The issue of sex trafficking has long been a narrative that has involved women and girls. We now know that males are victimized by sexual exploitation in large numbers and it’s important to eliminate the gender bias and homophobia that males face as a result of their victimization. This presentation will address the various risk factors that males experience that result in their exploitation. The presentation will address how males identify their experience, the adverse childhood experiences that define their level of trauma/complex trauma, services needed to support recovery, policy recommendations for service providers from a multidisciplinary perspective, and how to develop programs organizationally specific to male victims/survivors.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe the risk factors that lead to the sexual exploitation of males

•  Discuss how males identify the categories of victimization

•  Describe the services needed for victims/survivors to support recovery

•  Provide various policy recommendations for organizations/providers to support programs for male victims/survivors

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Little research exists on previous educational attainment, present educational status, and future educational aspirations of adolescent survivors of sex trafficking. Even though education is highlighted as a “factor needed for success” for survivors, there is a paucity of information. Twelve current residents were included in this study; data came from intake surveys on past education, current educational achievement data, and interviews on current and future educational aspirations. Research questions included: 1) What were their past educational experiences? 2) What are their educational needs? 3) What are their small and big goals? and 4) What is their vision of success? The findings focus on the risk factors, current educational successes and challenges, and tensions in their future goal setting. Upon intake, most residents had multiple educational risk factors, and several residents also exhibited disruptive behaviors in their schooling history. Implications for practice include a need for targeted remedial education and individualized learning plans to help these adolescents catch up academically. Moreover, the presence of disruptive behaviors highlights the necessity of incorporating behavioral and psychological support within educational programs. Trauma-informed educational practices and mental health services could be essential components in helping these students engage positively with their education. By amplifying the voices and experiences of these residents, social workers, educators, and researchers need to prioritize the transformative power of educational attainment and aspirations in future studies of adolescent trafficking survivors and in developing successful residential programs.

 

Presentation Objectives:

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

•  Identify educational risk factors, successes, and challenges survivors face

•  Understand the importance of prioritizing educational attainment and aspirations in survivors’ recovery

•  Describe the implications and recommendations based on the research for residential care settings

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In 1975, Vicksburg, Michigan was a sleepy quiet little farming community. People thought that the Masonic Organization and Jehovah Witness church were helping families in the little community. But they did not know children were sexually abused by both organizations. Many children were forced to do sexual acts and drugs were put in the food to make them sleep. Rita O'Brien considers herself to be a fearless fighter in taking the next steps to get justice. At first, she started by learning more about what trafficking was. After educating others for 8 years and seeing the patterns that her dad displayed, Rita wanted to do more. Rita had to live a double life that no one understood. Rita went to school during the day, but endured the horrors that no child should have to endure. The day her dad allowed over 30 men to sexually assault her and another boy in her teens was the last. She wanted this horrific life to end. Later in life, she heard about Kalamazoo Area Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition and learned to speak to educate her community. Rita is now teaching police recruits at Kalamazoo Valley Community College a 4-hour training on human trafficking. She is also trying to find a way to get laws passed to have Michigan require that all children aged 5 and older be taught what trafficking is and how to get help. Now, she speaks under Michigan State Police with Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) to educate Law Enforcement on what needs to change and what has to be done. Rita will share her story to shed light on the abuse and trafficking that happened and what a predator looks like. She also wants people to know about properly educating police recruits so that change can happen community wide.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe what a predator looks like

•  Discuss what made situations in life difficult

•  Discuss the survivor’s life experience

•  Discuss what how to best work in the community

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Research studies traditionally use a top-down approach that excludes community members from decision-making processes. In contrast, community-based participatory research is a collaborative approach focused on dismantling traditional inequities by conducting research that engages, shares power with, and benefits communities of interest. Therefore, this community-engaged approach can help mitigate risk of misinterpretation and misrepresentation of findings. This study sought to use a community-based participatory research approach to investigate the life histories of adults who experienced commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) prior to the age 11. Together, the lead researcher and lived experience experts, part of a community advisory board, will share how they partnered in conducting this study. Research participants will provide their perceptions of the research process and perspectives on how this approach exceeded their expectations. This presentation will provide real world examples of how community-engaged research approaches can assuage ethical concerns and reduce risk of harm and re-traumatization when investigating issues related to CSE. This presentation will identify the bidirectional benefits of community-engaged research and address ways that collaborators can simultaneously care for their physical and emotional selves. Further, this presentation will elucidate the lessons learned through this process and offer suggestions on how to make community-engaged research viable, mutually beneficial, and sustainable.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe characteristics of community based participatory research and how it relates to research on CSE

•  Identify the role and value of integrating lived experience into research processes

•  Analyze the benefits of using community based participatory research in CSE research and the impact it can have on researchers and community members

