Collaborating to Help Trafficking Survivors: Emerging Issues and Practice Pointers
This workshop is for those committed to assisting trafficking survivors and their allies who have a basic knowledge of the trafficking assistance process. It is an innovative approach to building effective collaborations necessary to reach, help and empower sex trafficking survivors. We hope this workshop will encourage you to think creatively about your role in helping trafficking survivors. Spur you to build new collaborations to do this work, and give you concrete tools to accomplish these goals. As you know there is no one perfect solution, no single best model, and that developing useful approaches is an evolutionary process. We believe whatever approach you use must be "victim-centered."
Outline/Structure of the Workshop
As you know there is no one perfect solution, no single best model, and that developing useful approaches is an evolutionary process. We believe whatever approach you use it must be "victim - centered." Significant gaps remain in creating an adequate service and support alliance for trafficking survivors. You may find new ways to meet the multiple needs of this unusually isolated and vulnerable population as your work progresses over time.
The following will be covered in the workshop
1: Trafficking and Its Victims 2: Working with Trafficking Survivors 3: Improving Your Approach 4: Meeting the Needs of Survivors; Maintain Role Integrity, A Range of Needs and Alliance of Service, Why Collaborate 5: What Benefits Can survivors access and how
Why collaborating is so important? The only way to ensure trafficking survivors obtain the services they deserve is to build relationships with organizations and allies in key systems that encounter or help crime victims. Trafficking survivors may require counseling and assistance with sexual or domestic violence abuse they suffered, as well as the trauma they endured. You are not in this work alone. Adopting a holistic approach to helping trafficking survivors.
(Adapted from the Family Violence Prevention Fund publication entitled "Collaborating to Help Trafficking Survivors: Emerging Issues and Practice Pointers"
Learning Outcome
1: Why collaboration is imperative to working with survivors of trafficking: The only way you can ensure trafficking survivors are provided the services they require is to build relationships with organizations and allies in key systems that encounter or help victims (survivors).
2: Meeting the needs of survivors; you will look a the challenges you face in finding the resources trafficking survivors require. How will you assist trafficking survivors? One way to prioritize is to focus on stabilizing your client's well-being. What you need NOW to do this? The need to network with others to effectively help trafficking survivors.
3: Maintain Role of Integrity: As you work within this area, you may feel pressure to go beyond your normal role. Some of this pressure my be indirect. Funders want to "see the numbers." Some pressure may come from other systems and individuals who want you to "get your client" to do what they think needs to be done. You may also feel internal pressure to fill services and reporting gaps. Be conscious of these pressures. Doing this work correctly requires creativity, be mindful not to do another systems work.
Target Audience
Executive Directors, Case Managers, Progarm Managers, Licensining Counselors, Survivors, Law Enforcement, Attorneys
SAFE Coalition for Human Rights (SAFECHR)
