Professional Development
Explore opportunities below for professional development resources and trainings related to human trafficking.
Calendar of Professional Development and Continuing Education Opportunities
(All times on the calendar below are listed as Eastern Time)
Overall Resources to Enhance Your Professional Development
Emancipation Nation Network
The Emancipation Nation Network (ENN) was founded by Dr. Celia Williamson to provide a community of advocates working for freedom and justice. Connect with other advocates by joining various groups, expand your knowledge on human trafficking by taking exclusive courses, and improve your professional practice with access to research and tools.
Emancipation Nation Podcast
Emancipation Nation (EN) Podcast is Dr. Celia Williamson’s podcast that is devoted to providing advocates, and those that want to be advocates, ways to competently fight various forms of human trafficking. Each Tuesday, EN will bring on guests that have been successful and will provide the audience with valuable, practical, best practice information that can be implemented.
TeamPeds Talks Podcast
This podcast interviews various anti-trafficking professions about their intersection with healthcare. It is meant primarily for healthcare providers like nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors and PAs to understand the different areas people who experience trafficking may be in.
The Journal of Human Trafficking
GAHTS is a proud partner of the Journal of Human Trafficking (JHT) who supports the greater understanding of human trafficking by publishing diverse scholarship on all forms of contemporary slavery.
Anti-Trafficking Review
Anti-Trafficking Review is an open access, peer reviewed journal that focuses on the issue of human trafficking in its broad context and intersections with gender, migration, and labour. The journal publishes two issues per year, each dedicated to a specific pre-determined theme.
The Global Resource Epicenter Against Human Trafficking (GREAT)
GREAT is a registered Canadian charity serving as a multi-sectoral resource and coordination centre to combat human trafficking. The Global Resource Epicenter Against Human Trafficking was convened with the intent to bring increased public awareness, promote research, and improve professional skills, and provide information sharing and analytical support to the fight against human trafficking in all its forms.
Human Trafficking Search
Human Trafficking Search (HTS) seeks to raise awareness and help prevent and eliminate human trafficking worldwide. HTS hosts a global database on human trafficking and modern-day slavery which includes thousands of multilingual resources from around the world. In addition, HTS publishes a bi-weekly blog and original research, and works to promote voices from across the field.
ERASE Child Trafficking
ERASE is an organization dedicated to the goal of erasing child trafficking, and education and awareness must be part of the process. By educating and empowering to recognize the signs of child trafficking and alert the proper authorities, we can create a nationwide network of watchful eyes that can help identify victims. ERASE hosts a wide range of training seminars for both private and public organizations. They also provide education and awareness through social media, and distribute informational material in high-target areas.
Freedom Network USA
Freedom Network USA is the largest and most comprehensive national coalition serving human trafficking survivors in the United States. Members are leading advocates in the anti-trafficking movement who come together to influence federal and state policy, provide training and technical assistance, and support each other in navigating complex systems.
Enrich Professional Development
By celebrating the accomplishments of professionals, Ashley Faison eliminate insecurities and create a strategy to position them for negotiations that land a higher salary. Ashley is eager to help you to develop a career plan, prepare for an interview, and rebrand yourself with a winning resume.
Nurse Practitioners Online Resources
These resources are designed to empower healthcare professionals with the vital knowledge to recognize the signs and how to lend a helping hand. Together, we can make our communities safer for everyone.
Guiding Principles for Agencies Serving Survivors of Human Trafficking: A Comprehensive Tool
This tool created by the The Southeast Regional Human Trafficking Advisory Group is a best practices framework intending to both guide and evaluate existing agencies providing services to victims of human trafficking.
WORKING WITH LGBTQ+ HT SURVIVORS
In your work with human trafficking survivors, you may encounter LGBTQ+ clients. LGBTQ+ youth are particularly at risk for human trafficking. LGBTQ+ youth make up 40% of the homeless and runaway youth population, and 1 in 3 homeless youth are trafficked within 48 hours of running away. This Toolkit discusses definitions and misconceptions, best practices for engagement, community connections and representation, and provides sample intake questions.
World Health Organization Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Interviewing Trafficked Women
In response to the rapid global rise in trafficking and the growing demand for information on trafficking by policymakers, donors, service providers, and the media, women who have been trafficked are increasingly being interviewed to discuss their experiences. In any of these situations, interviewing a woman who has been trafficked raises a number of ethical questions and safety concerns. Having a sound understanding of the risks, ethical considerations, and the practical realities related to trafficking can help minimize the dangers and increase the likelihood that a woman will disclose relevant and accurate information. These recommendations are intended primarily for use by researchers, members of the media, and service providers. The recommendations were drafted in consultation with a group of experts on trafficking and violence against women, most of whom have worked directly with women who have been trafficked.
Family & Youth Services Bureau’s Strategies for Runaway and Homeless Youth Settings
This Issue Brief explores strategies to integrate human trafficking (HT) prevention into Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) programs. These strategies emphasize the vital role that RHY programs can play in the prevention of sex and labor trafficking among runaway and homeless youth. It also highlights the importance of integrating public health, trauma-informed, and positive youth development principles in the development and implementation of HT prevention interventions.
