India is a source, transit and destination country for trafficking in persons, especially women and girls. Mumbai, in particular, is a hot spot of commercial sex activity with trafficking as a major contributor to the brothel workers in its infamous red-light districts of Kamathipura and Falkland Road. Despite heightened interest in trafficking survivors in non-Western countries, most of the data comes from large-scale survey studies and most focused on HIV and physical health status. Rich qualitative data on the developmental trajectories of Commercial Sex Industry (CSI) survivors are largely nonexistent.

To help fill gaps in the literature, this study sought to: 1) Examine the childhood experiences of women working in the brothels of Mumbai; 2) Examine life within Mumbai’s CSI, with focus on participants’ adult relationships with family and key figures associated with brothel-based work (e.g., clients, brothel keepers, peers), and 3) to examine participants’ ability to exit Mumbai’s CSI if they so desired.

Data were collected in Kamathipura, one of Asia’s largest red-light districts and Falkland Road, a sister red-light slum district, 1km (.6 miles) from Kamathipura. Each houses approximately 5,000 – 7,500 brothel workers.

The PI collected interview data from brothel workers in Kamathipura (n =15) and Falkland Road (n =15); she was assisted by a bi-lingual (Hindi/English) doctoral student. Data were translated and transcribed into text. Transcripts were then analyzed using Thematic Analyses (Aronson, 1994); results of which will be presented.

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What was I thinking? Bringing 24 survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation together for a weekend of healing certainly brought many challenges. I wanted to change their deep rooted image of being a sinner and make them feel saintly. Was it hard? You bet. Was it rewarding and life changing? You bet. Come listen to the results of our Survivor Retreat and how to help survivors thrive. Listen to other survivors who attended the retreat tell how it helped them grow. #Floresstrong

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Although hardly discussed, boy prostitution occurs in Sub-Sahara Africa. This study, which appears to be the only one of its kind, explored the characteristics of boy prostitution in a major city in West Africa. This study used a quantitative descriptive design based on a survey instrument. A convenience sample of 13 male minors participated in the study. The findings show that none of the participants were homeless or runaway children. Most of them lived with their families while practicing prostitution. Adverse life events respondents experienced prior to entering prostitution include sexual abuse, sexual assault, and family dysfunction. The findings do not show any criminal networks involved in boy prostitution. Respondents’ prostitution practices and the environment of such practices were explored. The findings show a high level of awareness of and protection against sexually transmitted infections among the respondents. Respondents experienced violence by clients, people in the community, and the police. They primarily relied on peer networks and non-governmental organizations for support and assistance. All the participants stated their intention to quit the sex trade. Implications for practice, policy and research are discussed.

Presentation Objectives:

·         To show the prevalence and characteristics of boy prostitution in West Africa;

·         To highlight the influence of environmental factors and culture on boy prostitution practices;

·         To explore issues of protection against STIs and violence among boys in prostitution;

To discuss challenges boys in prostitution face in accessing assistance; and

To contrast the lessons learned from this research with the literature on boy prostitution.

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Backpage is the single biggest advertiser of commercial sexual transactions in the United States. Because the number of advertisements continue to grow, Backpage has become a target in both civil and criminal investigations. Many private plaintiffs have sued Backpage for its alleged role in advertising underage youth. Most of these lawsuits have been routinely dismissed on the premise that Backpage, as a website creator, does not have adequate control over the content of the advertisements to be liable for sex advertisements. Recent state court decisions, however, have allowed these lawsuits to proceed against Backpage on the basis that Backpage's "guidelines" facilitate trafficker's illegal practices. Government officials are lashing out against Backpage by urging credit-card companies to disallow any charges related to "escorts" or similar "adult advertisements". Finally, the United States Senate is currently investigating Backpage's role in furthering sex trafficking and recently issued a civil-contempt order against the company because Backpage refused to cooperate in the investigation. The prevalence of Backpage in the field of sex trafficking, the status of the legal proceedings involving Backpage, and the likely future of this website and similar websites will be discussed.

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After exiting their trafficking situation, trafficking survivors are in need of a variety of healthcare and social services in order to begin the journey to holistic healing and wellness. Thankfully, in the United States we see an increasing number of organizations dedicated to meeting these needs. However, the growing number of aftercare oriented organizations raise questions as to the most effective approaches to trafficking aftercare, both from a client-focused standpoint and in the realm of organizational barriers and effectiveness.

Summarizing the findings of four years of doctoral research with multiple aftercare organizations, this presentation will focus on several outcomes.

Presentation Objectives:

·         Have a clear understanding of the needs and barriers survivors face in aftercare,

·         Have an up-to-date view of systemic barriers to success programs are reporting,

·         Develop an awareness of the existing structures and guiding philosophies employed in the field,

·         Explore how power dynamics are impacting the success and failure of aftercare,

·         Discover how lack of collaboration and distrust between providers may be impacting everyone, especially survivors, and how we can contribute to a solution.

