The need to move from a competitive mindset to a collaborative mindset is essential to the success of many anti human trafficking programs. In order for ourselves and our organizations to thrive we must be empowered to collaborate and create synergy. David Traugott, and his company Redwood United, teaches the 7 necessary roots for individuals and the 7 critical circles for anti-trafficking organizations to engage in to be successful and thrive. David Traugott and Redwood United helps individuals and organizations adopt goals and a vision that sets the movement on a course to end modern day slavery.

Read More

Dr. Justine Pierre takes us inside the world of trafficking in the Caribbean and into the minds of human traffickers. As the lead investigator for one of the largest Human Trafficking studies to ever be conducted in the Caribbean region he surveyed over 600 individuals involved in human trafficking including survivors, current human trafficking victims, customers (or “johns”), and 342 human traffickers. Dr. Pierre shares his research, methodology, and findings granting us a rare glimpse into the mindset of human traffickers.

Read More

This week we continue exploring the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In part 3 of this series, we discuss the slow process of changing an entrenched system as well as individuals’ perceptions. In this final episode solutions to addressing the issue of MMIW are offered and resources are provided for those who wish to learn more.

Read More

This week we dive back into the conversation surrounding the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In part 2 of this series, we focus on the exploitation and oppression present in the systems that commonly serve indigenous women and families. The systems explored in this episode include the child welfare, educational, health care and criminal justice systems exposing system-wide abuses and the need for transparency, accountability, and cultural responsiveness.

Read More

This is a three-part series on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada and the U.S. Tune in to learn about this little known yet flourishing epidemic. Indigenous women experience higher murder rates and violence than any other group in the U.S. In fact, it’s the third leading cause of death for native women in the U.S. In Canada, indigenous women make up 4% of the population but account for 55% of the victims of human trafficking.

Read More

Teaching kids ages 7 to 11 how to watch out for cars as they cross the street is our responsibility. Also teaching them how to watch out for those who would exploit them is also our responsibility. Gayle Bunting’s organization “Invisible Traffick” does it through age-appropriate education in schools and stories that parents read to their children. These stories and conversations with youth opens up dialogue, provides language, and increases the communication necessary to keep kids safe.

Read More

As 2020 comes to an end, the wish for the new year is that we move ourselves and nations closer to ending human trafficking. Listen to the six critical ways we can all work toward eliminating human trafficking and promoting freedom for others in our own community and around the world.

Read More

Survivors have had difficult and traumatic experiences. Practitioners can experience vicarious trauma from spending extended time supporting a client’s recovery. However, learning to laugh keeps us from succumbing to the tragedies we see each day. Alexandra Stevenson discusses the critical need for laughter and the power in finding moments of joy, happiness, and even recognizing the irony and dark humor in certain situations. Recovery brings lots of dark days. Without joy, darkness will consume us. One of the necessary ingredients to maintain good health is to continue to reintroduce happiness through laughter. It’s the medicine that both survivors and practitioners need to keep them healthy and involved in the fight.

Read More

The Pottershands Foundation opened a home for women survivors in 2018 and they currently have openings for survivors who need a great home and quality programming to help heal. The programming is amazing and the home is lovely. Learn how Deb Kuehner took her vision from concept to actually having a 9,000 square foot home on 5 acres of land. Use her process and wise tips to open your own home. Also learn how a group of very spiritual people walk with very practical feet.

Read More

If 99% of youth who run away from home return home any way, why is it a big deal? How many youth run away from home each year? At what age are youth most likely to run away? Why are foster youth most at risk of being successfully recruited when they run? These questions and many more answered along with ideas to addressing runaways in your community.

Read More

This week we reveal the components and secret sauce involved in hosting our annual high school human trafficking and human-rights day full of workshops and engaging interactions for teens to best understand human trafficking, human rights, rape myths, toxic masculinity and more. We interview one of our teen poets highlighted at the conference who has found her voice in this movement. We invite you to take the components we share and create a human-rights day of your own in your community.

Read More

Armand King, former pimp, provides us with an individual and sociological perspective of limited experiences and blocked opportunities leading to pimping, gang membership, and drug sales for some young men in low-income, high crime communities. Together with his survivor sisters in San Diego, he works to educate anti-trafficking advocates and increase opportunities for young black and brown men. Listen, learn, and get your education and insiders view on pimping.

Read More

In this solo episode we will learn about “The Game” including the levels of pimping, some rules of the game and will get to know those outside of the game such as Renegades and Outlaws. Strap yourself in to learn the tools, the terms, and pimp philosophy.

Read More

Rita survived repeated and horrific abuse at the hands of her father and a group of men her community believed upheld the very virtues of trust, safety, and honor. This personal betrayal robbed Rita of her innocence and her faith in her fellow man. The abuse went unknown and unchecked in her community. Rita now puts her faith in God and uses her skills as a master level clinical social worker to help others heal and work through the secrets of their past.

Read More

Two teen poets present their poems and talk about how they see the world, us, and the issue of human trafficking. Nothing water downed, no chaser. They ask us why we prioritize capital over human beings. Why our hands are full, but our hearts are empty, and why we continue to ignore girls that are vulnerable and remain largely silent about them “dating” older men. They are tired of trying to protect themselves and for being blamed and victimized just for being themselves. Can you handle the truth?

Read More

The fact is it's difficult to traffic educated and empowered youth. Because human trafficking thrives on vulnerable youth and conditions of inequity, Aura Freedom in Toronto Canada made the decision to take a deep and focused dive by training a select number of youth on human trafficking related anti-oppressive topics and then employed them to go into schools, group homes, migrant-focused organizations and more to educate and empower vulnerable youth. After 40 presentations over the course of a year, the "Peer Prevention Project" educated over 2000 participants and identified and referred 24 youth survivors to services. Founder of the Peer Prevention Project, Marissa Kokkoros, talks about the power of the project, how it started, the training, and how you can be trained to bring this program to your community.

Read More

High School teacher Kim Hogan made a dramatic change in her life by moving across the country, becoming a doctor student, and embedding herself and new career deeply in research, advocacy, and clinical anti-trafficking work with survivors. As a result she schools us on ways to effectively produce change. Are you familiar with the term “hit-a-lick"? Do you know what a "trick-roll" is? How about the need to make your “quota"? Do you know how to bring funding to your community to obtain housing for survivors? How about mindfulness groups not only for survivors, but for the children of survivors? This and much more very targeted, unique, and effective responses to sex trafficking that you could try. Vocabulary lesson included.

Read More

In Part II, we talk very honestly and openly about how we put the conference on each year, the presentations we each really loved, some of our mishaps and mistakes, and the lessons we learned. We finish the podcast by talking about next year’s conference including what we look for in a good abstract and when we will be accepting abstracts for next year's presenters. I provide some tips on what it takes to move a big dream into a successful reality.

Read More

Our 17th annual International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference this year was a huge success with over 99 presenters and 2,300 in attendance from a total of 43 U.S. states and 19 countries. Listen to how the conference got started, the structure, how we plan it, and highlights from this massive three-day event, all virtual this year.

Read More

This is a short 8-minute episode devoted to you! Come on! You’ve worked hard. Open your heart and allow someone to genuinely and sincerely say thank you to you. Also, please feel free to share this with others in the fight and let them know you appreciate them and what they do to help others.

Read More