Policy Brief: How coronavirus impacts human trafficking
The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime released a brief about how coronavirus is aggravating the circumstances and impacting human trafficking. The coronavirus is not only claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, but is also causing a global economic crisis that is expected to rival or exceed that of any recession in the past 150 years. Poverty, lack of social or economic opportunity and limited labour protections are the main root causes and drivers that render people vulnerable or cause them to fall victim to human trafficking.
Assisting Trafficking Victims: A Guide for Advocates
This technical assistance guide provides information about the prevalence of sexual violence throughout various forms of human trafficking. The content of this guide is intended to support community-based advocates working in their outreach and service provision to trafficking victims. This guide includes information from the research on trafficking, a discussion of the role of advocates, and possible advocacy and collaborative strategies.
Human Trafficking in America’s Schools
The Federal Department of Education provides human trafficking guidance for professionals working in American schools. This guide was developed to help school officials understand how human trafficking impacts schools, recognize the indicators of possible child trafficking, and develop policies, protocols, and partnerships to address and prevent the exploitation of children.
How to Talk About Human Trafficking with Children and Adolescents
Human trafficking subject matter can be frightening, particularly for younger children, and educators may be uncomfortable starting the conversation. Dr. Scott, an assistant professor at Baylor University’s School of Education, breaks down common misconceptions about trafficking and provides resources for educators regarding how they can better understand and incorporate human trafficking prevention with children and adolescents.
Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide: Strengthening Collaborative Responses
The Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide is an online resource that provides practical information on the creation and day-to-day operations of human trafficking task forces, with updated case examples. It includes strategies to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration and thereby increase victim identification, enhance delivery of services to all victims and support victim-centered investigation and prosecution strategies.
Human Trafficking Awareness for Educators
The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) provides a Power Point training for educators and researchers to learn about how human trafficking affects schools and students in the United States. This webinar will equip education professionals with trafficking indicators and provide recommendations for how to respond to trafficking cases. This presentation will also discuss risk factors that make students susceptible to exploitation, and identifies research-based practices for prevention.
Understanding and Counteracting Trafficking in Persons - A Free Online Training Course Provided by Henry Dunant University
This free online course has been designed to share best practices on combating and preventing trafficking in humans and on protecting, rehabilitating, and reintegrating victims. This free course also incorporates important material for reflection and action developed by international organisations, and research and training centres.
Providing Effective Services to Young Men and Boys of Color, Presented by the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center
This module provides best practices for working with young men and boys of color who are victims of crime. This training module contains four lessons: (1) Overview of Working With Young Men and Boys of Color, (2) Engaging Young Men and Boys of Color, (3) Assessing Safety Risks, and (4) Client-Centered Safety Planning. By the end of this module, participants will be able to: apply a client-centered approach with young men and boys of color who are victims of crime, identify the impact of historical events, racial discrimination, implicit bias, and other socio-ecological factors that impact help-seeking, assess various types of risks, including psychological, physical, and social safety, and develop effective safety plans with each victim.
SOAR Online Training Modules
SOAR Online is a new series of CE/CME training modules that you can complete whenever, wherever you like. Each module discusses the SOAR framework and how to apply it where you work to identify individuals who are at risk or who have been trafficked and connect them with the resources they need.
SOAR Online is designed to educate health care providers, social workers, public health professionals, and behavioral health professionals on how to identify, treat, and respond appropriately to individuals who are at risk or who have been trafficked. The target audience includes physicians, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, registered nurses, dentists, psychologists, social workers, case managers, school counselors, public health professionals, health education specialists, and allied health professionals.
IACP learn Online Trainings & Webinars
IACPlearn is your hub for all on-demand and live virtual learning such as training, webinars, and podcasts. Users can access IACP content and training anytime, from any device. Find resources on community-police engagement, ethics, leadership, and more related to anti-human trafficking.
Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center
OVC TTAC has a broad range of resources to help victim service providers, first responders, community organizations, and allied professionals build their capacity to better serve victims of crime. The resources include web-based trainings, toolkits, e-guides, Q&A sessions with experts from the field, webinars, and so much more.
UNODC Public Courses
The UNODC global eLearning platform offers a number of self-paced online modules that are open to the public and free of charge. Anyone can access these modules after self-registering on the eLearning platform. Unless otherwise stated, a certificate will be issued upon the successful completion of a post-test.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) Professional Trainings
NCMEC is committed to providing training, technical assistance and resources to public safety and child-serving professionals. Online courses are available through NCMEC Connect, designed to provide easy access to training and resources for professionals on the frontlines.
Pornography, young people, and sexuality online training
This self-paced online course has been developed for professionals who work with young people across a wide range of sectors, and for people in related management or policy roles. The course aims to support you to understand pornography’s prevalence and nature, how it is contributing to young people’s sexual socialisation, and what you can do to support young people to safely navigate pornography’s influence.
