Christi Scott Bartman, MPA, JD, PhD
Founder, Eyes Up Appalachia
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. As we continue to improve our efforts
to identify and work with survivors of human trafficking in Southeast Ohio, we are
leaning into a much more trauma-informed/responsive and survivor-informed posture.
To better address this topic, this post will be in two parts. The first will be on
incorporation of trauma-informed/responsive practices into our human trafficking
response, and the second, on incorporating survivor voice.
For a while now, when we talk about how to identify someone that has been trafficked or
is at a higher risk for being trafficked, we always add the qualifier “this is not a checklist.”
We all know survivors that presented completely opposite of those listed red flags,
indicators or signs to look for, and they would have been missed if we simply dismissed
them because they did not meet a certain criterion. But as we know from our work in
Appalachian Ohio, trafficking can look very different depending on geography, culture,
or socioeconomic status. The use of “checklists” tends to not only create the possibility
we will misidentify survivors (or miss them altogether), but it also has the potential to re-
traumatize the survivor and jeopardize our opportunity to build a trusting, compassionate relationship with them.
In an effort to shift our current practices on “red flag” warnings, the Office for Victims of
Crime Human Trafficking Collective facilitated a survivor-informed document called “The
Red Flag Framework.” This new framework suggests we start to shift our focus by:
Learning about the impact of generational, community and historical trauma on individuals
Identifying systemic barriers to address challenges in services and support
Changing the red flag framework in our screening and training practices.
Many agencies have worked to educate the region on the generational, community and
historical trauma in the area. SETICC currently has a working group in place to better
understand the systemic barriers and explore what a “safety net” might look like for
those children experiencing trafficking by a family member. There is conversation
among direct service groups on improving screening procedures, incorporating trauma-
responsive practices and a “person first” focus that does not penalize or blame survivors
but focuses on meeting their basic needs first. (Yes, Maslow is alive and well here!)
These are called “Relational Drivers.” Though this takes time and is far from complete,
there are so very many individuals, agencies and organizations that are already working
together to make this approach happen in Southeast Ohio.
On top of these relationships, a greater community response is needed. Consider the
availability, or lack, of employment resources, food resources, accessible transportation,
etc. Also consider stigmatization, or lack of, around substance use, mental health,
immigration and trust of law enforcement. These are all considered “Community
Drivers.” As you see, they can be negative, creating gaps and barriers, or positive,
creating protective factors and safe spaces. Each community will differ in what they lack
or offer and we can’t simply make a blanket statement about a regional response. It
truly has to be community driven.
Only now, after looking at our relational and community drivers, do we get to those
individual questions and assessments that help us identify if someone is being trafficked
or at a high risk for it. First, almost never is the term “human trafficking” used as a
question – as in “are you a victim of human trafficking?” So many times, individuals will
not see themselves as victims* or not know the situation in which they find themselves
is human trafficking. The suggested new framework puts a person-first, survivor-
informed focus on the “old” process. As one example, an original question one might
ask was “Have you exchanged sex for anything of value (or food or shelter)?” The new
version is “How have you been caring for yourself when you were hungry or needed a
place to stay?” See the difference?
For more help on those individual questions, the list below is adapted from The US
Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Fact Sheet
“Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach.” Highlights from their list follow:
Check in to make sure the survivor is hearing and understanding your
statements or questions and provide frequent breaks.
Be aware that changes in memory do not necessarily indicate falsehood
or storytelling but may be indicative of a trauma response.
Try to hold interviews or other key conversations at a time when the
survivor feels most stable and safe.
Help break down tasks concretely; assume that even small tasks may feel
overwhelming.
Support the survivor in accessing help with task completion.
Focus on the facts of experiences, rather than getting caught up in the
individual’s emotional response or perception of events in making
determinations about criminality.
Be aware of the often-confusing nature of the individual’s relationships
with the perpetrators; be conscious of not making assumptions.
Don’t take strong reactions personally; be very aware of managing your
own emotional responses.
Provide opportunities for control and empowerment whenever possible.
Be aware of the importance of physical as well as emotional supports.
So, when we think about trying to identify survivors of human trafficking in our area,
think about the whole continuum for a more trauma-informed response. Create
community opportunities to counter those negative drivers. (If our medical services are
not adequate in an area, bring in mobile services for instance). Discuss relational
opportunities. This can be simply through education and training about availability of
services or incorporating new efforts and protocols within your agency or organization.
Multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) are the gold standard for these responses. Once these
are in place, and we are applying what we learn about what trafficking looks like in our
area to aid identification, we will be in a better position to provide a true community
response to include trauma-informed and responsive strategies. Southeast Ohio has
some excellent examples of how these strategies can be implemented and we can all
learn from them as we expand these efforts.
You can take the first step by checking out https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/human-
trafficking-prevention-month . The Office of Trafficking in Persons/The Office of the
Administration for Children and Families has established “Connecting the Dots,
Strengthening Communities, Preventing Trafficking” as their theme for 2025 Human
Trafficking Prevention Month. They posted a toolkit to help you move forward on many
of the ideas above. It also has great social media examples you can use to increase
awareness and strengthen prevention during Human Trafficking Prevention Month!
*The term victim here denotes someone that is still being trafficked. The term survivor is generally used when someone is out of that situation. However, when working with an individual, they may not identify themselves as a victim and may resent that label. The Safe House Project has an excellent publication titled “The Power of Language in Serving Human Trafficking Survivors.”
