Labor Trafficking
It is critical that we increase our awareness of labor trafficking. It is occurring in Washington State. With limited resources and support available related to labor trafficking, being aware of this issue is essential to supporting individuals and families, their safety, and well-being.
- LT Resource Guide
- Labor Trafficking Matters – Framework (frameworkta.org)
- Brief, animated case studies:
- Survivor Perspectives: Labor Trafficking Service Needs (panel discussion)
- LT Service Delivery: Screening and Interviewing (webinar)
- LT of U.S. Minors (webinar) – Led by Dr. Laura Murphy on her research of young people in the U.S. experiencing homelessness and the prevalence and experience of their labor exploitation and trafficking, in addition to their sexual exploitation and trafficking
- Trainings conceptualized and led by survivors (some of our most powerful and illuminating, IMO)
- Increasing Identification Through Outreach Series (e-learning will be published by Framework in January 2023)
- Provider Perspectives (panel discussion)
- LT Outreach to Restaurant Workers (webinar)
- LT Outreach to Agricultural Workers (webinar)
- LT Outreach to Domestic Service Workers (webinar)
- LT Outreach to U.S. Minors (webinar)
Resources for Social Service Providers
Children and Youth
Children involved in child welfare systems, including foster care, and those who have run away from home are at increased risk for human trafficking because of their potentially unstable living situations, disrupted connection with family and friends, prior abuse and neglect, and emotional vulnerability.
- In “Increased Reports of Human Trafficking from Child Welfare Systems Indicate Progress and Point to Prevention,” OTIP Director Katherine Chon discusses human trafficking trends among children in child welfare and provides resources for strengthening prevention efforts.
- The Responding to Human Trafficking among Children and Youth in Foster Care and Missing from Care information memorandum overviews resources available to assist states in meeting legal requirements intended to protect children and youth, particularly those in the child welfare system, from negative outcomes associated with human trafficking.
- SOAR Online: Responding to Human Trafficking Through the Child Welfare System Visit disclaimer page trains providers to strengthen services for children and youth at risk for or who have experienced human trafficking.
Disaster Management
Natural disasters can increase the risk of human trafficking by creating new and compounding existing vulnerabilities for individuals, families, and communities, including causing people to lose their homes, jobs, and transportation and disrupting support systems.
- Fact Sheets: Human Trafficking Programming During Disasters and Emergencies provides emergency managers and service providers information to help prevent trafficking and continue operations during disasters and emergencies, including by delivering remote services and technical assistance.
- Fact Sheets: What Disaster Responders Need to Know and What Disaster Responders Need to Do help emergency managers and other professionals working in a disaster area understand and prepare for increased risks and signs of human trafficking during disasters.
- In “Preventing and Addressing Human Trafficking in the Wake of Disasters,“ OTIP Director Katherine Chon and Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response Director Natalie Grant discuss the relationship between natural disasters and human trafficking and provide resources for disaster management professionals.
- The SOAR Online: Disaster Management: Preventing and Responding to Human Trafficking Visit disclaimer page training equips disaster management professionals with the information and resources they need to prevent, identify, and respond to human trafficking during and after disasters or emergencies.
Housing and Economic Mobility
Stable housing is a foundational resource that protects people from human trafficking by providing opportunities to achieve self-sufficiency and economic mobility. Long-term, permanent housing is also crucial for people fleeing a trafficking situation, as it provides the safety and security those in crisis need to obtain stability and rebuild their lives.
- Collaboration Strategies to Help Survivors of Human Trafficking Overcome Barriers to Economic Mobility overviews non-traditional partnerships that may strengthen local service networks and expand access to housing and employment opportunities for people who have experienced human trafficking.
- Federal Housing and Economic Mobility Resources information memorandum overviews federally funded programs, training, and other resources to increase access to housing and employment for people who have experienced human trafficking.
- Federal Housing and Homelessness Programs for Human Trafficking Survivors provides a detailed summary of how people who have experienced human trafficking may meet the eligibility requirements for federally funded housing and homelessness programs.
