HT-RADAR Quarterly Meeting Prevention Model and Core Guiding Principles: Tools for Best Practice and Multidisciplinary Collaboration within the Anti-Trafficking Movement

Dr. Arduizur Carli Richie-Zavaleta and Dr. Sarbinaz Bekmuratova will present on Prevention Model and Guiding Principles: Tools for Best Practice and Multidisciplinary Collaboration within the Anti-Trafficking Movement. This presentation will enable the audience to use existing research to inform their practice and encourage narrowing existing gaps in the literature to achieve long-term goals of identifying, effectively assisting, and supporting victims/survivors of Human Trafficking (HT). This meeting will have an interactive component after the presentation to encourage collaboration among constituents. Our virtual audience will be able to opt in (participation is voluntary) to Zoom Breakout Rooms to discuss pre-selected topics related to the presentation. In-person attendees will be broken out into different groups for discussion. Meeting will be held on March 16th, 2023, in person from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM (PST) and live-streamed via Zoom.

Register for in-person or online attendance here

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San Diego’s Operation Better Pathways Results – San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force

As part of a joint investigation through the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the results of Operation Better Pathways. The multi-jurisdictional operation, which concluded earlier this month, is part of a broader, regional effort to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation through targeted enforcement, relying both on surveillance of known locations and officers working undercover. As a result of the multi-day operation, 48 individuals were arrested for alleged human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other criminal offenses, 41 individuals — including eight children — were offered support services, and two firearms were recovered, including a ghost gun. The arrests have been referred to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California for potential criminal prosecution.

Read California Attorney General’s press release here
Update from DA Summer Stephan here

San Diego Anti-Trafficking Community Resource Guide Updated — Center for Justice and Reconciliation (CJR) 

In March of 2022, the CJR released a Community Resource Guide to connect community members to the incredible organizations in San Diego who are working to end human trafficking and support survivors. The CJR team just updated the guide to ensure you have access to the most up-to-date contact information for each organization. Browse through it to learn more about local anti-trafficking organizations or explore volunteer opportunities.

Access updated Community Resource Guide here

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Second Conveening of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

In June 2021, the Joint Task Force Alpha was established in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security. The task force works within 20 federal agencies the United States and with foreign partners in the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico to dismantle the most dangerous human smuggling and trafficking networks. The Attorney General gave remarks about the progress.

View meeting recording here
Read press release here

Office for Victims of Crime FY 2023 Anti-Trafficking Funding Opportunities Webinars 2

Currently, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is the largest Federal funder responding to the needs of human trafficking victims. This includes supporting an array of victim services including case management, housing, legal, employment, and mental health services. In FY 2023, OVC anticipates releasing nine competitive funding opportunities to support services for survivors of human trafficking; multi-disciplinary task forces and statewide efforts to address human trafficking, and training and technical assistance for the anti-trafficking field. This webinar will review planned OVC FY 2023 anti-trafficking solicitations, provide high-level information about solicitation requirements, and offer a question and answer session with interested potential applicants focused on OVC solicitations anticipated to be released by March 29, 2023.

Register here

Federal Cases Involving Forced Labor of Health Professionals – Office on Trafficking in Persons

The National Action Plan’s emphasis on supply chains reflects lessons learned from COVID-19, echoing the National Strategy for a Resilient Public Health Supply Chain, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in July 2021. Among other objectives, the National Strategy aims to “ensure equitable labor conditions by promoting best practices and U.S. adherence to child labor and forced labor laws and regulations” in health supply chains.

Access report here

Report on Criminal Victimization in the 22 Largest U.S. States, 2017–2019 – Bureau of Justice Statistics 

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is announcing the release of Criminal Victimization in the 22 Largest U.S. States, 2017–2019, the first release of subnational violent and property victimization estimates from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). This report presents selected state-level estimates of violent and property victimization for the 3-year aggregate period of 2017-19 in the 22 most populous U.S. states. It offers the first picture of victimization rates across states and how their reported and unreported crime levels vary.

See report here

New Audiobooks to Help Young Survivors of Human Trafficking — Office for Victims of Crime

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is pleased to release a set of audiobooks from the Child Victims and Witnesses Support Materials series for young survivors of human trafficking. Originally released as graphic novels in January 2022, these three audiobooks were created by national experts and young trafficking survivors — who also served as voice actors — to support youth who are victims or witnesses in cases of human trafficking.

Listen to Audiobooks here

The Salvation Army Illuminate Produces Survivor Service Access Report

The Salvation Army Illuminate’s SHIFT, Survivor Research Initiatives produced a report about how persons with lived experience of trafficking access direct services, including health care, across Canada. A survivor-led research initiative, the study aims to “improve services for Survivors, encourage accommodation when Survivors fall outside of program mandates, and to support those seeking help and recovery in the best way possible.”

Read Executive Summary here

Forensic Interviewing of Children In-Person Training – National Children’s Advocacy Center

Participants will be introduced to the evidence-based literature that supports the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) Child Forensic Interview Structure. This webinar includes lectures, skill-building activities, guided discussions, reflections, and an interview practicum in a supportive environment with assessment and feedback provided by experienced interviewers.

