the person has a desire to assist but hasn’t healed enough to do so without being retraumatized? How can we give ourselves, survivors, and their peers a better chance at success? We need to have a fluid plan as we move forward. This session will provide some insight into the challenges and successes of developing these programs. The service provider perspective will be provided from someone that interacts with the desired population on a daily basis. Learn how this program was developed and how it is working now. The program was developed with survivor input and leadership. The lived experience expert will share the challenges, rewards, and successes of being involved. How is it impacting the community at large? Could it work in your area? The willingness to help must come with a clear and open mindset along with the skill and tools to reach success.

 

Presentation Objectives:

·  Discuss ways to train survivors to help other survivors

·  Identify challenges for survivor leaders

·  Describe pitfalls to peer-to-peer programming

·  Present perspectives from a lived experience expert on peer-to-peer work

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In 2021, there were reported 10,571 likely victims of sex trafficking in the United States (Polaris, 2021). Increasing numbers of individuals who have survived sex trafficking are seeking mental health treatment (Litam & Lam, 2021), yet no frameworks currently exist to guide counseling practice with this specific client population (Burt, 2019). That being said, the presenter believes that applying the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC) framework (Ratts et al., 2015) is a way to focus on how a survivor’s culture and context shape their way of being and understanding. This framework has been used with theories, practices, and research. It reflects the privileged and marginalized statuses that mental health professionals and clients bring to the counseling relationship. Embedded within the developmental domains are what mental health professionals aspire to know about working with this population: attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, skills, and action. At the core of this framework is the belief that multiculturalism and social justice should be at the center of counseling. By highlighting the intersection of identities and the dynamics of power, privilege, and oppression that influence the counseling relationship, mental health professionals identify best practice ways to counsel their clients as well as how best to intervene for their clients from a social justice perspective. By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to integrate the MSJCC framework into their mental health practices.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Explain the MSJCC framework

·  Illustrate the awareness, knowledge, skills, and action within each developmental domain to counsel individuals who have survived sex trafficking

·  Educate attendees on how to implement within their mental health practices the MSJCC framework to counsel individuals who have survived sex trafficking

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While familial trafficking is still not fully understood or recognized, studies are starting to show that it is involved in a disturbing number of trafficking cases (Allert, 2022; Polaris, 2021; Edwards et al., 2022). As we have heard in other presentations, the flags are not only difficult to see, but also different from those in your normal Human Trafficking 101 presentation. But what about the ramifications? Because this type of trafficking happens where we are supposed to experience attachment and safety first in our lives, the road to healing may vary from other typologies of trafficking. Learn from a survivor about the impact familial trafficking has on survivors in other aspects of their lives – relationships, interaction with peers, and holidays for example. Then, learn how we can better address these as we walk with them and seek to understand the importance of healing attachment wounds and restorative relationships.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Discuss how familial trafficking flags differ from other types of trafficking

·  Explain the ramifications of being trafficked by family on the other aspects of a survivor’s life

·  Discuss ways we can support healing using strategies such as healing attachment wounds and restorative relationships

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Trauma bonds are one of the most pressing issues facing survivors of sex trafficking, but they are one of the least understood. More insight is needed into survivors’ experiences with trauma bonding. Furthermore, little research has examined survivors’ experiences in human trafficking specialty dockets. Trauma bonds likely affect survivors in these courts, but no research has sought to explore how these survivors experience these bonds. This phenomenological, community-based participatory research study with CATCH court, a human trafficking specialty docket, sought to fill these research gaps by seeking to understand how survivors have experienced trauma bonding, how they have experienced healing from trauma bonding, and how their participation in a human trafficking specialty docket has affected their healing from trauma bonding. This study consisted of focus groups and individual interviews with 19 survivors of sex trafficking who were current participants in or graduates of CATCH court. Study findings indicate survivors have experienced trauma bonds as involuntary, as having lingering power, and as consisting of love and hate. Survivors shared that building trusting and honest relationships, their relationships with themselves, and education all played a role in their healing. Survivors shared that love and support from specialty docket staff helped them overcome trauma bonding effects. Finally, survivors expressed that how trauma bonding affects a survivor in the court ultimately depends on the individual. Study findings contain important implications for practice with survivors, for policy, and for future research.

Presentation Objectives:

·  Explain what trauma bonds are and how to recognize them among survivors of sex trafficking

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

·  Describe the implications and recommendations based on the research

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