{"id":5588,"date":"2018-04-19T18:55:06","date_gmt":"2018-04-19T18:55:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=5588"},"modified":"2025-06-10T13:09:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T17:09:24","slug":"anti-trafficking-field-shared-framework","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/safe-blog\/anti-trafficking-field-shared-framework\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the Anti-Trafficking Field Needs a Shared Framework"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Ariel Zwang, for CNN<\/em>
\nApril 19, 2018<\/em><\/p>\n

Ariel Zwang is CEO of Safe Horizon.<\/em><\/p>\n

(CNN)Research shows that 40 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking each year. It’s a crime we have to tackle, because no woman, child, or man deserves to experience this horrific violation.<\/p>\n

But the relative newness of the anti-trafficking field, combined with the crime’s murky origins, ties to international business, and inherent cultural complexities add up to a challenging set of problems.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, there has been too little effort to find consensus within the anti-trafficking field on effective ways to prevent trafficking, help survivors safely escape their situation, or address the many complex needs of survivors after they escape.<\/p>\n

A Common Cause<\/h3>\n

Ideological differences among anti-trafficking groups (e.g. do we focus on law enforcement strategies that prosecute traffickers, or should we prioritize community-based prevention for potential victims?) have even splintered the growing movement, making it difficult to adopt fundamental practices that ensure survivors have access to high-quality care and support.<\/p>\n

In an effort to bridge those differences, Safe Horizon’s anti-trafficking program designed the Global Learning Collaborative (GLC), a project that would harness the experiences of groups around the world that directly help survivors, to build the movement’s collective wisdom. And, ultimately, to develop a shared framework.<\/p>\n

Although the GLC’s 10 service providers — which work in countries including Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria, Peru, Kenya, Denmark, Cambodia, India, Australia and the United States — had very different missions, approaches and clients, we worked diligently over a two-year period to agree on common strategies to improve the lives of human trafficking survivors anywhere.<\/p>\n

We call those strategies Principles of Practice, or PoPs. These 14 globally minded, evidence-informed, testable recommendations can be implemented to help prevent trafficking, and assist survivors regardless of their location, age, gender, or experience. This work is not meant to be a “best kept secret” — we want this to get out. Our hope is that sharing our findings will advance the field and provide survivors with the best support.<\/p>\n

Core Standards<\/h3>\n

The first four PoPs — Implementing Core Standards of Care for Trafficking Survivors — should inform all the direct services that providers offer. They are essential to quality care, and the foundation of any effort to support trafficking survivors.<\/p>\n

PoP 1: Utilize client-centered practice that ensures survivors have the best chance at healing by empowering them to make their own decisions, continually eliciting feedback about their needs, and treating each survivor as an individual with a unique set of experiences, reactions, and recovery needs.<\/p>\n

PoP 2: Implement trauma-informed care that prevents re-traumatization of survivors and mitigates the impact of vicarious trauma on staff by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices.<\/p>\n

Read: ‘How to stop the slave trade’<\/p>\n

PoP 3: Reduce barriers to care by utilizing inclusive practices and non-stigmatizing language so that any trafficking survivor who seeks assistance feels confident they will receive or be directed to the services they need.<\/p>\n

PoP 4: Provide services that are informed by survivors’ experiences by listening and incorporating each survivor’s unique knowledge and feedback and, when appropriate, seeking feedback from survivor advisory boards.<\/p>\n

Effective Collaborations<\/h3>\n

Principles 5-10 — Developing Effective Collaborations to Improve Care, Build Awareness, and Enhance Prevention — are subdivided into two categories, with 5-7 focused on how to establish effective collaborations and 8-10 focused on specific collaboration objectives.<\/p>\n

PoP 5: Establish shared goals, responsibilities, and roles that reflect a “Shared Responsibility” approach to addressing human trafficking, as well as respect for each partner’s unique perspectives, values, experiences and contributions.<\/p>\n

PoP 6: Develop and speak a common language so that all stakeholders — regardless of culture, ideology, legal position, or other differences — will be operating within the same framework and share the same expectations for the desired outcome.<\/p>\n

PoP 7: Knowing there is no one right way to engage with survivors, ensure that the survivor voice is represented in all partnerships.<\/p>\n

PoP 8: Take advantage of and strengthen collaborations with NGOs, law enforcement, and government agencies to prevent vulnerability to trafficking.<\/p>\n

PoP 9: Strategize ways to use technology and social media as tools of education and prevention, as well as ways to combat their use by traffickers as recruitment tools.<\/p>\n

PoP 10: Engage safely and effectively with the media as a means of spreading awareness and preventing trafficking while ensuring survivor safety, rights and privacy are protected.<\/p>\n

Embracing Research<\/h3>\n

Principles 11 and 12 — Embracing Research and Evaluation — focus on the value of research and evaluation to ensure quality service and ultimately achieve evidence-based practices.<\/p>\n

