Dr. Cleary and a selection of fellow participant researchers/writers will discuss the preliminary findings from a six-month creative writing project focused on the importance of friendship to social mobility. Fearless Writers was created as a way for university and high school students to work together to disrupt social separation caused by oppressive housing policies known as redlining. Inspired by a Zora Neale Hurston scholar (Rae Chesney) talk at the BGSU Black Issues Conference in spring 2023, the friendship between Hurston and Langston Hughes was used to “activate” the Community Empathy Write (CEW). This community writing project was grounded in history, theory, and both research and writing group method. This project was also inspired by recent groundbreaking research by Raj Chetty and colleagues published in Nature (2022) looking at the importance of friendship to economic mobility. The CEW prompts were informed by participant writers and community stakeholders who were engaged in phases of the writing. Each month, the community of writers were given three prompts, two poem/writing (one Zora, one Langston) and one news story distilling social science research about friendship. The presenters will discuss creative writing as a method to explore collective community experience of friendships. Participants of the conference will have the opportunity to hear a sample of short pieces written by members of the writing research community and learn more about the prompt development. The audience will have the opportunity to write into a prompt, share, and receive strengths-based feedback to get experience with the writing group method. Participants will learn about how the CEW fits into other community writing projects around the country and a movement within medicine nurturing empathy for patient experience called narrative medicine.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide an overview of community-engaged writing and collaborative autoethnography method to collectively explore the connection between friendships and economic mobility from personal experience wisdom

•  Describe the benefits of university/public school partnerships in elevating youth narrative about important social justice topics

•  Demonstrate how poetry can be used as data and part of legitimate participatory inquiry about social justice concerns

Read More

This presentation plunges into the seriousness of child sexual exploitation in America and the criminal justice system. Sherri Jefferson will highlight challenging issues facing Juvenile Urban Sex Trafficking in the U.S. (JUST US) and share recommendations by the African American Juvenile Justice Project (AAJJP) based upon expertise. Participants will learn how the 17Ps (parents, principals, police, prosecutors, etc.) can be impactful in addressing victimization and criminalization and will understand how each can change outcomes. Stakeholders will learn how to effectively help victims of human trafficking and children who are charged as prostitutes. The presentation will educate, engage, equip, and empower the audience to understand facts versus fiction and the obstacles faced by Black families in this space.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Dismantle misunderstandings about Black victims of sex trafficking

•  Dismantle falsehoods about Black young women and girls

•  Discuss opportunities in direct services for this group

•  Provide a call to action for a fair criminal record reporting act for victims of sex trafficking whose offenses are beyond prostitution

Read More

Access to services to victims of human trafficking in real time has been an ongoing challenge in the U.S. Victims of human trafficking rarely fit simply into the current service provision streams of unsheltered persons or victims of interpersonal or sexual violence. The Arizona community identified the need for a human trafficking specific response, and in February 2023, a statewide human trafficking hotline went live in Arizona. The Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline is a partnership between the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Arizona State University Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research with calls going to the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) which is the Arizona Department of Public Safety 911 system. If the caller requests support services, the call is warm transferred to the Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline with trained agents. The Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline agents are led by a Lived Experience Expert with 12 years of experience providing supportive services including crisis response. The second Hotline agent is a native Spanish speaker. The Hotline agents provide immediate support through connections to services, assistance with transportation, emotional support, and assistance with providing basic needs. The Hotline agents can assist callers for up to 12 months of support. During the first year, the Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline received 1,187 calls with 112 unique cases developed with crisis and ongoing services provided. This presentation will describe the process of developing a response protocol including consent, information collection, response protocols, and capacity building activities in the Arizona community.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the process of developing and implementing a statewide human trafficking hotline

•  Describe the response protocols developed for the hotline including consent, response, and capacity building

•  Discuss the challenges faced and lessons learned during the first year of the Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline

•  Describe 4 specific cases and the hotline response activities

Read More

Access to services to victims of human trafficking in real time has been an ongoing challenge in the U.S. Victims of human trafficking rarely fit simply into the current service provision streams of unsheltered persons or victims of interpersonal or sexual violence. The Arizona community identified the need for a human trafficking specific response, and in February 2023, a statewide human trafficking hotline went live in Arizona. The Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline is a partnership between the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Arizona State University Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research with calls going to the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) which is the Arizona Department of Public Safety 911 system. If the caller requests support services, the call is warm transferred to the Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline with trained agents. The Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline agents are led by a Lived Experience Expert with 12 years of experience providing supportive services including crisis response. The second Hotline agent is a native Spanish speaker. The Hotline agents provide immediate support through connections to services, assistance with transportation, emotional support, and assistance with providing basic needs. The Hotline agents can assist callers for up to 12 months of support. During the first year, the Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline received 1,187 calls with 112 unique cases developed with crisis and ongoing services provided. This presentation will describe the process of developing a response protocol including consent, information collection, response protocols, and capacity building activities in the Arizona community.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the process of developing and implementing a statewide human trafficking hotline

•  Describe the response protocols developed for the hotline including consent, response, and capacity building

•  Discuss the challenges faced and lessons learned during the first year of the Arizona Human Trafficking Hotline

•  Describe 4 specific cases and the hotline response activities

Read More

A recent study published in the Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved leveraged the medico-legal partnerships of HEAL Trafficking and Justice at Work to better understand healthcare utilization among survivors of labor trafficking. Using legal aid organization data, the purpose of this study was to describe the health care utilization and occupational exposures during trafficking among foreign-born people labor trafficked in the U.S. While 4.8 million people are subjected to forced sexual exploitation, up to 14.2 million experience forced labor exploitation. Despite its prevalence, existing research is limited with only 10% of all literature around human trafficking considering labor exploitation. Lack of education and awareness significantly impedes advocacy, prevention, and intervention efforts for this community. Recognizing the clinical touchpoints through which survivors of trafficking interface can equip healthcare professionals to better identify and address the needs of this community. This study is integral in beginning to describe the issue and identify avenues for intervention. Methods for this study included a retrospective analysis of immigration files for health data among 114 labor trafficked individuals. Researchers compiled de-identified narratives from legal documents to highlight potential identifiers of labor trafficked. Data gathered from this study informed a groundbreaking presentation for healthcare providers that reveals healthcare needs, utilization patterns, and intervention opportunities within the medical system and will be shared at this conference.

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explain why labor trafficking is often overlooked

•  Describe the risk factors of labor trafficking

•  Report what labor trafficking looks like in the community

•  Demonstrate how to respond to victims of labor trafficking

Read More

This presentation examines the complex intersections of human trafficking, focusing child sacrifice and ritual abuse globally. These crimes are often fueled by desperation and greed, and exploit individuals and communities. By exploring these interconnected issues, this presentation aims to bring attention to cases often overlooked. We will delve into the realities of trafficking intertwined with the practices of child sacrifice and ritual abuse, providing a comprehensive understanding of the global scope and mechanisms of these crimes. The exploitation of individuals for profit and ritualistic purposes highlights the profound depths of exploitation present in our societies. These practices, shrouded in secrecy and manipulation, leave lasting impacts on their victims. The presentation will investigate documented cases from Africa and North America, analyze the role of the dark web in facilitating these crimes, and share testimonies from a frontline professional from Uganda and a Male Survivor from the United States, who have firsthand experience with these issues. By illuminating these interconnected phenomena, we aim to not only expose these crimes but also to advocate for increased awareness and support for affected individuals, fostering a path towards hope and healing.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Explore the intersections of human trafficking, particularly organ and sex trafficking, with child sacrifice and ritual abuse worldwide

•  Investigate real-life cases in Africa and North America, backed by dark web analysis, frontline professional testimonies, and survivor accounts

•  Raise awareness about these interconnected horrors and advocate for action through shedding light on the crimes and offering hope and healing

