Ethical survivor engagement is a necessity in the fight against human trafficking, be it in serving the sector as an advocate or in any other capacity that involves what constitutes “work” within the setting of prevention, intervention, or aftercare. Survivor voices are needed to expand community knowledge and to maintain accountability. In this presentation, attendees will hear from two survivors who will be sharing their experiences working in the anti-trafficking field; where they see strengths and where they see room to grow within the sector. Drawing from their experiences and observations, they will walk through some common pitfalls and ways that organizations can avoid these so that survivors can be strengthened by their time working in this space, instead of feeling re-exploited. This session will specifically highlight the ethics surrounding organizational preparedness, compensation, and the ongoing professional development of survivors. With a combined professional background of over 15 years in the anti-trafficking and domestic violence sphere, their experiences will illustrate progress that has been made and setbacks that have been experienced. Survivors help to create organizational resilience when they are empowered to use their voice in an ethical way. With a focus on shared accountability that educates and empowers organizations, attendees will leave this session better equipped for working and engaging with survivors.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Khalila Riga is a strong advocate in the fight against human trafficking. As a survivor leader since 2020, she brings in a unique, specific perspective on the issue. Through service experience and an education working in the anti-trafficking field, she looks to help others leave exploitation and find freedom.
Kristin Vaughn, a resilient survivor of human trafficking, brings over two decades of dedicated experience to the anti-trafficking sector. She has worked under contract for various projects, contributing her expertise to organizations such as the National Survivor Network, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking, Survivor Alliance, Freedom Network, and Polaris.