![\"Connor](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-937x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
By Connor Cashel As my first interview out of graduate school came to a close, I asked Ileana Taylor, a social worker at Safe Horizon\u2019s Anti-Trafficking Program (ATP)<\/a>, the question that would resonate throughout my entire time at Safe Horizon. \u201cWhat does a typical day look like as a social worker at the Anti-Trafficking Program?<\/em>\u201d I asked this, first, because I was genuinely curious. My prior experience consisted of working only with female sex trafficking survivors and I knew this position, should I receive it, would entail very different responsibilities which I irrationally hoped could be described in one short sentence. Second, I asked because Google told me it was a good interview question, and I desperately wanted the interview to go well, as I had aspired to be part of this program since I began working in the anti-trafficking field two years prior.<\/p>\n Connor and Ileana reminisce about their experience working together at ATP<\/em><\/p>\n Five months later, I sat with Ileana on a Friday afternoon laughing as we recalled her response to my difficult to answer question. It was something along the lines of \u201cit\u2019s never the same<\/em>\u201d or jokingly \u201cthere\u2019s no such thing as a typical day.<\/em>\u201d We laughed because only after five months in this position, I could see how truly accurate her response was.<\/p>\n I quickly learned that even when a day begins to feel normal, it will never repeat itself. At ATP, I work with all types of trafficking survivors, connecting them to a variety of resources including medical care, legal services, and job training programs, housing, benefits and more. I often prepare them for or accompany them to legal proceedings. I remember working extensively with one survivor in particular. I helped her navigate and manage the criminal justice proceedings taking place against her traffickers. After preparing, I flew with her across the country to provide trauma-informed support throughout the extremely triggering experience of facing her traffickers in court.<\/p>\n I have learned so much about trauma\u2019s impacts on human trafficking survivors. I have learned to help survivors identify their trauma reactions and use trauma-informed interventions and strategies to help survivors manage these reactions. While trying to continuously uphold a trauma-informed framework I have assisted survivors with a range of case management needs. This made it clear that my desire for a short answer from Ileana was even more laughable.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n At ATP I also have the privilege of working with other human trafficking service providers and organizations in spreading awareness of human trafficking. I have worked with and conducted presentations to law enforcement officials, crime victim advocates stationed in precincts across the five boroughs, and participated in a briefing with United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking to comment on the needs of trafficking survivors I have noticed as a provider in the field.<\/p>\n My experience at ATP has so far been rich, challenging, and transformative. I am extremely grateful to have colleagues and supervisors who have taken the time to teach me and fully support me in the emotional, and practical difficulties of this position. And I value each survivor who has trusted me to help them through their painful trafficking experiences. I feel privileged to work in an agency, and moreover a program, that has taken the time to invest in my learning and fully support me in navigating the elusive \u2018typical day\u2019 which I was so curious about in my interview. Yet, I cannot stress enough how much more I have to learn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “My experience at Anti-Trafficking Program has so far been rich, challenging, and transformative…yet, I cannot stress enough how much more I have to learn.”<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":{"id":6681,"alt_text":"Connor Cashel Social Worker Anti-Trafficking Program","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":1667,"height":1822,"file":"2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop.jpg","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"file":"Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-150x150.jpg"},"medium":{"file":"Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-274x300.jpg","width":274,"height":300,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-274x300.jpg"},"medium_large":{"file":"Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-768x839.jpg","width":768,"height":839,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-768x839.jpg"},"large":{"file":"Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-937x1024.jpg","width":937,"height":1024,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop-937x1024.jpg"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"2.8","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 70D","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1546861269","copyright":"","focal_length":"24","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"","orientation":"1","keywords":[]}},"post":6679,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Social-Worker-Anti-Trafficking-Program_Edit-Crop.jpg"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2015],"tags":[1157,1155,133,352,127],"class_list":["post-6679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safe-blog","tag-anti-trafficking-program-atp","tag-connor-cashel","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","show_author_bio":true,"create_custom_authors":true,"authors":[{"author_name":"Connor Cashel, Social Worker, Anti-Trafficking Program"}],"original_url":"","related_initiative_title":"How do we help survivors of human trafficking?","related_initiative_link":"","related_initiative_link_text":"Learn about our Anti-Trafficking Program","featured_posts":[{"ID":1365,"post_author":"12","post_date":"2016-01-26 00:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2016-01-26 00:00:00","post_content":"
\nJanuary 9, 2019<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Connor](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Connor-Cashel-Ileana-Taylor_Edit.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"We](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/1453326194_Aurelia-Survives-Labor-Trafficking.jpg\")
\r\n\r\nImagine you were so desperate to help your struggling family that you left your home country for an opportunity to earn extra money. Now imagine being tricked into working 18 hours a day as a dancer, often without food and for no pay. What would you do if you were terrified that if you tried to get out of the torturous situation you would be physically beaten?\r\n\r\nThis is exactly what happened to *Aurelia, an African woman who was trafficked for labor.\r\nTricked into Being Trafficked<\/h2>\r\nAurelia was from a small village in Africa. She lived with a large family that her parents struggled to support. She had been searching for ways to earn extra money when she heard about a man who was recruiting women to become dancers in the U.S. When they spoke, he personally assured Aurelia that she would make enough money to help her family.\r\n\r\nShortly after arriving in the U.S., Aurelia realized that she had been tricked into joining a group of trafficked women. The trafficker threatened to hurt all of the women if any one of them talked about leaving. Aurelia and the women lived in constant fear that they would be beaten, or worse.\r\n\r\nAfter suffering for two years, one day Aurelia and the other women escaped to New York City where they had nowhere to stay, no money, no identification and no job. She did not give up hope. Aurelia saw a woman wearing African attire on the street. She took a bold chance and asked for help. At first, Aurelia and the woman couldn\u2019t understand each other, so the woman asked a friend to help communicate with her. Fortunately, the friend understood what Aurelia\u2019s situation was and she knew of Safe Horizon\u2019s Anti-Trafficking Program<\/a> (ATP).\r\n
Aurelia Finds Support<\/h2>\r\nATP gives human trafficking victims the chance to speak to a compassionate expert who personally guides them in obtaining critical resources to get back on their feet. At ATP, Aurelia was paired with a case worker who helped her set goals and create a plan of action to achieve them.\r\n\r\nEven after escaping, human trafficking victims may face backlash from their traffickers in their native country. To ensure Aurelia\u2019s safety, her attorney helped her file for and obtain a T-Visa. A T-Visa allows victims of human trafficking to stay and work in the U.S. This can help them avoid returning home to further violence.\r\n\r\nThe case worker also connected Aurelia to free English classes and emergency housing. With ATP\u2019s help, Aurelia was linked to a special housing program that provided her a stable environment. Here, she improved her English skills and began looking for employment.\r\n
Aurelia Achieves Success<\/h2>\r\nWith ATP\u2019s critical help in securing her safety and immigration status, Aurelia\u2019s life began to flourish. Aurelia now has a stable job. She supports herself and sends money to her family to buy clothing and food.\r\n\r\nATP helps human trafficking victims like Aurelia recover from one of the most dehumanizing acts of cruelty. Resources we provide include:\r\n
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