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The intertwined issues of human trafficking, reproductive rights, and abortion ignite intense debates due to their ethical complexities. Human trafficking, a severe violation of human rights, involves exploiting individuals through coercion or deception. This includes sexual exploitation and forced labor. Reproductive rights, centered on bodily autonomy, emphasize individuals' rights to make choices about contraception, pregnancy, and abortion. Access to safe abortion services is vital for exercising these rights. The nexus of human trafficking and reproductive rights presents ethical dilemmas. Trafficking victims may struggle to access reproductive healthcare due to coercion or lack of resources. Some argue that enabling access to abortion for these victims protects their autonomy and prevents further exploitation. Conversely, opponents cite moral objections, including religious beliefs and concerns about the rights of the unborn, advocating against abortion promotion even for trafficking survivors. The presenter will outline this complex issue and talk about why it’s important to dialogue and understand the perspectives of both sides of this critical issue.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explore the issues of human trafficking and reproductive rights, including abortion

•  Outline the debates occurring between those who support and do not support abortion

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Human trafficking is a public health issue that requires a trauma-informed, survivor-focused response from all health care providers. There is evidence related to the healthcare needs of trafficking survivors, but there is still limited research and insight into the best approaches for the treatment of psychological trauma experienced by trafficking victims. The trauma experienced within this patient population is chronic and complex. This workshop explores best practices in a phased approach used to treat trauma and trauma-related symptoms of trafficking victims. In phase 2, participants will be introduced to the Flash Technique modified for therapy with survivors of human trafficking. The Flash Technique can help prepare the survivor for Phase 3 trauma treatment because it allows them to process traumatic memories with minimum or no feelings of distress. This training includes an overview of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) techniques specifically for use with survivors of human trafficking. Please note, EMDR and other techniques should not be used without advanced, multi-hour training and relevant certifications. Participants will be provided additional training resources offered by the Emancipation Nation Network. Participant engagement through case studies related to recovery stories will be shared. A special clinical impact will be emphasized throughout the training related to the trainer’s personal and clinical experience working with other survivors of trafficking.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Identify three trauma-related symptoms of human trafficking victims

•  Discuss three evidence-based practices for the treatment of trauma and trauma-related symptoms

•  Detail the Flash Technique and EMDR and discuss how it is specific for treating trauma-related symptoms with human trafficking victims

•  Explain the recovery process for survivors of human trafficking

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The Department of Justice's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) oversees the Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program (Program). One of the Program’s primary goals is to recover assets that may be used to compensate victims when authorized under federal law. Since 2002, MLARS has returned nearly $12 billion to hundreds of thousands of victims with forfeited assets in cases supported by MLARS. MLARS also operates an Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative with a mission to investigate and prosecute targets engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor, human smuggling, and child exploitation offenses, with a specific focus on how these offenders and criminal organizations finance their operations and launder their illicit proceeds. This presentation will focus on the types of cases where the Department can compensate victims with forfeited assets, along with information for victim advocates who are directly assisting victims of federal crimes. The presentation will address different categories of victims and schemes, with a focus on human trafficking, along with discussing the documentation and information that will need to be submitted to the Department.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Identify differences between forfeiture and restitution

•  Present scenarios when federal asset forfeiture, including civil forfeiture, may be available

•  Explain how various categories of victims, specifically human trafficking victims, may be treated under current regulations

•  Discuss strategies for compensating victims with losses that fall outside of the regulations

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Florida is estimated to have the third highest amount of human trafficking in the United States. Victim identification and a misunderstanding of the crime impede the arrest process, while downstream orientation and prosecutorial discretion affect the judicial process. Through a conceptual framework of cultural blinders, prosecutorial decision-making, and victim-centered investigations, this study analyzed the prioritization of Florida's human trafficking investigations, whether trafficking convictions reflect original arrest charges, and the current issues with Florida's current legal definition of human trafficking. A mixed-methods approach using state and federal convictions and the National Human Trafficking Hotline accompanied by semi-structured interviews with law enforcement, prosecutors, civil and non-profit attorneys, and victim advocates are used to test the hypotheses of this project. The research finds that sex trafficking is the main focus of human trafficking investigations; prosecutors rely on victims' testimonies, which influence plea deals, and the current stipulation of trafficking laws places high burdens on the victims' testimonies, influencing revictimization. It is recommended that further research be conducted on states that provide victim protection during the deposition and testimony stages of the trial to determine if the prosecution has different outcomes. Furthermore, more law enforcement officers should be interviewed to determine why labor trafficking is not investigated in Florida.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe an overview of Florida's human trafficking judicial system, study methodology, and preliminary findings

•  Provide recommendations for judicial reform in Florida to assist victims and survivors better

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