In this presentation, Mercy will reflect on key factors for an impactful outcome of the economic empowerment trainings from the HAART (Awareness Against Human Trafficking) program. She will discuss the role of mental health, lack of resources, freedom of choice, availability of options, and long-term support mechanisms. Drawing from her individual choices and professional paths, the presentation gives an overview of a broad and diverse range of economic empowerment options. She will also share insights on the impact of economic empowerment programs on her psychological wellbeing and social status, including a gender perspective. A focus will be on long-term efficiency of economic empowerment. As a survivor advocate, Mercy will recommend actions for organizations who wish to design or redesign their own economic empowerment programs. She also hopes to inspire more organizations to set up appropriate economic empowerment programs.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview over economic empowerment program opportunities and outline their potentially profound impact

•  Discuss key factors, challenges, and conditions for success and impact

•  Provide recommendations for program design

•  Inspire and encourage fellow survivors

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Approximately 3.5% of children and adolescents in the US experience commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). There is no unified approach to assessing the needs of these youth and providing care. Few programs that have published results used objective measures of psychological functioning and those that did often failed to account for the validity, reliability, and cultural appropriateness of measures used. Anchored in research around ACEs, maltreatment, and emotion regulation (ER), the current study examined correlations between these concepts and other markers of distress (e.g., system involvement, self-harm, substance abuse, and self-reported symptoms). Relatedly, these results would then inform development of an appropriate battery of assessments, guide treatment, and enhance program development. 72 youth referred for treatment secondary to CSE provided demographic information and completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences-Questionnaire (ACE-Q) Teen Self- Report, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). As expected, high total DERS scores and high scores on the Strategies subscale were correlated with greater ACE exposure and more distress. Results support the utility of these measures in assessing the clinical presentations of and progress in treatment for youth who have experienced CSE and suggest emotion regulation may be a more desirable treatment target than symptom reduction. Implementation of such a battery would improve delivery of services both on the individual and the larger programmatic level.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the need for utilization of psychometrically reliable, valid, and culturally appropriate measures to assess youth experiencing CSE at intake and across treatment

•  Explore literature related to emotion regulation and relation to ACEs and applicability to CSE and associated distress

•  Provide rationale for using the DERS [along with other measures] with this population

•  Discuss correlations among ACE exposure, DERS scores, psychological symptomatology, and other markers of distress

•  Explore the implications for individual treatment and programming the larger level

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The prevalence of killing of women and girls for ritual is higher than other geopolitical regions in Nigeria. Consequently, Nembe City Development Foundation (NCDF) in Bayelsa State received a total of $90,000 as a counterpart funding from a partnership between PACT Nigeria, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) under the Advocacy, Awareness, and Civic Empowerment (ADVANCE) program. The funding received was used for a capacity building program – “Add Their Voice to the Budget” (ATVB) – for all GMoU Clusters in Bayelsa State. The program designed to equip the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) Clusters with relevance skills required for peaceful engagement and compliment governments effort in the planning and implementation of the development agenda for the respective communities. A total of 61 representatives from the GMoU Clusters including youth, women leaders, and traditional rulers successfully completed the ATVB training on budget tracking and advocacy skills. Thus, the researchers examined the impact of the multinational oil companies’ CSR using GMoU model on deterring the prevalence of killing of women and girls for ritual in the region. A total of 2,400 women were sampled across the Niger Delta region in Nigeria. The results from the use of logistic regression model indicates that the meagre GMoU interventions specifically targeted at women recorded significant success in improving women’s participation in political, social, and economic activities of the region. The findings suggest that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Critically examine the corporate social responsibility initiatives of multinational oil companies in Nigeria, with the intention of demonstrating the impact of GMoU on deterring the prevalence of killing of women and girls for ritual in the Niger Delta

•  Motivate attendees to engage in policy dialogues to address the underlying drivers, and develop appropriate punitive and preventive measures to mitigate the situation; and to work with media outlets to sensitize the public about ritual killings, encourage good parenting, and promote values that discourage money-making ritual crimes

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Anneke Lucas is a survivor of ritual abuse (RA), mind control, and child sex slavery to the global elite. She is an author and public speaker, leading workshops around the world, and counsels privately with other survivors. At age six, Anneke was sold by her mother into an international pedophile ring involving world leaders. Like many victims, she was used in a system of power where children were used for blackmail, as well as indoctrinated in the dark practices of this exclusive group. She received mind control training to be a sex slave to the global elite as a performer. At age 11, she was dramatically rescued from the ring by an insider. Through her experiences at the seat of worldly power, through her long, ongoing healing process, and through service, Anneke developed intricate awareness of power, both on the global and personal level. In this presentation, Anneke will address her 30-plus-year healing journey, the countless times that helplessness and powerlessness were re-experienced in the healing process and the significance of that phase of recovery. Anneke will share how people hearing her story often experience similar, difficult feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, and she will offer a way to use that discomfort as a key for personal growth and empowerment.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Describe the experiences of a mind-controlled child sex slave

•  Discuss specifics of healing from extreme power abuse

•  Explain the discomfort of being confronted with the subject of RA and then used as a way into one’s own healing

