When engaging in advocacy work for Survivors of human trafficking, a huge piece of the work must focus on reframing the lens in which individuals view and understand human trafficking and the devastating reality for women across the globe as well as the anti-human trafficking movement. In order to move towards reframing individual perspectives, providing education and raising awareness around Survivor experience is imperative, along with appropriate and respectful language (Gong, 2015). The most effective way in doing this is through direct interaction and networking experiencing in order to make stronger and more personal emotional impact, tailored to specific individuals and groups (Gong, 2015). These personal interactions can be conducted in both individual and large group settings, both of which may be effective and meaningful in their own ways with the shared ultimate goal of systemic change (Perdue, Prior, Williamson, & Sherman, 2012). Both group and individual interactions with Survivors provide an opportunity for people to develop a better understanding of the Survivor experience and spread awareness on appropriate language usage (ACA, 2015), such as “Survivor or Victim of human trafficking” versus “prostitute” (Anonymous survivor, personal communication, October 5 2018). Meanwhile, personal interaction allows for deeper and more personal relationship, and thus a more meaningful shift in focus. However, with a larger audience, more people will be reached, affected, and ideally develop a new frame of reference.
Social justice advocates for oppressed populations have a unique opportunity to help encourage and support education occurring within the community. By attending events and employing Survivors, they are able to not only develop relationships with the women, but spread awareness in their community through action (ACA, 2015). A variety of organizations exist throughout the Columbus community that supports Survivors of human trafficking. For example, Freedom a la Cart is a catering company trains and employs Survivors as their event chefs. She Has A Name Cleaning Service is a cleaning company that hires Survivors as their cleaning women. By hiring Freedom a la Cart for events, such as weddings or parties or She Has A Name for in-home services, community members are not only supporting a quality cause, but they are developing relationships with Survivors and provide opportunity to spread awareness throughout the community not only in support of quality services, but quality employees.
Large-scale events may not include as intimate interactions as would occur on a smaller scale, but it would reach a larger audience and cast a wider net for advocacy opportunity. Community fundraisers or galas for Survivors of human trafficking may have two effective outcomes. First, it is an opportunity to raise money for not-for-profits and other organizations that support, house, or work directly with Survivors in recovery or working towards an independent life. Second, it is an opportunity to raise awareness and educate a group of people. Organization leaders, case managers, police-makers, mentors, and other community leaders could provide information and educational opportunities (ACA, 2015). It would also provide the opportunity for Survivors, who feel comfortable, to share about their personal journeys of resiliency and strength that ultimately lead to Survivorship. Advocacy for Survivors of human trafficking can occur in large and small ways that will both ideally lead to community and eventually systemic change (Perdue et al., 2012).
References
American Counseling Association (2015). Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Gong, R. (2015) Indignation, inspiration, and interaction on the internet: Emotion work online in the anti-human trafficking movement. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 33, 87-103
Perdue, T., Prior, M., Williamson, C., & Sherman, S. (2012). Social justice and spiritual healing: Using micro and macro social work practice to reduce domestic minor sex trafficking. Social Work and Christianity, 39(4), 449-465.
A beneficial survivor leadership activity would be to provide Survivors of human trafficking with educational experiences that are applicable to their daily living experiences. These educational experiences would equip Survivors with the tools they need to feel empowered and resilient in their newly independent lives (Perdue, Prior, Williamson, & Sherman, 2012). These educational opportunities could include a wide range of topics including self-advocacy and communication skills (ACA, 2015), women’s health, or sustainable financial habits. Typically, these educational opportunities are conducted in small group setting, providing an opportunity for Survivors to meet and develop relationships with other Survivors (ACA, 2015). Ideally, the educational opportunities are provided by experts of in the field, creating an opportunity for Survivors to connect with individuals with specific institutions (ACA, 2015). For example, a nurse or doctor from a local hospital, private practice, or Planned Parenthood may put on a women’s health educational event.
A specific and applicable example could be an educational workshop in reaction to Ohio Senate Bill 4. The bill, which passed in the summer of 2017, allows for Survivors of human trafficking to expunge there criminal records of prostitution, loitering, and other crimes committed as a result of being trafficked (Keiper, 2017). Lawyers and other individuals within the legal community could work with counselors (ACA, 2015) and other advocates of Survivors to put on a workshop for Survivors in order to provide education steps to begin the expungement process. During the workshop, Survivors would have the opportunity to connect with other Survivors and legal professionals and thus have continued support throughout the process. A successfully expunged record would allow for and empower Survivors to seek out job opportunities that align more closely with their career goals and a wider array of housing options, both of which play an important role and Survivors continue to re-write their personal narratives and develop a stronger sense of independence.
