For the first time, Human Trafficking was one of the prominent topics at the WCASA Training Institute, recognizing the importance of this issue in the anti-sexual violence work.
The Plenary “Love and Justice” opened a conversation about a complex and often very contentious topic of youth in sex trade. Claudine O’Leary, an advocate for women and girls impacted by sex trade, reflected on the current conversations around human trafficking and prostitution, addressing the complicated narratives people hold onto and the ways they are pushed to make decisions about how to identify and what story to present in order to get life saving assistance.
Besides the plenary, three workshops focused on different aspects of addressing trafficking: prevention education, advocate training, coordinated response teams.
WI Office of Justice Assistance Human Trafficking Committee presented an ongoing multidisciplinary effort putting in place a state wide anti-trafficking protocol.
Training Institute attendees also had an opportunity to network at the Human Trafficking Lunch where members of the committee shared their work and resources.
And while a number of sexual assault advocates are some of the biggest champions of anti-trafficking movement in Wisconsin, this is still a hidden problem to a certain extent, so it was wonderful to be able to give it more exposure in the bigger SA community.
Looking forward to capitalizing on this in 2011.
– marianna
Human Trafficking Policy Specialist
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