This study examined the gap between the needs of trafficking victims in Zimbabwe and the country's National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons 2023-2028 (NAPLAC) (re)integration strategy. This research employed a qualitative approach, focusing on in-depth interviews with key informants. To ensure reach to the most relevant participants, it used purposive sampling and a snowballing technique due to the sensitive nature of the topic to identify critical issues and needs largely unaddressed by NAPLAC’s superficial provisions. The research complemented the primary data by conducting document reviews of international and regional guidelines, policy frameworks and laws which will include the National Plan of Action 2023-2028, Trafficking in Persons Act, IOM Guideline for Assisting Victims of Trafficking, and Oxfam Good Practices on (Re)Integration of Victims of Trafficking. Findings highlighted the importance of a victim-centered approach recognizing unique experiences and vulnerabilities. Comprehensive support services are needed encompassing housing, healthcare, psychosocial support, education, vocational training, and livelihood opportunities. Targeted interventions to enhance economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods were recommended. Regular needs assessments and incorporation of victim voices into reintegration strategies were also suggested. Strengthening legal frameworks consistent with international standards along with accessible services tailored to individual needs were identified as crucial. Addressing socio-economic contributing factors and implementing recommended measures will empower victims and facilitate successful (re)integration.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Present a critical analysis of the gap between the needs of trafficking victims in Zimbabwe and the reintegration strategy outlined in NAPLAC 2023-2028

•  Identify crucial needs of victims that are currently not adequately addressed by NAPLAC's provisions

•  Emphasize the importance of a victim-centered approach to reintegration, recognizing the unique experiences and vulnerabilities of each victim

•  Propose a framework for comprehensive support services encompassing housing, healthcare, psychosocial support, education, vocational training, livelihood opportunities, and economic empowerment initiatives

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This presentation will help attendees understand the role of drugs and alcohol in the abduction and trafficking of missing and murdered Native Americans. Overall, 1.5 million Native American women have experienced violence in their lifetime. Indigenous people in the United States have rates of murder, rape, and violent crime higher than any other group. Indigenous women make up a significant portion of missing, murdered, and trafficked individuals. In many cases, alcohol and drug misuse, or the deliberate use of incapacitating substances by traffickers to aid abduction and compliance with abusers. Attendees will learn to recognize signs of trafficking, the prevalence of trafficking among missing and murdered indigenous persons in the United States and Canada, the identity and methods of traffickers, the role of substance misuse, and trauma-informed counseling strategies to aid survivors in recovery.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss dangers indigenous clients may be exposed to in terms of trafficking

•  Describe the significant types of trafficking and MMIP in their area

•  Identify the role forced and voluntary substance use plays in trafficking

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The London Abused Women’s Centre and Salvation Army Correctional Justice Services in London, Ontario, Canada have partnered with the tertiary care facility, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Canada, to deliver tailored training to medical residents, as well as specialty-specific training to pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, emergency department, and psychiatry. Other providers present include nurses and social workers who may come in to contact with a victim of human trafficking. Research shows that a victim’s first point of supportive contact is often through a health agency. Through CARES (Consortium of Anti Human Trafficking Research and Education), this model demonstrates the importance of using a wraparound approach to leverage the skills, knowledge, and abilities in each respective profession to be able to identify signs of human trafficking and to know how to intervene. The CARE team trains front line workers on how to be aware of the signs of trafficking, how to respond, who to report to, and how to manage vicarious trauma. The team relies on both front-line workers and lived experience experts to inform the process and to ensure the community is knowledgeable of, and responsive to, the growing plague of human trafficking. The call to action of the CARE team is to inform and educate every sector that may come into contact with a victim of human trafficking with the goal of prevention and early intervention. Attendees will understand the benefit of a cross-sectoral collaborative approach to networking, educating, and training about human trafficking for front line workers in medical and other human service industries.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the importance of educating health professionals and other first responders

•  Discuss risks and challenges for victims of sex trafficking who seek service, and what front line service providers need to know

•  Discuss wraparound service model to meet the needs of victims of sex trafficking