References
American Counseling Association (2015). Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Keiper, A (2017, June 4). Human trafficking victims would get legal relief in Ohio Senate bill. The Dispatch.
Milne, W. (2017). Human hands forming heart on white surface. Retrieved from pexels.com
Perdue, T., Prior, M., Williamson, C., & Sherman, S. (2012). Social justice and spiritual healing:Using micro and macro social work practice to reduce domestic minor sex trafficking. Social Work and Christianity, 39(4), 449-465.
Spiske, M. (2016). Green plant sprout. Retrieved from pexels.com
Through empowerment and advocacy, Survivors of human trafficking may be able to work towards a life experience involving less stigma and oppression and more fulfillment. The power of education for both Survivors and society is an invaluable need for personal and community development. In fact, some argue that the two could be view as critical and interdependent in order to achieve social justice for Survivors (Perdue, Prior, Williamson, & Sherman, 2012). While personal development includes technical challenges such as food, transportation, shelter, addressing adaptive challenges, such as self-image, is a critical part of empowerment and sustainable resilience and recovery. Interventions such as Narrative Therapy provide a resource to help Survivors address adaptive challenges and successfully turn negative self-schemas into personal empowering narratives of strength and vitality (Countryman-Roswurm & DiLollo, 2017). While opportunities of personal development are crucial, barriers such as misunderstandings and ineffective polices as at a community level must be addressed in order for Survivors to experience appropriate social justice. Bringing awareness to educators, health care providers, law enforcement, social service providers, and the general community regarding human trafficking while developing collaborative and appropriate response procedures are essential in preventing future victimization and exploitation (Perdue et al., 2012). As a result of being trafficked, Survivors develop criminal records for prostitution, drug possession and other misdemeanors and felonies, making it difficult for Survivors to get quality housing, jobs, and other legal documents (Anonymous survivor, personal communication, October 5 2018), which only contributes to feelings of shame and low self-worth (Contreras, Kallivayalil & Herman, 2017). However, by providing opportunities for Survivors to rewrite their personal narratives in to powerful stories of strength along with community education opportunities, Suriviors may experience justice and live fulfilling, respected lives.
Resources
Contreras, P. M., Kallivayalil, D., Herman, J. H. (2017). Psychotherapy in the aftermath of human trafficking: Working through the consequences of psychological coercion. Women & Therapy, 40 (1-2), 31-54, DOI: 10.1080/02703149.2016.1205908
Countryman-Roswurm, K. & DiLollo, A. (2017) Survivor: A Narrative Therapy Approach for Use with Sex Trafficked Women and Girls. Women & Therapy, 40 (1-2), 55-72, DOI: 10.1080/02703149.2016.1206782
Hazelwood, S. (2017). Pile of assorted-title books. Retrieved from www.pexels.com
Perdue, T., Prior, M., Williamson, C., & Sherman, S. (2012). Social justice and spiritual healing: Using micro and macro social work practice to reduce domestic minor sex trafficking. Social Work and Christianity, 39(4), 449-465.
“No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” mirrors an act of systemic challenges survivors of human trafficking face in their daily lives. Survivors of human trafficking often escape slavery with legal scars, including criminal records for prostitution, drug possession, and other offenses (Anonymous survivor, personal communication, October 5 2018) Similar to the forthright business sign that turns away customers based solely on their appearance, landlords, potential employers, and licensing bureaus often judge survivors through a criminal lens (Roe-Sepowitz, Gallagher, Hickle, Perez, & Tutelman, 2014). Rather than considering their resilience, strength, and whom they are as freed individuals; they are typically turned away because of a past in which they had no control.
References
MyDoorSign (2018). Retail sign: No shirt, no shoes, no service (with graphic). Retrieved from mydoorsign.com
Roe- Sepowitz, D. E., Gallagher, J., Hickle, K. E., Perez, M., & Tutelman, J. (2014). Project ROSE: An arrest alternative for victims of sex trafficking and prostitution. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 53, 57-74
Chung, R. C-Y. (2009). Cultural perspectives on child trafficking, human rights & social justice: A model for psychologists. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 22 (1), 85-96.