PoP 11: Utilize evidence-informed and evidence-based practices whenever possible, and leverage the knowledge and resources of other providers, local academic institutions, and existing literature to shape practices.<\/p>\n

PoP 12: Prioritize monitoring and evaluation of practices, building a learning culture where the impact of program services on survivors is understood and communicated effectively.<\/p>\n

Supportive Organizations<\/h3>\n

And, finally, principles 13 and 14 — Ensuring Healthy and Supportive Organizations — articulate the need to ensure a safe and healthy work environment by promoting self-care and providing adequate training.<\/p>\n

PoP 13: Promote self-care for staff and survivors by creating a culture of openness, trust and honest feedback that recognizes and responds to vicarious trauma.<\/p>\n

PoP 14: Provide the best possible service to survivors by training and supervising staff and volunteers to have strong advocacy and counseling skills, a broad knowledge of the remedies and resources available to survivors, and an ability to bear witness to a survivor’s loss and suffering.<\/p>\n

The above is only a snapshot of our 32-page Global Collaboration Against Human Trafficking Report: Fourteen Principles for Working with Human Trafficking Victims<\/a>. In its entirety, the report shares concrete and practical ways to implement these PoPs.<\/p>\n

The report is a positive step toward providing human trafficking survivors with the excellent, research-backed services they deserve. It is, however, only a first step.<\/p>\n

Though our field is young and our challenges complex, we must advance this important work until we can implement services that enable each of the 40 million human trafficking victims to fully recover their lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Safe Horizon CEO authored this article for CNN explaining our report outlining a new framework for the Human Trafficking field. Safe Horizon’s anti-trafficking program designed the Global Learning Collaborative (GLC), a project that would harness the experiences of groups around the world that directly help survivors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":{"id":4678,"alt_text":"Safe Horizon: Empowering victims and survivors to find safety, support, connection, and hope","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":1599,"height":549,"file":"2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image.png","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"file":"silhouette_hero_image-150x150.png","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/png","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image-150x150.png"},"medium":{"file":"silhouette_hero_image-300x103.png","width":300,"height":103,"mime-type":"image\/png","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image-300x103.png"},"medium_large":{"file":"silhouette_hero_image-768x264.png","width":768,"height":264,"mime-type":"image\/png","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image-768x264.png"},"large":{"file":"silhouette_hero_image-1024x352.png","width":1024,"height":352,"mime-type":"image\/png","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image-1024x352.png"},"1536x1536":{"file":"silhouette_hero_image-1536x527.png","width":1536,"height":527,"mime-type":"image\/png","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image-1536x527.png"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":2,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image.png"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2015],"tags":[336,133,352,127],"class_list":["post-5588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safe-blog","tag-anti-trafficking-program","tag-human-trafficking","tag-labor-trafficking","tag-sex-trafficking","issue-human-trafficking"],"acf":{"page_header_title":"","page_header_excerpt":"","page_header_image":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image.png","related_initiative_title":"Learn About Human Trafficking","related_initiative_link":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/get-informed\/human-trafficking-statistics-facts\/","related_initiative_link_text":"Human Trafficking Statistics and Facts","featured_posts":[{"ID":4480,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2017-05-19 21:01:45","post_date_gmt":"2017-05-19 21:01:45","post_content":"\"Anti-Trafficking-Project-Global-Learning-Collaborative\"\r\n\r\nBy Megan Aebi\r\nMay 19, 2017<\/em>\r\n\r\nSince 2001, Safe Horizon\u2019s Anti-Trafficking Program (ATP) has been working with survivors of human trafficking in New York City. ATP uses a client centered approach to provide both legal and case management services for children and adults so they can heal emotionally, find justice, and rebuild their lives. ATP is the largest human trafficking program on the East Coast.\r\n\r\nBuilding on our expertise and recognizing that much more can be done to combat this global issue, we are bringing together other organizations from around the world who work with trafficking survivors to share what works best and learn from each other\u2019s experiences.\r\n\r\nThe Global Learning Collaborative (GLC) is a groundbreaking project, emphasizing cooperative learning to develop principles of practices that will be disseminated to other stakeholders working to end human trafficking. Through organizing and establishing a network of relationships with 9 anti-trafficking programs around the globe, the GLC will collaborate with these organizations to share their expertise and discuss best practices to combat human trafficking.\r\n

Why a Global Learning Collaborative?<\/h2>\r\nMost anti-trafficking service providers have less than 15 years of experience in service delivery. This creates a lack of collective knowledge regarding how service providers assist trafficking victims. Presently there are no recognized principles of practice guiding this field. Given the scarcity of resources available to combat human trafficking, identifying principles of practice will support providers, who often face severely limited resources, and better serve people affected by human trafficking.\r\n