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a concerning rise in human trafficking cases involving online forced criminal activity resulting in dual victimization. The extent of criminal activity, thousands of human trafficking victims, and the number of countries where such operations have occurred are a cause for concern and necessitates increased regional and international action. The breadth and depth of such criminal activities are enabled by criminal networks’ exploitation of the pandemic, job losses, the culture of migrant work specifically in the Southeast Asia region, and the ease of conducting illegal activity in Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has passed a number of Conventions and Declarations to address the issue and follow-through has begun with implementation in various countries, but there is still much to do. The severity of the situation requires strengthening efforts at an international level including the financial and technology sectors to increase safety online and cooperate for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators. An effective response requires the cooperation of various governments, regional and international efforts beyond Southeast Asia which include the financial and technology sectors to extend assistance and prosecute such criminal networks. This means having comprehensive efforts targeting both physical and online spaces as a better response for human trafficking prevention, protection and prosecution, effectively addressing not just sex trafficking but also labor trafficking.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss new risk factors of human trafficking

•  Describe ways to strengthen efforts to address this new type of human trafficking

•  Facilitate discussion on possible policy actions or measures that can be done from their states/locations

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The presenter will use both personal experience and professional expertise to shed light on a subject that demands our attention. It’s precisely because of her journey that she will stir up a whirlwind of emotions, showing why it’s crucial to lean into those feelings. That is where change begins and where the harsh realities of why this happens to regular, everyday people become apparent. As a mother of a trafficking survivor, Lynda realized she missed three crucial elements and will share them in this presentation, not to dwell on past mistakes but to illuminate the blind spots we all might have and to learn from them to prevent similar tragedies. The primary part of her presentation will be unveiling domestic sex trafficking and abuse. Fueled by cinematic portrayals like ‘Taken’ or ‘Sound of Freedom,’ international sex trafficking captures headlines, while domestic sex trafficking often hides in plain sight. Once oblivious to the possibility of such horrors befalling her children, Lynda aims to debunk common misconceptions surrounding domestic sex trafficking, shedding light on how seemingly normal relationships can cancel trafficking dynamics. During the presentation, attendees will gain insight into: 1) the true identities of traffickers compared to the cinematic stereotypes, 2) the demographics targeted by the trafficker and their underlying motivations, 3) vulnerabilities exploited by traffickers and who manipulate them to control the victim, 4) subtle indicators of trafficking, empowering attendees to recognize potential trafficking situations effectively, and 5) how individuals who have endured trafficking often perceive themselves as having consented to their exploitation. Lynda will outline the four essential criteria to address this misconception of consent, giving relatable examples.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explain how our belief in what we thought sex trafficking looked like was the cause of the presenter’s daughter being a victim

•  Discuss what the presenter learned about who the traffickers are

•  Explain the differences between international and domestic sex trafficking

•  Describe how the presenter has moved on by turning her pain into purpose by educating others on prevention

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Initiatives such as “End Demand” oversimplify the multifaceted experiences of those involved in the sex trade. Rather than acknowledge the unique realities people have lived, the response is often to funnel them into the “Viminal Space.” This is a paradigm of state-imposed marginalization, situated between victimhood and criminality. Such black-and-white categories fail to recognize the diverse intersectionality within the sex-working communities, particularly among those from 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC backgrounds. By over-policing individual livelihoods or trying to “save” people for their own good, “End Demand” fails to recognize victimization as it occurs in real-time. The presenters will speak to the limitations of initiatives such as “End Demand”. Outdated programs of this caliber have failed at meeting the complexity of individual needs for holistic recovery. They advocate for nuanced strategies that offer comprehensive support and viable pathways forward. In doing so, the presenters recognize and honor the diverse experiences of everyone involved in the sex trade. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the intersectionalities within sex work, as well as an awareness of the negative consequences that over-policing and rescue have on the well-being of citizens. As a call to action, the presenters advocate for policies and initiatives that integrate nuanced responses. Programs should honor the dignity, worth, and autonomy of the individuals they are representing. The presenters are committed to collaborations that provide comprehensive resources and support for individuals involved in or exiting the sex trade. Through education, they hope to inspire others to advocate for unbiased support and comprehensive resources for a brighter future.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide a basic overview of the four models of criminalization

