“Our Fashion Year” is a presentation of an investigative comics journalism project that connects the garment trade to the sex trade worldwide, through international anti-trafficking NGOs. Originally published on Truthout, investigative journalist Anne Elizabeth Moore presents a lively look at a deeply complicated issue, presenting a viewpoint on the world of anti-trafficking NGOs that brings human and labor rights issues into sharp focus. Conference attendees will closely examine the fashion industry at large and its connections to the sex industry in a series of colorful comics created by some of the top-working comics creators in the US. They will be presented with hard evidence indicating that the results the anti-trafficking world claims as success are problematic and self-serving, and participants will be positioned to wonder what purposes the identification of trafficking as a global issue serves, who is funding its eradication, and what is being achieved. One of the leading critics of global anti-trafficking rhetoric, Anne Elizabeth Moore in this project works with Delia Jean, Melissa Mendes, Leela Corman, Ellen Lindner, and Julia Gfrörer to draw a very clear picture of how anti-trafficking organizations often end up perpetrating the exact practices they claim to be against.
Read MoreSevere, chronic, and extensive sexual abuse sometimes leads to symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder. Over the past three decades, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy was developed to treat the most difficult and deeply entrenched cycle of sexual abuse. In this workshop, participants will learn the history and rationale for the development of DBT as a distinct treatment model. In addition, participants will further learn the five main skill sets of DBT; how each of the five skill sets relates to specific clinical symptoms; and how to apply the five skill sets to clinical populations.
Outcomes:
1) Participants will learn the history and rationale for the development of DBT as a distinct treatment model.
2) Participants will learn the five main skill sets of the DBT model.
3) Participates will learn how each of the five skill sets relates to specific clinical symptoms.
4) Participants will learn specific examples of how to apply the five skill sets to clinical populations.
The Green Dot Strategy is a comprehensive approach to violence prevention that is capsulized on the power of peer and cultural influences across all levels and ages of the Socio-Ecological model. Informed by the social change theory, the model targets all community members, as potential bystanders, and seeks to engage them, through awareness, education, and skills-practice, in proactive behaviors that establish intolerance of violence as the norm, as well as reactive interventions in high risk situations- resulting in the ultimate reduction of violence.
A Green Dot etc. training is distinct from a typical conference experience. In addition to learning the core curriculum, the Green Dot etc. training engages participants in skill-building and analysis focused on fostering authentic relationships, personal connection and mastery of skills and knowledge necessary for effective persuasive communication.
A foundational tenet of the Green Dot etc. violence prevention strategy is the belief that we cannot expect others to engage in a process we are not willing to engage in ourselves.
Objectives:
1) Gain an understanding of the Green Dot etc.
2) Engage in an in-depth examination of their personal and professional connection to the issue of violence prevention.
3) Understand personal, cultural, and societal obstacles to action.
4) Equip bystanders with the knowledge and empowerment to become an educated active bystander.
Now more than ever, human sex trafficking is being facilitated online. In fact, “technology has become the single greatest facilitator of the commercial sex trade” (Shared Hope International, 2012, p. 5). To have any kind of impact for individual survivor/victims and social justice issues surrounding human trafficking, anti-trafficking efforts must re-conceptualize the image of women and girls walking the streets at night looking for customers, to what is flashing across computer screens. Sites such as Craigslist, Backpage, a plethora of “hook-up” sites, and yes even Facebook and Twitter, are used to recruit and sell sex trafficking victims. It is not the case that all online sex work is a situation of trafficking; however, research reveals it is overwhelmingly situations of trafficking (Hughes, 2002; Latonero, 2011; Thorn, 2014). This is especially true of minor sex trafficking, not only because of youth social media use which puts them at risk of being trafficked, but also because the location of the underage victim can be kept secret more easily by advertising online. A recent study conducted by Thorn (2014) demonstrates this with the discovery that up to 70% of child trafficking survivor/victims are sold online. The use of the Internet provides traffickers with even more anonymity (of themselves and their victims), as well as the ability to sell and re-sell the same individual more frequently than through any other location (e.g. on the street). Consequently, it becomes more challenging to identity and prosecute the traffickers, as well as to find the victims and assist in their progress to survivor.
This presentation will bring to light a critical awareness element of online sex trafficking. This will be accomplished by reviewing examples directly from active websites, a list of websites and sales tactics frequently used by traffickers, and essential research surrounding this method of selling survivor/victims. Prevention recommendations will also be provided, with special emphasis given to youth risk factors associated with online trafficking recruitment. Finally, practical suggestions for social justice on this issue will be addressed.
Read More This presentation will explore a local survivors story of becoming an incredible thriver..? Michelle Moore's story started out like many others: the daughter of a prominent Toledo attorney and a stay at home mother, raised with strong Catholic values. But that all changed when her boyfriend got tangled in alcohol and drugs. Soon, she was trafficked to pay off his drug debt. So began twenty years of nightmares for Michelle.
After a near-death experience, Michelle regained control of her life. Eight years later, her life has completely turned around from that moment on the streets of North Toledo. She has been clean and sober since, working to keep others from the life. Sharing the same past as the clients she serves allows Michelle to use her experience, strength, and hope of recovery, to save them from the decades of hell that she survived. Michelle continues to push for survivor leadership, helping to prepare these women to move beyond victimization to thriving. With her intimate understanding of survivor's challenges, she is able to build a supportive environment with trauma informed groups, art therapy, and self-esteem building exercises, so that they may live freely by choice, and not be compelled by their prior circumstance.
Michelle is now a full time Recovery Specialist at RISE and holds a Chemical Dependency Counselor Certificate, as well as a Bachelor's in Counseling. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Advocating Opportunity. Michelle has won the prestigious Liberator Award from Ohio Governor Kasich for her dedication to human trafficking. Michelle is also in the process of expunging of her record under the Safe Harbor Law.
This workshop will focus on the relationship between substance use disorders, specifically opiate addiction, and sex trafficking. A program has been developed for specifically addressing these issues together. We explore topics of empowerment, violence, grooming, and the "pimp is the dope boy." Our treatment program is utilized by CHANGE court, the prostitution court of Hamilton county. Need more, plus objectives.
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