Ethiopia is recognized as a hotspot for human trafficking. Survivors of trafficking in Ethiopia face many barriers in accessing and receiving rehabilitation and reintegration services, including posttraumatic mental health disorders, legal or economic issues, and cultural barriers, particularly in regards to stigma around mental health. Furthermore, very few trafficking-specific services are available in Ethiopia.

Using the results of a situational analysis participants will:
Identify gaps in service delivery for survivors of human trafficking in Ethiopia,
Describe how to form international, interdisciplinary partnerships to provide survivor services.
Explain optimal service delivery models for trafficking survivors in Ethiopia.
       We conducted a situational analysis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to address the service needs of human trafficking survivors by incorporating: (1) a systematic review and (2) semi-structured interview with key stakeholders. The purpose of the situational analysis was to identify gaps in service delivery for survivors of human trafficking in Ethiopia using an international, interdisciplinary, survivor-centered partnership and to develop a collaborative plan for addressing those needs. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify gaps in service delivery. Students and researchers from the University of Michigan in the U.S. and from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Ethiopia.
         There was a paucity of research on human trafficking in Ethiopia, and adequate recognition of and response to the problem has not yet been achieved. Overall, the situational analysis suggested that all survivor services in Ethiopia are limited, but that mental health services in particular need expansion. Peer support and nurse-delivered models emerged as optimal frameworks for providing survivor services, given the cultural stigma around mental health and the limitations of mental health services available in Ethiopia. This project aims to create a sustainable, culturally appropriate, survivor-driven clinic in Ethiopia that offers comprehensive legal, health, and social services.

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A method that systematically quantifies the number of people sold online for sex, and tracks their basic demographics, is a critical initial step to document the commercial sex market locally in communities. By analyzing patterns of commercial sex markets in the United States, important inferences can be made about sex buying trends. As such, this presentation will describe a data mining study that tracked online sex selling in target regions of Massachusetts, conducted in collaboration between RIA House, the Imagine Foundation, and William James College. The study’s main objective was to describe online patterns of supply within commercial sex markets specific to key Massachusetts regions, with the understanding that supply is dramatically underestimated and often hidden within the regions. This presentation will include data on the number of people sold for sex online for a period of three consecutive months in target Massachusetts regions. The presenters will conclude with examples of practical applications derived from the findings of other online sex selling data mining studies. Specifically, how the findings can clarify trends in demand for online sex, and how local data can also support community efforts to respond to the needs and interests of the people being bought and sold in the online sex market will be discussed.

Objectives:
1) By the end of the presentation, the audience will understand one specific data mining method to quantify the online commercial sex market in their communities.
2) By the end of the presentation, the audience will be able to identify and analyze trends in a local commercial sex market.
3) By the end of the presentation, the audience will begin to think about how a data mining project such as this could help them develop a comprehensive response to a local sex market.

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There are very few empirical examples of research pertaining to convicted sex traffickers. This is due, in part, to limited research access by both the Bureau of Prisons, and Institutional Review Boards. To overcome this lack of access, Dr. Jesse Bach conducted an in-depth qualitative analysis of court documents, transcripts and courtroom interviews pertaining to the sex trafficking trials of Northern Ohio—resulting in a conviction, from 2010-2013. This presentation will examine the lived experiences, recruitment techniques, methods of victim/survivor control, and financial arrangements pertaining to convicted sex traffickers. It will provide unique insight to who traffickers are, how they came to be involved in sex trafficking, and how they gained access to victim/survivors. The implications of this research go beyond the advocacy world and into the development of preventative measures constructed around the warning signs and at-risk behaviors of potential traffickers—before they become involved in the crime.

** Trigger Warning**
Discussions of domestic minor sex trafficking, sex traffickers, physical abuse, psychological coercion, drug addiction, and prostitution.

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This workshop will discuss an intervention program designed to help adults exit a lifestyle of commercial sex or sexual exploitation. Programming for Phenomenal Woman, a court-funded prostitution diversion in Los Angeles County, will be highlighted. Attendees will learn how all of the elements in the intervention program work together. The 10-week Ending The Game coercion resiliency curriculum helps unravel the mind control. Mental health services, drug and alcohol treatment and holistic help heal the body and mind. Individuals are assessed for safety, immediate needs, and shelter. Career development and GED testing helps participants obtain employment. Relationships with survivor-mentors provide the necessary support and encouragement to succeed. Courts serve as a source of external motivation and promote recovery in the program. Graduates of Phenomenal Woman are empowered to elect after-care services including leadership opportunities, trainings and employment.
The preliminary results of a research project examining the program’s effects on improving outcome measures such as recidivism will be presented. Self-reported changes on the IEP including education attainment, housing stability, employment and not engaging in prostitution activities were achieved through collaboration and coordinated services at a drop-in center. An in-depth discussion regarding application of Cimino’s (2013) Intentions to Exit Prostitution Model and Measure to assess readiness and tailor intervention services will follow a review successes in the exit literature. This study addresses the needs of this population and why a comprehensive approach is necessary and most-effective.

 

Objectives: 

1) Gain an understanding of why a comprehensive approach is necessary,

2) Learn the 10 essential elements of such a program and

3) Gain knowledge of the IEP (Intentions to Exit Prostitution) instrument to target interventions and evaluate program effectiveness.

Reference: Cimino, A. N. (2013) Developing and testing a theory of intentions to exit street-level prostitution: A mixed-methods study. Dissertation is available from ProQuest database.

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This review of international studies and literature highlights current levels of evidence for treatment approaches directed at recovery of sexual trafficking and sexual abuse survivors. Current data addresses symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, mental health symptoms, and HIV risk. Treatment approaches include trauma-focused therapy, present-focused therapy, support groups, mindfulness activities, skills training, physical exercise activities, alternative techniques, and functional skills.
This presentation outlines suggestions for further investigation, including expanded symptoms of sexual abuse/trafficking, specific functional skills, activities of daily living (ADL), previously studied approaches, and novel techniques. Specific research guidelines offer direction into further research of assessment, diagnosis, and treatments of survivors of sexual trafficking and trauma.

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The Commonwealth Caribbean is far from immune to human trafficking, despite widespread belief amongst the population to the contrary. Many Caribbean islands are designated as source, transit and destination countries. All of the Islands in the region who submit data to the United States Trafficking in Persons report are classified as either Tier 2 or Tier 2 Watch List countries. Legislation is in its infancy, and many countries are in the process of developing a framework for the training of Immigration Officers and Police Officers. However, it is submitted that transplanting legislation from elsewhere is not the answer due to the unique geographical, societal and cultural factors which influence the Caribbean. This presentation seeks to analyze the distinctive problems experienced by small island developing states in combatting human trafficking, and consider alternative methods to assist in the fight against human trafficking in the Commonwealth Caribbean.

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