Posts in 2015
Effects of a Comprehensive Approach to Intervention; Using the Intention to Exit prostitution (IEP) Measure

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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Inequality and Injustice: The Roots of Human Trafficking

Inequity and a lack of human rights is at the root of human trafficking. Human trafficking education, awareness, and micro level interventions will not contribute much to ending trafficking, without attention paid to those institutional forces that drive inequality to create a thriving market for labor, sex, and drug trafficking. Using Latin America as a case in point, the audience will learn about the causes for the prevalence in trafficking, which include: (a) U.S. broken foreign policy with Mexico and Latin America, including trade agreements and immigration laws that criminalize the poor and supports endemic corruption and drug cartels; (b) U.S. global corporate supply chains and investor greed; and (c) our broken U.S. Congress and their inability to guarantee mechanisms for citizens and immigrants to exercise their human rights, civil rights and labor rights. This is a call to attack institutional inequality by creating a counter institutional moment among the victims and the poor. Examples of how to fight back and restore human rights and human dignity will be provided.  

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Human Trafficking 101

This session is most appropriate for those new to the field of human trafficking and provides a basic overview and refresher of human trafficking. From an American perspective, presenters will focus on both domestic and foreign trafficking as well as labor and sex trafficking occurring in the United States. Estimates on the number of victims, their experiences, the indicators for victim identification, the business of trafficking, where and how to report suspected trafficking, and the importance of accountability of customers and traffickers will be discussed.

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Understanding the Therapeutic Roles of Animals in Trauma Recovery

Social, emotional, physical, and psychological human benefits of human-animal interaction are well-documented. Within this presentation, these human-animal interaction benefits are reviewed and the roles through which companion animals can help convey these benefits and help facilitate trauma recovery are delineated.

Specifically, the following roles are defined and differentiated between:

  • companion animals
  • emotional support pets
  • service animals 
  • animal-assisted activities
  • animal-assisted therapy

For each role designation, the types of client trauma recovery-related needs that can be met are explicated, as well as pathways through which clients may be able to access such companion animal supports. 

Objectives:

  1. Attendees will be able to identify at least three potential benefits of the human-animal bond for individuals who interact with companion animals. 
  2. Attendees will be able to define and differentiate between the following designations: "companion animal" ; "service dog" ; "emotional support pet" ; "animal assisted activities" ; and "animal assisted therapy"
  3. Attendees will be able to identify and differentiate which kinds of client needs could be met by each of the different companion animal role designations. 
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2015Firas NasrJanet Hoy10:9:00
Extensive Review of International Treatment and Evidence in Sexual Trafficking and Abuse Recovery

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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Identification and Benefits: Explanations of How the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Can Help Foreign-Born Trafficking Victims

In July 2014, the State of Ohio’s Office of Criminal Justice Services received a grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase the identification of foreign-born trafficking victims in Ohio. The program that Ohio established is executed through state and local partners and has led to successful identification of previously hidden populations of trafficking victims. Beyond awareness, though, this panel of presenters has have been working with HHS to provide services for trafficking victims, and have learned to navigate the seemingly complex channels to accessing these services. The presentation will give both an overview of the role of HHS in anti-trafficking work among foreign born populations and will also provide concrete examples of initiatives to improve identification and services for foreign trafficking victims in Ohio.

 

Objectives:

1)       To explain the role of the US Department of Health and Human Services in both identifying and serving foreign-born victims of human trafficking.

2)       To illustrate Ohio’s initiative to identify foreign-born trafficking victims through the grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services, including the approach, partners, and entities trained through the grant.

3)       To explain the specific efforts and priorities in identifying foreign born trafficking victims in northwest Ohio through the Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition and its local outreach partners.

To demonstrate outcomes to date and the importance of raising awareness and collaboration with existing federal programs to increase the protections for potential trafficking victims.

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The Correlation Between Stockholm Syndrome and the “Bottom Girl” Training/Workshop “The Bottom Girl; Is She the Perpetuator or the Victim?”

This workshop will explore the correlation between Stockholm syndrome and victims of sex trafficking. Specifically, the correlation between Stockholm syndrome and the “bottom girl”. What could this mean for how we legally and ethically treat “bottom girls”? 
Stockholm syndrome is a phenomenon in psychology that describes the unnatural behavior of a victim towards his/her captor or aggressor. The Stockholm syndrome usually develops out of “traumatic bonding”, which forms from the “strong emotional ties that develop between two persons where one person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the other” (Dutton, 1981).
Individuals, usually known as “girls”, trapped in trafficking rings controlled by pimps, often referred to as “stables”, are controlled, in large part, by fear and the direct aggressive behavior of the pimp. Over time, these “girls” generally become physically and mentally attached towards their pimp. The desire to please their captor and earn his favor is often a strong motivation for a girl to work harder, comply more, and even help coerce and incite other girls to work for the pimp.
The existence of the “bottom girl” position actually helps to prove the main points of Stockholm Syndrome. The forced bond influences the girl so strongly that she makes the conscious choice to attempt to obtain this position in an effort to develop a closer bond with her captor.

Objectives:

1)       Raise basic awareness about the correlation between Stockholm syndrome and victims caught in sex trafficking and exploitation, particularly “bottom girls”.

2)       Discuss the relationship between the pimp/trafficker and the “girls” in his “stable” as well as the hierarchy among these girls.

3)       Attendees will learn about research findings regarding the coercion and power dynamics between a pimp and/or trafficker over his victims.

Case studies will be presented, allowing for participants to further examine the correlation between victims of trafficking and Stockholm syndrome.
Interactive discussion will be encouraged.