- Innovative Solutions to Expand Housing Options for Survivors of Human Trafficking outlines strategies to expand housing access for people who have experienced trafficking through housing programs, federal grants, and cooperative agreements and provides training and resources to increase awareness of housing options.
Learn more about National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and view additional resources.
Partner with survivors.
People who have experienced human trafficking have perspectives and relevant expertise that are critical to the success and impact of anti-trafficking programs. Having a survivor-informed approach allows organizations and communities to better serve clients, craft programs, identify challenges and opportunities, and achieve agency missions and mandates. View the Building Survivor-Informed Organizations Toolkit for effective ways to engage those with lived experience. Learn more about the Human Trafficking Leadership Academy and its Recommendations on Survivor-Informed Practices.
Prepare your community.
Human trafficking is a complex public health issue that requires a coordinated community-wide response. The Human Trafficking Community Readiness Guide, Increasing Community Response to Trafficking by Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships Webinar, and the What to Know: Municipal Response to Human Trafficking Fact Sheet discuss how local governments, providers, and organizations can best leverage community resources and form partnerships to build a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to addressing human trafficking.
Prevent with equity.
Human trafficking thrives on inequity. While anyone can experience human trafficking, it affects different communities in different ways and disproportionately impacts those who are marginalized and underserved. Actively institutionalizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility principles are crucial to delivering comprehensive and effective anti-trafficking efforts without implicit bias. Learn more about how to improve the health and well-being of men and boys, women and girls, and transgender and Two-Spirit individuals; communities of color, including Indigenous peoples, Visit the disclaimer page; and people with disabilities impacted by human trafficking.
Report human trafficking concerns.
Professionals who work with children and families, along with friends and family members, are often best positioned to help identify and report possible trafficking. Everyone can help by learning the types of trafficking Visit the disclaimer page and pay attention to the people around them. If you or someone you know has experienced human trafficking and needs support, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline Visit the disclaimer page by calling 1-888-373-7888, texting 233733, emailing [email protected], chatting online, or submitting an anonymous tip. The Hotline’s Referral Directory Visit disclaimer page also connects users to anti-trafficking organizations and programs that offer emergency, transitional, or long-term services.
Share your story.
Let us know how you’re partnering to prevent human trafficking by adding your voice to the Voices of Freedom archive. With over 100 conversations recorded by more than 170 participants, Voices of Freedom is an ongoing collection of stories from people who have informed, shaped, and contributed to the successes of the anti-trafficking field over the past two decades.
Stay engaged.
Follow OTIP’s LinkedIn Visit disclaimer page and the Administration for Children and Families’ Twitter Visit disclaimer page and Facebook Visit disclaimer page, where resources will be posted throughout January and beyond. Help spread awareness of human trafficking by retweeting, liking, or commenting on posts and using the #Partner2Prevent and #EndTrafficking hashtags. The Human Trafficking Prevention Month toolkit has sample social media posts, sample email and newsletter content, and resources to share. Subscribe to OTIP’s newsletter Visit the disclaimer page and visit the federal interagency calendar of events to receive updates on and get involved in prevention and public awareness activities.
Strengthen your service delivery.
Many people who experience human trafficking encounter providers before, during, and after their exploitation. The SOAR to Health and Wellness Training Program, delivered through OTIP’s National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center, provides tailored training to help professionals appropriately identify and address the needs of people impacted by human trafficking. The foundational training modules (SOAR to Health and Wellness Visit disclaimer page, Trauma-Informed Care Visit disclaimer page, and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Visit disclaimer page) and the advanced training modules (Ethical Considerations Visit disclaimer page and Universal Education and Screening Visit disclaimer page) strengthen human trafficking prevention and response protocols in diverse care settings.
Support those affected.
Working with foreign national adults or children who have experienced human trafficking? Learn how to apply for a certification letter Visit the disclaimer page or an eligibility letter Visit the disclaimer page on behalf of a foreign national adult or child to connect them to comprehensive benefits and support services. Attend a child eligibility webinar, held the first Wednesday of every month, for help understanding available resources and complete the SOAR training on Working With Foreign National Minors Who Have Experienced Human Trafficking Visit the disclaimer page to strengthen your service delivery.