The position paper reviews the complex factors involved in child trafficking from a cultural perspective, the role psychologists play in addressing human rights and social issues, and recommendations on how psychologists can be proactive advocates on human rights issues. The majority of referenced literature is applied when supporting effective therapy techniques and theories, as compared to when the author discusses the role different cultures play in human trafficking. While the majority of references were published within ten years of the article’s publication date, six pieces of literature referenced where authored by the same author as this article. Chung states that human trafficking results from an abuse of power, which is a human rights violation. The author emphasizes that clinicians play a key role in eliminating the abuse of power by being culturally responsive and proactive in addressing the issues through a social justice and human rights community-based framework and using intervention models such as the Multi-Level Model of Psychotherapy, Social Justice, and Human Rights. Finally the author states that psychologists should be aware that they are valuable players in addressing issues from individual, community, systemic, and global perspectives. The article provides meaningful information on how cultural practices and beliefs may encourage an abuse of power among groups across the globe. It also provided important feedback on how clinicians can work to advocate for their clients, survivors of human trafficking- on an individual scale all the way to a global scale. The author also provided meaningful information on how clinicians can provide culturally responsive and appropriate support to their clients. The article provided in-depth information. While the information provided covered a wide-array of topics, from cultural norms that encourage abuse of power to advocating for clients on a variety of levels, to appropriate interventions, it may have been helpful to chose one of the many topics addressed and go into more depth. The interventions were helpful, but they were more of a suggestion and basic overview, rather than how to successfully implement the strategies in a counseling session.
Contreras, P. M., Kallivayalil, D., Herman, J. H. (2017). Psychotherapy in the aftermath of human trafficking: Working through the consequences of psychological coercion. Women & Therapy, 40 (1-2), 31-54, DOI: 10.1080/02703149.2016.1205908
The authors of the article describe how shame and mistrust complicate a survivor of human trafficking preparedness to benefit from services offered by a variety of providers, including trust building with psychotherapists. The authors of the article describe how survivors and therapists work through trust and shame issues to ultimately facilitate working towards a sense of dignity and humanity. The authors describe their findings through a series of case studies of psychotherapy work in a public hospital. Prior to the case studies, the authors define human trafficking and experiences including vulnerabilities, trafficker coercion tactics, and relational consequences. Recommendations for clinicians are provided following the case studies. Both before and after the case studies, a vast amount of literature is used to support the authors’ findings and summaries. Although some literature used dates back as far as 1974, the overwhelmingly majority of sources used are from 2000 and later. The literature used included statistical information, research studies, and position papers. The authors examined three case studies that examined individual psychotherapy sessions with survivors. The survivors were all women, ranging from 20 to 26. Each woman was from a different country, with a unique story as to how she became a victim of human trafficking. It was concluded that in order for survivors to decrease their feelings of shame, trusting relationships are imperative. The clinician should work to build trusting relationships as well as help foster trusting relationships between the survivor and other service providers. It was also recommended that clinician engage in long-term therapy with the survivors rather than brief therapy, as processing through relational and identity issues can take time. Important information provided within the manuscript included the vulnerabilities and relational issues survivors face, including the specific marginalization, stigma, and abuse experiences. Secondly, the recommendations the authors provided on how clinicians can work with the clients to overcome the shame and mistrust they experience is helpful information as well. The overall breadth of information is valuable to better understand the situation at hand. The case studies provided an opportunity to see how specific survivors identify with their experiences of being trafficked. However, in the beginning of the manuscript, the authors explicitly said that human trafficking goes beyond targeting women; men and transgender individuals are also victims of human trafficking. Yet, the three case studies provided were all women. While their cases are valuable and important, it would have been helpful to also include cases about men or transgender persons.
Countryman-Roswurm, K. & DiLollo, A. (2017) Survivor: A Narrative Therapy Approach for Use with Sex Trafficked Women and Girls. Women & Therapy, 40 (1-2), 55-72, DOI: 10.1080/02703149.2016.1206782
The article is a position paper that aims educate clinicians on a narrative therapy approach as a method for helping survivors reconstructs personal narratives that reflect resilience, recovery, and prosperity. The authors use literature throughout the article to support background of human trafficking, technical and adaptive challenges survivors of human trafficking face, and how re-creating or re-constructing their identities can be so therapeutic and powerful. The author states that narrative therapy is a collaborative approach that allows individuals to become the expert of their own lives and assumes that problems are separate from people, who have skills, abilities, competencies, and beliefs. Narrative therapy is intended to empower individuals to change their relationships with problems influencing their lives. The authors conclude that addressing technical challenges are a necessary and practical step in helping free women from being trafficked and adaptive challenges, including self-image and patterns of thinking and behavior is important part of empowering women for safe-exit and long-term recovery. However, narrative therapy offers a component of recovery that is survivor-centered and survivor-led. In areas where narrative therapy has been implemented, there are have been promising results. The authors provided specific research to support their position on research therapy and were specific in how to implement narrative therapy in a way that is ethical, practical, and ideally successful in empowering survivors. The authors noted that they have found that the narrative therapy is successful. However, formal research on the approach has not yet been conducted. It is encouraging to hear about successful therapy implementation, but formal research results would also be helpful in predicting the effectiveness of the approach.