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Targeting Poverty: Risk of Trafficking Among Women and Children in India

In a developing country like India, poverty becomes one of the main causes for being trafficked. Especially, for women and children who end up in prostitution and/or organ trading in other countries.  Poverty creates a big scope of vulnerability among them for being trafficked. Allurement of overseas jobs, attempt to avoid sexual and physical abuse at home, poverty and forced labor are the key reasons of for human trafficking. Source? Wherever there is poverty, there is likely supply to meet the growing demand for sexual entertainment. India is a country, where the trafficking of women and children occurs frequently and acts as a source, destination and transit point. At least 225,000 women and children are trafficked from the region every year. It also causes the brunt of countless negative physical and mental health outcomes.

Objectives:

1)       Explore the relationship between poverty and trafficking in women and children. Including, the various forms of violence they have to face after being trafficked.

2)       Analyze the major routes, destinations and forms of trafficking in women and children in India? As it has been observed poor helpless families and tribal societies have become the main target group of traffickers.

Understand human trafficking violates the freedom of a person and it is against human rights. It has many forms and the modus operandi vary from countries and destinations.

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Coalition Building and Consciousness Raising to End Human Trafficking & Prostitution

Dr. Mulk and Roma Raj will be sharing their humble experiences as Indian Healers (based in New Delhi, India) and experience working on coalition building with American health workers for finding ways to eliminate the problems of human trafficking and prostitution.
(the sentence before can be shared in the presentation)  In a recent report on social justice and determinants of health, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that because of social inequities, it will take international efforts and massive political will to improve the health conditions of much of the world's population (2000). This presentation will discuss the word HEALTH as our objective and further analyze the adverse impact of human trafficking and prostitution on humanity. A focus on how pooling our resources together on a universal level and coalition building raises consciousness so we can muster a force to awaken humanity.

       Sexually transmitted diseases are not limited to HIV and Aids but genital herpes can be passed on just by skin contact without any intercourse. The American Center for Disease control (CDC) reported in 2000 that 45 million Americans (one in every six) are infected with genital herpes.
With support from the Bill Gates Foundation, CD's in every language of the world should reach vulnerable youth in the next two years with the goal to educate growing kids who are at risk of getting engaged in traps of the traffickers.


Objectives:
1) Increase understanding of the importance of universal (international) team work for coalition building and consciousness raising.
2) To explore strategies for reducing hate, ego, and violence as obstacles to coalition building and consciousness raising.
3) To chart course of action for key stone education, social justice, and will to share globally.

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The Role of Occupational Therapy in Human Trafficking

This presentation seeks to inform participants of the possibilities for successful interventions using occupational therapy frameworks to treat survivors and combat human trafficking.
 

Objectives:

1)       Participants will be able to identify basic principles and philosophy of occupational therapy.

2)       Participants will be able to identify specific needs of victims and survivors of human trafficking.

3)       Participants will be able to identify potential roles of occupational therapy to treat survivors and combat human trafficking.

The profession of occupational therapy has an extensive history of improving the lives of individuals affected by various types of trauma. Occupational therapy practitioners frequently provide client centered care to populations with similar needs as survivors of human trafficking. Occupational therapy research shows effective intervention with musculoskeletal and psychological diagnoses, traumatic brain injury, and domestic violence using occupation based treatment strategies. The domain of occupational therapy involves improving engagement and performance in daily life activities to positively impact health, wellbeing, and personal satisfaction (AOTA, 2014). Occupational therapy can play a unique role in the prevention, advocacy, and treatment of survivors of human trafficking. Occupational therapists can help combat human trafficking by providing individualized trauma specific intervention using occupation based techniques; consultation services to improve organizational outcomes; improve and/or develop programming for survivors; and further develop and investigate trauma specific interventions.

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Phoenix 1st Step: A Pop-Up Drop in Center for Persons in Prostitution

This presentation will describe the development and implementation of a one-day pop-up drop in center for persons with histories of or current involvement in prostitution. Twenty-three organizations and over a hundred people volunteers their services and thousands of dollars of donations were received to support the project held two weeks before Super Bowl 2015. A marketing strategy was developed and implement throughout the community. Thirty-four clients attended the event including 12 youth under the age of 18. Lessons learned and future program plans will be discussed along with an outline of how to implement the event in other communities.

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Can You See Them? Identifying Human Trafficking Victims in the Medical Field

Michigan currently ranks 5th in the nation for human trafficking (Shared Hope International). While Michigan legislature works tirelessly to enact laws that will change the shape of victims' services in this state, certain arenas remain untapped. According to a Stanford University study, the first uninvolved people to come in contact with human trafficking victims are medical professionals (Collins & Grace, 2009). Recently the State of Michigan passed into law a requirement for medical professionals to be trained to identify the signs of human trafficking in patients. While this amendment is extremely important, a lot of necessary information was left out of the Public Act itself: Who will conduct the training? What will the training? How long will the training be? Will the training be comprehensive enough that healthcare professionals feel comfortable identifying possible victims? Can healthcare professionals be held liable for reporting suspected cases? In order to address these questions and any others that may arie, the State of Michigan has created a small grant to be used via the Genesee County Medical Society through the Greater Flint Health Coalition as fiduciary to create a physician's toolkit through the compilation of multiple resources. The finished product will be given back to the State of Michigan, and will be disseminated in Genesee County. Physician feedback, competence, and reporting data will be monitored following the dissemination of the toolkit. The objectives through the creation and dissemination of this physician toolkit are to increase awareness of human trafficking as a public health issue among the health professions and to increase consistency in reporting human trafficking cases within the State.       

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Challenges to Combating Human Trafficking in the Commonwealth Caribbean

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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