Education

Training

The first problem in dealing with modern day slavery is ignorance and disbelief.

How do you address an issue that people do not understand?… How do you stop a crime that is unseen and unreported?

The second problem or obstacle is the miss-information… thinking that we know what this is and thereby miss-judging or overlooking some of the serious issues of commercial exploitation of those around us. Human trafficking is not smuggling; it does not only involve “illegal aliens” or kidnapped children. The scope of this problem is much larger and involves 7 categories of crime in our state.

The greatest weapon that can be welded against ignorance is Education.  Awareness information and awareness events are great to help people start understanding and build the compassion and empathy necessary for a movement of change… but, it is also important that professionals at every level of society understand what Human Trafficking is, how to recognize it and what to do about it.

What type of training is needed? 

  • Initial review on all categories of human trafficking currently defined by the U.S. State department, Department of Justice and Office of Victims or Crime
  • Incorporation the data now available from the government and law enforcement agencies that are taken from previous cases, studies and survivor accounts
  • Practicing the new federal and state laws that are now in place to fight this crime that provide the tools needed to enforce human rights, freedom and justice
  • Learning how to recognize the indicators of human trafficking here in the U.S. so that coerced victims and crime scenes operating in plain sight can be addressed
  • Understanding the mindset of victims, most of whom will not ask for help do to fear and control factors and many of which do not even realize that they are victims of a crime
  • Recognizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach through a collaboration of partner agencies and community policing
  • Building new agency policies and procedures that address these crimes and the victims impacted by them
  • Working with victims of trafficking, both foreign national and domestic, both male and female, both adult and adolescent
  • Case development for law enforcement; Case management to address the needs of victims; Civil rights restoration and family reunification
  • Dealing with the issues of complex trauma, dependency, victimization and associated behaviors of survivors in aftercare
  • Developing a long term treatment program for the restoration of victims that addresses the emotional, educational, vocational and spiritual needs
  • Identifying possible victims among the clients you currently service and reporting or referring them to proper authorities and/or professionals
  • Creating a data tracking system within your agency that recognizes this crime and the victimology issues for development of best practices

Who needs this new training?

  • First responders such as Fire and Safety, EMSA workers, security officers, etc.
  • Law Enforcement Officers, Federal Agents, Bureau of Narcotics, Police, Sheriff, Highway Patrol, OSBI, Gang Task Force, Private Investigators, Security, Probation & Parole, etc.
  • Prosecutors, Judges, District Attorneys, Defense Attorneys, Immigration Attorneys, Legal Aid, legal assistants and students in this field.
  • Service Providers, Social Workers, Child Protective Services, Adult Protective Services, shelters, Advocates, etc.
  • Medical Health providers, Doctors, Nurses, Clinics, Emergency rooms, hospital staff, etc.
  • Mental Health workers, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Therapist, Counselors, and students in this field.
  • Victim Services Coordinators, CASA workers, Drug Court personnel, Recovery Advocates, etc.
  • Government leaders, legislators, community leaders and business leaders
  • Faith Community leaders, Denominational leaders, regional leaders, Church leaders and Church Elders.

IN-SERVICE STAFF TRAINING

2 Hour Training – Awareness 101 and information on how to identify possible victims of trafficking that are among your clients.

Half Day Training Seminar – Awareness 101, identification indicators to recognize possible victims, updating intakes and case management profiles, break-out discussions and interactive role play activities.

 

COMMUNITY  TRAINING  PROGRAM

The fact is that no one agency can handle the scope of this problem. Multiple government agencies and departments are working together to combat this issue and the same approach must be demonstrated at the state and local level to achieve measurable results. A multi-disciplined collaboration of key stakeholders is necessary to identify victims and provide them with the complicated variety of services that are needed. Every community will benefit from cross training and while most disciplines are accustomed to inner agency training, these multidisciplinary Community Trainings provide the necessary means to producing best practices.

8 Hour Community Professional Training – Any Agency or Organization can host one for their community and/or law enforcement team

  1. Partner with community agencies: such as law enforcement, service providers, City Hall, United Way or educational organizations. Combine both your agency with the partnering agencies to promote the training to your community.
  2. Establish a planning committee to help organize the aspects of the training so that all the details are covered. Include a variety of others from your partnering agencies to be on the planning committee. The more that participate in the planning, the greater your success in reaching your community.
  3. Select a date that does not conflict with other major events in your community. This is a professional educational training that is focused for the professionals in your community, therefore, it should be held on a weekday – preferably a Tue, Wed or Thur. (Professionals typically will not attend a Saturday training, Mondays are usually a busy time starting each week and Fridays are wrap-up the week and get out of the office early days.)
  4. Reserve a neutral site for the training that is convenient for all attending. Unfortunately all agencies and churches are somewhat territorial. If you hold the training at a church most people in your community will not attend. If you hold it at the police station only LE Officers will attend. In order to garnish the best attendance from all professionals the site needs to be a neutral location such as a Library, Vo-tech, Town Hall, College, etc. These places are usually free for this type of event and offer the proper facilities for professional education. The room size should be able to seat at least 25 people and not more than 50.
  5. Promote the training to all professional disciplines in your community. This should include law enforcement, probation & parole, prosecutors & judges, private investigators, Juvenile officers, child protective services, advocates, social workers, service providers, mental health specialist, counselors, medical providers, nurses, school administrators & educators, city officials, legislators, business leaders, church leaders, and other social community organizations. (This training is not intended for or open to the general public)
  6. Show appreciation to those that attend by providing coffee, water, snacks and even a small gift items. These professionals face difficult jobs in agencies that are understaffed, underfunded and under-appreciated for their efforts in servicing your community.
  7. Join with them in providing services to the victims in your community that we will be discussing (men & women, foreign nationals and endangered youth). Declare your commitment as a community partner to assist these victims with hope, support and individual care. You can demonstrate this commitment by having your staff attend and serve the other professionals and in follow-up efforts with those that attend… after the training.

The first 5 hours are focused on understanding all seven categories of human trafficking and are ideal for all professional disciplines. The last three hours are focused on case studies that help law enforcement officers, detectives and prosecutors develop cases; victim trauma issues that prepare you to work with these clients; and indicators to look for in your community so that victims can be identified. Additionally we will demonstrate the importance of community collaboration as a multidisciplinary approach.

OATH provides the law enforcement officers with 8 CLEET hours and 2 mental health hours for their continuing education for attending.

Training Outline:

  •  Global human trafficking defined
  • US human trafficking categories
  • TVPA – Trafficking Victims Protection Act
  • Foreign Nationals, labor and sex trafficking
  • US Citizens, domestic trafficking
  • CSEC – Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
  • Child pornography, Innocent Images / ICAC
  • Description of the traffickers and how they operate
  • Understanding the dynamics of coercion to control victims
  • Recruitment tactics of pimps
  • Online predator grooming tactics
  • Identifying possible victims of trafficking – the indicators
  • Providing services to victims
  • Victim/ client need
  • Policy changes
  • Interview techniques
  •  LE case development
  • Prosecution strategies
  • Community collaboration