Additionally, this presentation will also address other issues revealed by field research, such as: survivor harm caused by trafficking organizations, problematic relationships with law enforcement, road-bumps experienced with survivor led initiatives in aftercare, and the split between faith-based and non-faith based aftercare initiatives.

Presentation Objective:

To have a solid, data-based understanding of these critical issues-- which impact not just aftercare programs, but the entire movement. Presentation Objectives:

·         To show the prevalence and characteristics of boy prostitution in West Africa;

·         To highlight the influence of environmental factors and culture on boy prostitution practices;

·         To explore issues of protection against STIs and violence among boys in prostitution;

To discuss challenges boys in prostitution face in accessing assistance; and

To contrast the lessons learned from this research with the literature on boy prostitution.

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This study focused on the impact of client suicide and suicide attempt on clinicians, organizational responses, and effects on future clinical practice. Participants involved in the study were clinicians based in various regions in Ohio that experienced at least one suicide or attempted suicide. The purpose of the study was to better understand the experiences of clinicians and to recommend appropriate formal and informal responses to support them. Confidential qualitative interviews lasting between one and two hours each were conducted with 60 clinicians from various regions in Ohio. Clinicians were asked to discuss their most distressing case, why it was the most distressing, how they were affected, how it affected their practice, the types of supports they received, and recommendations for clinicians, supervisors, and administrators. Findings include a number of experiences, effects, and recommendations.

Objectives:

·         To provide information on the impact of suicide/suicide attempt on clinicians.

·         To provide information on a range of helpful and least helpful organizational responses.

·         To provide recommendations for providing support for clinicians that experience a suicide or suicide attempt.

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Once a victim has made the deadliest choice of their life, to leave their abuser, the daily task of staying alive, maneuvering through court systems, community programs and their personal health are only the beginning stages to becoming a survivor. We will bring to light the realities a victim faces from the moment they leave through attendee interaction. We will present my (TSM) personal story along with having the audience participate in a victim's challenge.
 

A victim profile will be presented to each of the attendee's. To which at the moment they receive the profile, they are that victim and they are to utilize what information they have to go from victim to survivor.

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Violence against American Indian women has been well documented, with Native women being the most frequent victims of physical and sexual violence in the United States when compared to other racial and ethnic groups (Pierce & Koepplinger, 2011). Although research about sex trafficking has well encompassed the methods of how victims are recruited and exploited (Baker, Dalla, & Williamson, 2010; Dalla, 2006; Dalla, Xia, & Kennedy, 2003; Greer, 2013; Farley et al., 2011; Johnson, 2012; Kennedy et al., 2007; Kennedy et al., 2012; Pierce & Koepplinger, 2011; Pierce, 2009; Roe-Sepowitz, Hickle, Cimeno, 2012; Roe-Sepowitz, et al., 2011; Williamson & Cluse-Tolar, 2010; Williamson, 2005; Williamson & Folaron, 2003), only a handful of studies have focused on the sex trafficking experiences of American Indian women. This study sought to collect and disseminate new knowledge about sex trafficking among and within American Indian communities in Arizona, and to discover the unique vulnerabilities and intervention needs of American Indian persons. The sample was derived from surveys that were completed from January 2011 through June 2015 by 784 individuals participating in the city of Phoenix Prostitution Diversion Program. Thirty-three (4.4%) of the respondents identified as American Indian. Results demonstrate significant trauma histories and abuse experiences, as well as new insight into the specific vulnerabilities and exploitation experiences of American Indian women. Results and further research plans will be discussed.

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An existing hiatus in empirical research related to the use of ‘juju’ rituals as a spiritual or psychological control mechanism by perpetrators to subjugate victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation has underscored the need for further exploration. The phenomenon is shrouded in secrecy and little is known as to what juju entails and how it is used to subdue victims. The presentation will focus on knowledge gained in the South African context whilst illuminating some of the multi-layered complexities associated with the use of juju as a control mechanism. In-depth interviews with participants in the field contributed to the unveiling of this phenomenon in the South African and broader counter-trafficking context. Juju is a reality that numerous victims of Nigerian traffickers have to contend with. The presentation will show how traffickers use juju rituals as an effective control mechanism and catalyst to instill profound fear among victims, whilst compounding efforts by response agencies and criminal justice practitioners to combat human trafficking. Suggestions for counter-trafficking activities and recommendations for future research are offered. Finally, acknowledging the experience deficit among criminal justice practitioners in responding to arcane methods used in the human trafficking process, the presentation will underscore the importance of perspectives from, among others, sociology and African Traditional Religion to be included in research and human trafficking combating efforts.

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