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

Familial trafficking has only recently been brought into the mainstream conversations around human trafficking, but there is still a lot we don’t understand. The barriers a child faces that has been trafficked by a family member starts with identification and continues throughout the “system.” What happens when they hit a barrier and either fall through the cracks or are placed in a more harmful situation? These are some of our most vulnerable youth. Join the presenters to find out more about these barriers, the sporadic safety nets that are in place, and their suggestions for systemic change to better address these issues.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Define familial trafficking and the difficulties in identification

•  Discuss the barriers throughout the system that a child trafficked by a family member might encounter

•  Challenge the traditional system as it relates to the child and consider alternatives to better serve them

Read More

At Bon Secours Mercy Health, (BSMH) their mission is to extend the compassionate ministry of Jesus by improving the health and well-being of the community and bringing good help to those in need, especially people who are poor, dying, and underserved. This is never more evident than in their trauma informed care of those being trafficked. A case presentation will be offered, along with a discussion of a healthcare system’s approach to this care including the role of forensic nurses and the trauma recovery center. Presenters will share insight into the development of training and education of health system associates located across four states, along with providing educational offerings to increase awareness of trafficking within the communities the health system serves, while developing partnerships within those areas. Additionally, presenters will discuss successes and lessons learned by a health system while developing a trauma informed care approach for those patients experiencing trafficking.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Define a trauma informed care approach for those being trafficked using the “4 R’s” of realizing, recognizing, responding, and resisting re-traumatization

•  Discuss a healthcare system’s approach to the holistic needs and care of those being trafficked, including the role of forensic nurses and the trauma recovery center

•  Describe two methods for building community partnerships and how their respective role contributes to the overall success of this approach

Read More

In the ever-evolving landscape of human trafficking research, the allure of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) often dominates the discourse, promising precision and rigor. Despite the numerous ethical, legal, and methodological concerns raised by researchers and communities, and known viable alternatives, RCTs continue to be the preferred, if not the required, method for many large-scale funders to combat human trafficking around the globe. Using real-world examples, the presenters will acknowledge the history and utility of RCTs while also addressing concerns regarding their misapplication, and examples of the harm the overreliance on RCTs has caused to the anti-human trafficking effort. Specifically, they will explore how the overreliance on RCTs 1) reflects a Western-centric view of development, inconsistent with the decolonial goal of empowering communities, 2) can create coercion and power imbalance between academics/researchers who know RCTs and the service providers who need funds, 3) sets back the anti-trafficking field by focusing on researcher-originated priorities, 4) perpetuates known methodological concerns, and 5) has created an overabundance of micro-level interventions conducive to an RCT design that have little practical application or applicability to the systemic concerns that perpetuate trafficking. Finally, they will present some of the many rigorous alternative methods to the RCT that center community knowledge and agency and emphasize the need for careful consideration of ethical implications, impact, and cultural sensitivities.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the history, utility of, and reliance on RCTs in the human trafficking field

•  Understand the limitations and concerns regarding RCT application

•  Discuss rigorous alternatives to RCT in combatting human trafficking

Read More

Federal funds for human trafficking victim programs and services in the United States have increased from approximately $10 million in 2002 to more than $90 million in 2022. This increase in fund availability, however, has not necessarily translated into meaningful or accessible services for survivors. This research examines the distribution of Department of Justice anti-trafficking funds through the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), particularly looking at OVC recipients in Alaska. This case study of Alaska - which received more than $10 million since 2019 - highlights certain trends in OVC funding, including changes in distribution over time, emphasis on task force engagement between service providers and law enforcement, and discussions of equity and inclusion, while the reality faced by survivors can be quite different. What institutional accountability explains how the $10.7 million in federal funds have been spent in Alaska over the last decade? What do a plethora of victim service funds mean if survivors cannot access them? The presenters explore institutional mechanisms of exclusion and harm, particularly around concepts of ideal victims, complexities in collaborating with law enforcement, criminalization of trafficking survivors, and criteria to qualify for services. The implications of this research for policymakers and service providers are further explored, and suggestions are made for federal funding distribution and accountability and institutional engagement with federal funds and survivors.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Provide a descriptive overview of OVC funding distribution over different types of projects and different areas of the U.S. over time