•  Discuss why it is crucial to study the effects of the “End Demand” initiative on vulnerable populations within the context of complex social issues

•  Explain the economic theory of supply and demand as it applies to sex workers and trafficked individuals

•  Define and evaluate the importance of addressing the root causes of trafficking

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Since the early 2000s, there has been a growing focus on human trafficking, with scholars, advocates, policy makers, and survivors increasingly contributing to the narrative. The International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference has encapsulated two decades of national and global discussions on human trafficking and social justice issues. For this presentation, conference abstracts from 2004 to 2023 were analyzed using thematic analysis. The researchers reviewed and coded each abstract. Using inter-coder reliability, differences were resolved through discussion to establish consensus. Themes were developed inductively as they emerged from the abstracts. The two presenters would like to thank Anna Schramm for her contribution to the analysis of conference data and findings. This presentation sheds light on those enduring narratives, the evolving discourse on intersectionality, and the changing landscape of national and international dialogues surrounding human trafficking. It prompts reflection on our collective learnings and encourages deliberation on the future trajectory of the international conversation in this crucial area.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe the trends and shifts in the narrative on human trafficking

•  Synthesize the lessons learned and identify gaps for the future years

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Ethical survivor engagement is a necessity in the fight against human trafficking, be it in serving the sector as an advocate or in any other capacity that involves what constitutes “work” within the setting of prevention, intervention, or aftercare. Survivor voices are needed to expand community knowledge and to maintain accountability. In this presentation, attendees will hear from two survivors who will be sharing their experiences working in the anti-trafficking field; where they see strengths and where they see room to grow within the sector. Drawing from their experiences and observations, they will walk through some common pitfalls and ways that organizations can avoid these so that survivors can be strengthened by their time working in this space, instead of feeling re-exploited. This session will specifically highlight the ethics surrounding organizational preparedness, compensation, and the ongoing professional development of survivors. With a combined professional background of over 15 years in the anti-trafficking and domestic violence sphere, their experiences will illustrate progress that has been made and setbacks that have been experienced. Survivors help to create organizational resilience when they are empowered to use their voice in an ethical way. With a focus on shared accountability that educates and empowers organizations, attendees will leave this session better equipped for working and engaging with survivors.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss how ethical survivor engagement leads to organizational resilience

•  Discuss deficits and where there is opportunity for growth within various areas of the sector

•  Inspire survivors that their professional development is essential to the health of this space

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Survivors of sex trafficking are resilient individuals capable of employing strategies when needed to manage situations of marginalization and oppression such as gender oppression, racism, and poverty. Nonetheless, trafficking-related research and services has most focused on risks, deficits, and vulnerabilities. This leaves researchers and practitioners with little knowledge for understanding and supporting survivors’ preferred resilience strategies. In this presentation, the researcher answers the question, “How do survivors manifest and maintain resilience?” through a participatory constructivist grounded theory method (Charmaz, 2014) where participants engaged in data interpretation. Data comprised 75 in-depth interviews with 44 other survivors of sex trafficking, and was analyzed with a community co-analyst. Findings showed that the core of resilience was the ability to make preferred choices amidst very limited options that: (1) brought participants closer to goals, (2) did not move them further away, or (3) moved them away as little as possible so they could recover as quickly as possible when there was an opportunity. Choices were facilitated by four elements: hope, purpose, values, and assets. These elements revealed how participants’ personal agency interacted with structural inequalities, foregrounding personal power, and implicating social services and other sectors in their experiences of risk and opportunity. Participants noted they needed the most support for making choices during the period immediately after trafficking. Participants recommended that this resilience knowledge be used to create training materials, self-help materials, and a resilience-enhancing app. The presentation concludes with recommendations for community-engaged, participatory research for improving resilience-enhancing services for survivors.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe the study and highlight the importance of acknowledging survivors’ resilience strategies and supporting and partnering with these strategies

•  Describe survivors’ strategies, (i.e., how they use hope, values, purpose, and assets) to navigate situations of constrained choices amidst structural inequities

•  Discuss implications and recommendations for integrating this into practice

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