How Will the Global Learning Collaborative Help End Trafficking?<\/h2>\r\nThe GLC is a first-of-its-kind project bringing together ten organizations from around the world to explore best practices for working with survivors of human trafficking. The GLC facilitates the development of a strong network of expert providers well-versed in service provision to survivors of trafficking.\r\n

Methodology Behind the Global Learning Collaborative<\/h2>\r\nThe GLC began with Rutgers University surveying 30 organizations in 25 countries to learn how organizations identify victims of trafficking, provide services, and define organizational success. Then, we convened 10 service providers in a series of conference calls to explore the question of \u201cwhat works and why?\u201d in responding to victims of human trafficking. In late May, we brought\u00a0these providers together in-person to dive deeper into the topics discussed on the calls, with the end goal of providing the anti-trafficking movement with a set of principles of practice to use in working with victims of human trafficking.\r\n

Which Organizations are Participating in the Global Learning Collaborative<\/h2>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Chab Dai \u2013 Cambodia<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. CURB \u2013 Trinidad & Tobago<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Movimiento El Pozo \u2013 Peru<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. HAART \u2013 Kenya<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. HopeNow \u2013 Denmark<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Idia Renaissance \u2013 Nigeria<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. Prerana \u2013 India<\/li>\r\n \t
  8. Project Respect \u2013 Australia<\/li>\r\n \t
  9. Safe Horizon \u2013 USA<\/li>\r\n \t
  10. Tumbleweed - USA<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    How to Stay Updated<\/h2>\r\nInterested in learning more about the GLC or about the global movement to end trafficking? Sign up to receive our e-blasts below or follow us on Twitter<\/a>.\r\n\r\nIn the meantime, don\u2019t forget to check out our human trafficking stats and facts page<\/a> for more information or our Anti-Trafficking Program page<\/a>.","post_title":"Leading a Global Learning Collaborative to Improve Services for Human Trafficking Victims","post_excerpt":"Megan Aebi, Global Learning Collaborative Project Coordinator at our Anti-Trafficking Program, explains the groundbreaking project that will create and share principles of practices to help end human trafficking.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"global-learning-collaborative-human-trafficking-victims","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 13:07:33","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 17:07:33","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=4480","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"1","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1363,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2015-12-01 00:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2015-12-01 00:00:00","post_content":"\"John's\r\n\r\nJohn was a successful salesman in the Philippines with a master's degree in Business Administration. He wanted to come to the United States to pursue a better life.\r\n\r\nA friend told John about an agency that helps people like them become workers in California. To apply, they were required to pay a large application fee. In order to pay this hefty fee, John arranged a loan that used part of his mother\u2019s ancestral land as collateral. With the loan secured, he applied and headed for America.\r\n

    Unexpected Trouble<\/h2>\r\nJohn worked hard every day at the various jobs including: being a desk clerk, driving shuttle buses and washing dishes. John knew it would take time to establish himself in a new career in the United States. He looked into filing an extension for his visa. Initially the agency that helped him come to the United States offered help in filing a visa extension. However, they soon stopped answering his calls.\r\n\r\nJohn was terrified his visa would expire and that he would be deported. So he frantically searched the internet for companies who might help. An agency based in Kansas City, Missouri promised they would extend his visa.\r\n\r\nThe agency representatives charged John outrageous fees. They warned him to follow their instructions, or else he would be deported. The agency assigned John along with a group of four others to work in a hotel in Casper, Wyoming.\r\n

    The Un-American Dream<\/h2>\r\nIn Casper, he lived in the hotel\u2019s maintenance room and shared it with ten other people. The room had no air conditioning or heat. The bathroom they shared was small and didn\u2019t have hot running water. John worked long and irregular hours. During his working hours, he was routinely exposed to toxic paint fumes. He developed insomnia, severe stress and high blood pressure.\r\n\r\nHe was not fairly paid. When he did get paid there was often a delay and he wasn\u2019t paid for all of the hours he worked. John complained to the management of the hotel and to the agency who had placed him there. The agency would threaten him with the prospect of deportation. One day, he mustered the courage to leave.\r\n

    Escaping Modern-Day Slavery<\/h2>\r\nAfter John escaped, he spent three years traveling the country and staying with various friends. To get by, he took several survival jobs to make ends meet.\r\n\r\nDuring a trip to New York City, a friend told him of a law firm who handled human trafficking cases. Although John had already sought help from five different lawyers, he persevered and tried again. Luckily, this law firm understood John\u2019s situation and directed him to a resource that could actually help him find relief; Safe Horizon\u2019s Anti-Trafficking Program (ATP)<\/a>.\r\n\r\nLocated in Brooklyn, ATP provides human trafficking victims from anywhere in the city with comprehensive, supportive resources including:\r\n