Listening to Survivors of Trafficking
To best support survivors of human trafficking, we must listen. Survivors know what they need better than anyone else, and as advocates in the field, we have an obligation to ensure that the voices of survivors we serve are heard, honored, and valued as expertise. Labor trafficking in particular is often misunderstood and overlooked, so increasing our own understand of the nuance is critical.
In this month’s compilation, hear from survivors as they discuss their experiences with labor and sex trafficking, trauma-bonding, the importance of acknowledging the intersection of trafficking types, and how to incorporate a holistic perspective when serving survivors. Also included are resources around increasing advocate understanding of labor trafficking so that we can better identify and serve survivors. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re looking for more!
Survivor Voices
The Ties That Bind Us: A Survivor-Led Discussion On Trauma Bonding
August 2022
Framework
Hear survivors of labor trafficking discuss what traumatic bonding is, their experiences, why trauma bonds are such a powerful tool for traffickers, why victims often feel they have no choice but to acquiesce, circumstances that make individuals particularly vulnerable to trauma bonding, indicators of traumatic bonding, and what can be done to prevent people from becoming victims.
The Crossover Between Sex and Labor Trafficking: Elevation Without Segregation
August 2022
Framework
“Hear the perspective and insights from lived experience experts as they discuss the importance of co-identification and reflect on experiences often overlooked by the anti-trafficking movement. This conversation will analyze how providers can better impact identification and direct service needs without segregating survivors by trafficking type.”
Standing Together Against Trafficking Conference 2024
Hosted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
In 2024, experts discussed approaching anti-trafficking from a holistic perspective, creating meaningful partnerships with survivors, how to incorporate a survivor-centered approach, working as partners for better identification and prevention, and more.
The Standing Together Against Trafficking conference is an opportunity for anti-trafficking professionals, subject matter experts, and survivors to engage in dialogue, networking, and information sharing as we unite efforts to make Michigan a national leader in the anti-trafficking movement.
Increase Your Understanding of Labor Trafficking
Am I in a dangerous working situation?
September 2023
CARRE, IRC, and Framework
This is a one-page resource for minors that poses questions to help them analyze if the work situation they are in may be unsafe.
Let’s Talk: The Myths and Misconceptions of Human Trafficking with Polaris
January 2023
National Runaway Safeline and Polaris
This discussion corrects several misconceptions surrounding trafficking and discusses how belief in these common myths harms survivors and makes it that much more difficult to identify cases of trafficking. They talk about how youth who have run away are more at risk of experiencing trafficking.”
Typical Trafficking Patterns
Polaris
This comprehensive webpage talks about the basics of both labor and sex trafficking and shows commonalities or ‘storylines’ that are seen in trafficking cases such as domestic labor, familial trafficking, the exploitation of addiction, disabilities, and others.
Understanding the Trafficking of Children for the Purposes of Labor in the United States
April 2024
Amy Farrell at Northeastern University et al.
“A new study co-authored by Amy Farrell, Director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern, provides valuable insight into the victims and perpetrators of child labor trafficking. A largely misunderstood phenomenon, child labor trafficking affects a wide range of children, including U.S. and foreign-born children, in a variety of industries from agriculture to domestic work.”
Labor Trafficking 101: Know the Essentials
March 2023
Framework
“The Labor Trafficking 101 PowerPoint presentation and Facilitator Guide are rights-based training resources you can use and adapt for your own internal or external training on the topic. Your audience will gain an understanding of the definition, scope, and intersectionalities of labor trafficking in the United States; be able to identify barriers to identification, common needs of survivors, and strategies to meet those needs; and pinpoint emergency and longer-term resources available.”