•  Dive into Alaska’s case study, understanding the role of federal funding in institutional behavior and policies and exploring survivor’s experiences with these federally funded groups

•  Describe the recommendations for federal funding and institutional policies based on this research

Read More

Existing literature on sex trafficking in the United States has extensively discussed the varied profiles of traffickers. However, there is a lack of research on minors trafficking other minors. In this study, data was collected from a Las Vegas police department and 27 cases were found between January 11 to December 2021 where the sex trafficker was under the age of 18. This data was collected to address the following research questions: 1) What are the socio-demographic profiles of minors involved in sex trafficking as offenders, including their age, race/ethnicity, and gender? 2) Whom do minor offenders of sex trafficking typically target or traffic, and what are the characteristics of these victims? and 3) What are the primary methods used by minor offenders to recruit victims into sex trafficking? Results show limited variation in gender and race, and include how victims were identified by law enforcement, behaviors of the traffickers including how they were recruiting and trafficking their victims, the means of control employed by the minor offenders, and case outcomes including arrest information and dispositions. These findings urge action, especially involving schools and youth safety training. School staff can aid in prevention and intervention by recognizing trafficking signs, identifying at-risk students, and reporting suspicions properly. Collaboration between law enforcement, schools, social services, and communities is crucial. It ensures comprehensive support for victims and offenders, offering counseling, rehabilitation, and legal aid. Prevention efforts should educate on healthy relationships, online safety, critical thinking, and digital literacy to empower youth against exploitation.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Discuss the background and gaps in existing literature regarding minors trafficking other minors in the context of sex trafficking in the U.S.

•  Present the key findings from the study, including limited variations in gender and race among minor offenders, methods of victim identification by law enforcement, trafficker behaviors, means of control used, case outcomes, and implications for action, particularly involving schools and youth safety training

Read More

In 2017, founded by Kenyette Tisha Barnes and Oronike Odeleye, #MuteRKelly used a hybrid organizing strategy to hold accountable R&B singer Robert Sylvester Kelly, “R. Kelly”, for over 30 years of unchecked sexual violence, sex trafficking, and violence against adolescent and young adult Black women and girls. As a result of the campaign, there was a marked economic loss of approximately $4 Million in lost ticket sales, bans from urban radio, canceled concerts, media and entertainment scrutiny (most notably the docuseries, “Surviving R. Kelly”), and a Federal conviction. #MuteRKelly, created a paradigm shift and exposed how the intersections of power, misogynoir, and adultification, created a breeding ground for corruption, sex trafficking, and abuse. #MuteRKelly approached activism from an intersectional lens, understanding that the dominant players within the anti-trafficking movement often neglect the unique experiences of Black female victims of sexual violence. Next, the campaign sought to organize a diverse coalition of legislative, judicial, mental health, media, entertainment, and community partners. Finally, #MuteRKelly employed traditional grassroots organizing, including protests, rallies, and the formulation of 13 global chapters, including Berlin and Amsterdam. In this session, the presenter will provide a call to action for intersectionality in programming, reporting, and agency leadership and to divest from the systemic marginalization of BIPOC thought leaders and survivors' voices in the anti-trafficking discourse.

 

Presentation Objectives:

•  Introduce attendees to the genesis, coalition partners, and historic progression of the #MuteRKelly Campaign

•  Reinforce the concepts of intersectionality, misogynoir, and adultification and synthesize how these concepts underpinned R. Kelly's 30-year sexual abuse and sex trafficking behaviors

•  Discuss how the intersections of power, race, misogynoir, and adultification underpinned the vilification of #MuteRKelly organizers and secondary trauma of R Kelly's survivors and their family members

•  Discuss the weaponization of social media and lack of response by social media moderators to address the abuse, doxxing, and harassment of #MuteRKelly organizers and survivors

Read More