Human Trafficking 101: Awareness, Identification, and Community Response

Wed, September 23 | 9:45 AM EDT–10:45 AM EDT

Topic: Conceptual | Knowledge Level: Beginner

Brenda L. Kynard-Holsey, DPC, CNHP and Chuck Campbell, BA, BS, MDiv

This introductory session is designed for participants who are new to the issue of human trafficking or attending the IHTSJ Conference for the first time. Using verified research, current data, definitions, discussion, and an awareness video, this presentation provides a foundational understanding of one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises worldwide. Human trafficking is not primarily about kidnapping or physical chains, but more often involves force, fraud, coercion, manipulation, and trauma bonding used to exploit vulnerability for profit. Presenters will examine both domestic and international trafficking, including sex trafficking and labor trafficking, emphasizing that these forms of exploitation may occur simultaneously. Participants will learn the federal definition of trafficking through the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and explore the Action–Means–Purpose (AMP) Model used to identify trafficking situations. The session highlights global and national realities, including modern slavery estimates and the work of anti-trafficking coalitions and task forces. Participants will gain insight into how traffickers recruit through deception, emotional manipulation, family involvement, and increasingly through social media and online platforms. The training also examines vulnerabilities that place individuals at greater risk—including runaway youth, foster care involvement, poverty, substance use, and unstable housing—and discusses common indicators used to identify potential victims. Attendees will leave with practical knowledge on internet safety, trauma-informed awareness, reporting options, and community response strategies. More than information alone, this session is a call to educate, empower, and activate communities to recognize exploitation, support survivors, and become part of the solution.

Presentation Objectives

• Define human trafficking according to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and distinguish trafficking from myths and misconceptions
• Explain the AMP Model and apply it to potential trafficking situations
• Identify common vulnerabilities, risk factors, and recruitment and grooming tactics,
• Recognize victim indicators and understand barriers that may prevent victims from self-identifying
• Describe community and multidisciplinary responses, including coalitions, service providers, law enforcement, and survivor support systems