Perdue, T., Prior, M., Williamson, C., & Sherman, S. (2012). Social justice and spiritual healing: Using micro and macro social work practice to reduce domestic minor sex trafficking. Social Work and Christianity, 39(4), 449-465.
The article is a position piece on successfully incorporating micro and macro level social ministry practice into social justice for victims of human trafficking. The authors report on how blending faith-based services and social work services can provide relief and personal development at the micro level and support community development and systemic change at the macro level. Throughout the article, literature was used to support information on significant contributions to the anti-human trafficking movement and effective responses including relief services, personal development, community development, and systemic change. The majority of literature used was within twenty years of the articles publication date. Referenced literature included studies, other position pieces, and interviews. A few pieces of literature referenced dated back to the mid 1970s to early 1980s. These pieces centered on Liberation Theology. The authors review the success they have found in addressing the needs of victims of human trafficking through initiatives to implement change in four areas of social ministry including providing relief and enabling personal development. However, the author concluded their article by stating that more works needs to be done in order for victims of human trafficking to have their justice. They identified current barriers including ineffective or lack of policies and lack of communication between systems that enable the problem at hand. The authors also stated that existing victims to freedom is not enough, but that advocates need to help survivors become thrivers emotionally, economically, and spiritually. The article provided helpful information and insight on the levels of advocacy, breaking it up into four quadrants of action. It was helpful to see how clinicians can advocate and provide treatment for their clients in four areas including relief, personal development, community development, and systemic change. The article provided a lot of detailed information on how a group of people in spiritual ministry has worked hard to advocate for victims and survivors of human trafficking through social justice and spiritual healing. The article provided a lot of insight on the potential of what can be done in other communities. However, the end of the article concluded with several statements saying that this is just the beginning and more needs to be done. It would have been helpful if the article focused more on some of those areas, rather than only focusing on what has been done thus far. How can we help survivors thrive?
Roe-Sepowitz, D. E., Gallagher, J., Hickle, K. E., Perez, M., & Tutelman, J. (2014). Project ROSE: An arrest alternative for victims of sex trafficking and prostitution. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 53, 57-74.
The premise of the study was to explore a pilot arrest alternative for sex-trafficked adults. The program included attendance, completion, and 12-month recidivism. The article begins by defining human-trafficking and contrasting human-trafficking victims from prostitutes. The article also details the rise in victims of human trafficking, risk factors, and current interventions. The literature used to support the authors’ claims includes statistical analysis, law enforcement reports, and other research articles. The referenced literature was relatively current, with sources no more than 16 years old at the time of the publication. The research study consisted of two groups. The first group consisted of 43 women who identified a having committed a prostitution-related crime, while the second group included 42 women who were arrested and charged with a prostitution-related crime. The first group participated in Project ROSE. The event was held over two consecutive days from noon to midnight and participants were provided with a mentor who had successfully exited prostitution for at least year, on-site medical services, mental health crisis and engagement opportunities, drug detoxification services, safe housing options, and on-site engagement with the City of Phoenix. The second group, the comparison group, followed the traditional arrest process. For both groups, data was gathered through an intake session including prostitution history, age of entry, drug use history, and family dynamic history. Although no differences were found between the two groups regarding diversion attendance, completion, or related recidivism, it was found that cost-saving, intelligence gather, and community perspective of victim-center services were identified as benefits for intervention. The article provided meaningful background on how victims of human trafficking are view by law enforcement in certain parts of the country, as well as resources that may support victims who are trying to exit current life circumstances. The research study provided insight on ways to support victims of human trafficking, including the benefits of shifting to a victim-centered perspective. The study focused on the pilot of the program, which took place in Phoenix, Arizona. It would be helpful to read about the sustainability of the program and how results may differ in other parts of the country.