Session: Human Trafficking Domestically and Globally: Improving Practice and Research to Aid Survivors (Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference - Social Work Science and Complex Problems: Battling Inequities + Building Solutions)

Human trafficking impacts an estimated 25 million children and adults globally (US State Department, 2020). Given the complexity of the issue it is imperative that policy makers, practitioner, advocates, and researchers are utilizing the best research and practice methods rooted in an evidence base. While the amount of research on human labor and sex trafficking continues to grow, much remains to be learned. This symposium aims to add to the knowledge base by examining best practices in research and practice both domestically and internationally. The first presentation by Schroeder used a multi-component community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology to evaluate assessment tools used with survivors of child labor trafficking in Sierra Leone. The sequential process of archival case review in conjunction with CBPR was a positive model for partnership between social services and academic collaborators. Staff responded to the process with increased buy-in and new ideas for collecting data that serves the overarching goal of protecting survivors. The second presentation by Dodd involved in-depth interviews with students and staff at a law clinic that provides specialized legal services to victims/survivors of sexual exploitation. A phenomenological approach allowed participants to share their lived experiences of working with survivors and victims of exploitation, including the challenges of providing trauma-informed services in a context that is often deficit-focused. The third presentation by Afroz involves a systematic review of the quantitative methods utilized to study human trafficking globally. Following a review using the PRISMA framework, 18 articles were evaluated. Most studies used regression, and few utilized official data sources. The application of appropriate statistics can more accurately predict causal relationships among variables, improve interpretation of results, and increase generalizability. Human trafficking research could benefit from adopting sampling and recruitment methods used with other hidden and transient populations. Overall implications for research and practice will be discussed.