Register for different dates here: May 1-4, June 12-15, July 10-13

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Webinars

• Culturally Responsive Housing Programs Webinar
  • Date: March 16, 2023, 9:000 am (PST)
  • Hosted by: Freedom Network USA Housing Training and Technical Assistance (HTTA) Project.
  • During this webinar, featured presenter Crystal Bennett, LMSW, will be sharing the importance of creating housing programs sensitive to cultural differences that are inclusive of all survivors of human trafficking. Organizations will be better equipped to serve individuals from various backgrounds and meet their individualized needs by developing a culturally responsive program.
• Child Abduction Response Team Training (CART)
  • Date:  March 21-23, 2023 Arizona (Deadline to Register: February 21, 2023)
  • Hosted by: National Criminal Justice Training Center
  • Description: Take steps toward implementing a successful CART by bringing together a team of experts whose knowledge, skills, and abilities will be beneficial in a child abduction case. Join us to learn how to develop a multidisciplinary CART for responding to endangered, missing, or abducted children. Hear about the impact a child abduction has on the family and learn the fundamentals of developing an effective responsive CART team. Examine incident command considerations, search and canvassing operations, CART activation, and resources to improve the response, investigation, search, and canvass activities associated with missing children investigations.
• Multidisciplinary Team Facilitator Peer Forums
  • Date:  May 2, 2023, 11:00 am (PST)
  • Hosted by: Regional Children’s Advocacy Centers
  • Description: These forums allow multidisciplinary team facilitators to connect with their peers across the country doing similar work. Each forum starts in a large-group format to review a topic related to multidisciplinary team facilitation. Then participants are placed in Zoom breakout rooms for self-facilitated, smaller group discussions and resource sharing. In the end, participants are brought back together in one large group for a question-and-answer session with regional staff. These forums are open nationally to individuals with primary or shared responsibility for facilitating the success of multidisciplinary teams at a children’s advocacy center. Only child abuse professionals who serve in the role of a multidisciplinary team facilitator for a children’s advocacy center are eligible to participate in these forums.
• “How Can We Do This Better?” Caring for Latin@ Survivors
  • Recorded 
  • Hosted by: End Violence Against Women International
  • Description: Our free Community Conversation Series goes beyond the basics, delving deep into topics covered in the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam (SAMFE) Virtual Practicum. In this session, we will discuss language access, providing culturally specific care for Latin@ survivors, and addressing immigration concerns and questions.
• Let’s Talk About Sex and Porn in the Church 
  • Recorded
  • Hosted by: Shared Hope International
  • Description: During Anti-Trafficking month, Kathy Bryan joined us as a national speaker, mentor to survivors, and a subject matter expert on the impact of porn on children, trafficking, and our culture at large.  The church, unfortunately, isn’t exempt from porn addictions. Not talking about it has only exacerbated the problem.  It’s time to change that. This webinar helps us to understand why it’s so common, and what we can do to bring hope and help.
• National Briefing Call: Responding to Human Trafficking through the Child Welfare System
  • Recorded
  • Hosted by: Administration for Children & Families
  • Description: This national briefing call discussed new resources available from the Administration for Children and Families to assist child welfare, states, schools, nonprofit organizations, and practitioners in responding to concerns of human trafficking among children and youth, including those connected to the child welfare system.
• Familial Trafficking in America — Study and Survivor Implications 
  • Recorded 
  • Hosted by: Shared Hope International
  • Description: Part 1 of this session laid the foundation for understanding familial sex trafficking and how familial trafficking relates to, but is distinct from, incest and briefly how laws help or hurt our identification of this type of trafficking. Part 2 of this session summarized the limited body of knowledge we have on the profile of victim and perpetrator(s) and explored the relational dynamics between the child and familial trafficker.
• Educational video on labor trafficking experiences as told by survivors
  • Recorded
  • Hosted by: HEAL Trafficking
  • Description: Hear from survivors of labor trafficking about their interactions with healthcare professionals, while being trafficked, and how these critical encounters helped save their lives. Video co-produced by HEAL Trafficking and sponsored by Lush and Give Way to Freedom.
• Review Boards, Male Bonding and Commercial Sexual Exploitation- Peter Qualliotine
  • Recorded 
  • Hosted by: National Center on Sexual Exploitation
  • Description: Review boards are like “Yelp” for prostitution, where sex buyers who identify as “Hobbyists” promote the exploitation of women through their posted reviews. Men use forums as these to confirm to one another their identities as “mongers.” Misogyny, sexism, and homophobia are linked closely to their sex buying and are central to their performance of masculinity and their relationships with each other. This happens within the context of power dynamics that operate between “novices” and experienced, or senior, mongers. Learn about the role of review boards in promoting toxic masculinity and sustaining gender inequality; explore the role of “the Hobby” as a form and driver of commercial sexual exploitation and gender-based violence.
• Safeguarding Our Children from Human Trafficking: Using Culture as A Protective and Healing Influence Among Native Youth
  • Recorded 
  • Hosted by: Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center
  • Description: Historical trauma and current risk factors make Indigenous people vulnerable to many forms of crime victimization, including labor and sex trafficking. Additionally, higher percentages of American Indian and Alaska Native children are living in poverty, involved in the juvenile justice system, and the foster care system, increasing their vulnerability to human trafficking. During this conversation, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Samoan panelists discuss the intersection between child welfare, human trafficking, and vulnerability to exploitation. They also discussed the impact of historical trauma and how to effectively use culture as a protective and healing factor.

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