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Chalsea Padilla will be introducing the Nurse Advocate Program (NAP), offering an innovative approach to addressing barriers faced by individuals affected by trafficking when seeking healthcare services. Drawing on current nursing research in the Northwest Ohio area, the presentation will highlight the continued need for effective educational/training programs, resources, and support for healthcare providers (HCPs) to successfully address this vulnerable population’s needs. The focus will be on reviewing existing literature and identifying gaps in knowledge that contribute to service barriers and health disparities to provide practical solutions for HCPs and service providers in the healthcare setting. The presentation will address the unique challenges presented by individuals affected by trafficking or complex trauma in the clinical setting, offering insights into supporting survivors and providing safe, effective accompaniment to health services. Through emphasizing harm reduction tips, safe practices, and ethical communication, the Nurse Advocate aims to equip HCPs and other service providers to better serve this population. The presentation will conclude with an open discussion for case consulting, fostering meaningful dialogue on enhancing healthcare services for this affected population.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Critically reflect on current learning needs of Toledo, Ohio area health systems in treating persons affected by human trafficking by the end of this presentation

•  Discuss common health trends and barriers seen providing direct services to persons from advocate accompaniment to health care visits

•  Introduce NAP as an innovative solution to increase access to healthcare services for individuals affected by human trafficking and provide clinical staff relief

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The intersection of climate change, migration, and human trafficking presents a complex web of challenges, exacerbated by global racism and systemic vulnerabilities. Climate-induced displacement strains traditional definitions of refugee status, complicating efforts to identify and protect those affected. Factors driving migration are multifaceted, with climate often playing a subtle yet significant role. The ensuing irregular migration creates opportunities for exploitation, with individuals vulnerable to trafficking amid legal and social barriers. Race intersects with these dynamics, shaping perceptions of victimhood and criminality, while policy responses often reinforce racial biases. Despite increasing displacement and trafficking, current responses fall short, necessitating urgent and holistic approaches. Addressing these interconnected issues requires acknowledging race as a central determinant of vulnerability and resilience. Calls for global solidarity emphasize the need for bottom-up initiatives and inclusive decision-making processes. By amplifying the voices of those directly impacted, this presentation advocates for a paradigm shift towards more equitable and effective responses. Failure to address these issues perpetuates injustice and undermines efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and human trafficking on vulnerable populations. This session will both educate the audience about the intersections of climate-displacement and trafficking as well as offer attendees specific and manageable strategies for addressing these intertwined forms of oppression at social and individual levels.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss connections between climate-displacement and human trafficking

•  Describe the current legislation, policies, and aid available to climate-displaced persons who are victims of trafficking

•  Propose recommendations for societal and individual level responses to these intertwined issues

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Human trafficking is a crime that preys on vulnerabilities, and although it cuts across age, ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic status, Black girls have an increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation as a result of racism and systematic oppression. Although Black women and girls make up 13% of the U.S. population, they represent 40% of sex trafficking victims and account for 51% of prostitution arrests. Black girls are oversexualized, dehumanized, and often treated as criminals rather than being allowed to exist in environments which provide hope and healing. We each have a shared responsibility to combat human trafficking. In order to prevent trafficking and work to create environments for survivors to thrive, we must address the root causes of trafficking. Through the use of personal testimony, video clips, and group dialogue, the presenter will lead the audience in exploring the experiences of trafficking and sexual exploitation for Black girls and explore the racial roots that contribute to the dehumanization and sexualization of Black girls. Participants will recognize how systematic oppression increases vulnerability to the push/pull factors of human trafficking and evaluate the use of trauma and survivor informed approaches in order to avoid re-traumatization and build resilience.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the role of racism and systemic oppression on vulnerability, victimization, and justice

•  Discuss the supply and demand of human trafficking and the sexual objectification of Black girls

•  Evaluate the re-traumatization of “rescuing”

•  Apply a trauma informed lens in recognizing the need for survivor-centered, culturally responsive approaches to healing

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In this session, which is a continuation of a presentation from 2021, we will further explore how providers who want to develop and apply skills to understand DMST’s client-centered narratives and support victims can overcome any hesitancy to engage and begin to build trust, possibly for the first time. Too often, well-meaning care providers participate in a system that re-traumatizes survivors of childhood abuse and interpersonal violence. Providers often misunderstand the presentation of trauma, misattribute behaviors to apathy or defiance, and focus disproportionate attention on the choices of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) victims instead of on oppressive social structures and practice standards that recreate their harm. DMST victims’ responses to their trauma, like cursing and insulting, can cause significant discomfort for providers, who respond in ways that echo the autonomy-limiting, dignity-denying patterns DMST survivors have learned to avoid. The presenter will explore how a relationship-based approach is not only an effective way to build trust, but through a relationship-based lens, we can begin to examine the provider’s relationship with their clients and their relationship to the social obstacles that trap clients before, during, and after their exploitation. Specifically, the recommendation here is to lean into one’s discomfort to better understand DMST survivor needs and to apply specific interpretive and communication skills when a survivor’s cursing and trauma-related behaviors escalate. This presentation will assist in helping participants also examine how leaning into discomfort can impact biases and overall self-care in the direct practice in the field.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Educate attendees about how DMST survivors and victims present for care, given their exposure to compounding traumas

•  Invite attendees to identify their internal biases that can hamper client recovery and understand how this exploration relates to self-care

•  Provide specific clinical tools to help providers engage appropriately and effectively with domestic minor sex trafficking survivors and victims

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