International Center for Missing & Exploited Children Education Portal
The ICMEC Global Educator Centre for Excellence and the International Task Force on Child Protection have joined forces to provide resources on how to prevent and respond to child abuse, neglect and sexual exploitation to ensure no child stands alone.
Free On-Demand Webinars to Enhance your Professional Development
2024 Trafficking in Persons Report: SECRETARY BLINKEN REMARKS, Presented by the State Department
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivers remarks on the release of the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report at the Department of State.
2022 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) Release, Presented by the State Department
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is releasing the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) at the State Department.
A Call to Guys: From Bystander to Standing With Sex Trade Survivors & Exited Voices, Presented by The Avery Center
This webinar centers lived experience expert voices in a "call to guys" interested in the fight against commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. Moderated by Megan Lundstrom, co-founder and Director of Research at The Avery Center, a panel of exited individuals discuss what they wish all men knew about the commercial sex trade, and how to be an informed ally engaged in the fight against commercial sexual exploitation.
A Deep Dive Into Current Program Evaluation, Presented by the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center
This webinar provides insight and guidance for navigating data collection and program evaluation efforts for human trafficking programs. This webinar also touches on innovative and evidence-based strategies for implementing trauma-informed program evaluation practices.
Building the Field of Data Science for Social Impact: Stories and Models of Success, Presented by Data.org
Created by data.org, an international platform for partnerships to build the field of data science for social impact. Data.org works with organizations from all over the world to increase the use of data science to improve the lives of millions of people.
Child Sex Trafficking And Social Media, Presented by Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center
Social media is increasingly being exploited to contact, recruit, and sell children for sex. Some traffickers use online ads to target victims, or they will send friend/follow requests to young people in their region, proceed to strike up a conversation, and develop online friendships. These conversations may start off friendly and innocent, but then the traffickers will begin to use manipulation to charm their potential victims. The online friendship quickly evolves to a romantic relationship, and this is where the sextortion techniques are used to lure their victims into human trafficking.
Children’s Issues: The Global Plight of Child Labor, Presented by The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy
This course addresses the background of child labor and the forms it takes abroad and in the United States. This course was taught by Prof. Nora V. Demleitner, Professor of Law, Washington and Lee University School of Law, at The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy’s intensive 15-course training certification, The State of Labor Trafficking Domestically and Abroad: A Critical Assessment on the 20th Anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, in July 2020.
Emerging from Trafficking: Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Survivors, Presented by The U.S. Department of Education
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to view this important webinar. Leaving a trafficking situation is a first step in healing. Another essential step for young people is to reenter or enter a school community. This can be difficult to do as students are processing their trafficking experiences. In honor of May’s Mental Health Awareness Month, this webinar focuses on approaches schools can take to support the mental health of students as they return to the school community. You will hear strategies you can implement in your schools, including trauma informed approaches, communicating with the young person and their families, and implementing individualized supports.
Emerging Issues Webinar Series: Economic Mobility and Financial Literacy, Presented by the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center
The National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center hosted a 90-minute webinar on emerging trends and case studies addressing economic mobility. The webinar highlighted survivor-informed models that organizations may implement on financial literacy and sustainable employment opportunities for people who have experienced trafficking.
Experiences of Racism Among African American Women Impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation, Presented by HEAL Trafficking
This presentation discusses Lara Gerassi's 2019 article titled "Experiences of Racism and Racial Tensions Among African American Women Impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Practice: A Qualitative Study."
Gangs and Human Trafficking Webinar, Presented by the National Training & Technical Assistance Center
This webinar, held on April 29, 2020, will focus on the nature of gang involvement in human trafficking; challenges in investigation and prosecution, along with some potential solutions; and resources available to support law enforcement and prosecution efforts throughout the process.
Human Trafficking: A National & Global Crisis, Presented by National Air Transportation Association
Once hidden in the shadows, human trafficking has become a top priority for government agencies, law enforcement and transportation industries. This educational webinar shows you the scope of this crime. Our host discusses national and global numbers, the traffickers themselves, and how to stay alert for signs of trafficking activities.
Human Trafficking: Transition Age Youth with Disabilities, Presented by the Colorado Office of Special Education
The webinar focuses specifically on intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the additional risk factors associated with trafficking for youth with disabilities. Other topics addressed include: assisting potential victims of trafficking, trauma-informed intervention, and how to teach transition age youth with disabilities about human trafficking.
Human Trafficking and the COVID-19 Crisis, Presented by the Center for the Women of New York
CWNY presents a webinar on this critical topic of Human Trafficking and the COVID-19 Crisis. Moderated by CWNY President Victoria Pilotti.
Human Trafficking, Sex Work, and Addiction, Presented by the Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse of Northwest Louisiana (CADA)
This webinar delves into the interface between human trafficking and addiction and offers some hopeful interventions.
Human Trafficking Webinar for Social Workers, Presented by SOAR to Health & Wellness
Many victims of human trafficking come into contact with health care and social service professionals and remain unidentified. Potential victims can present with a wide-range of physical and psychological health issues and social service needs. The SOAR to Health and Wellness training aims to educate health care and social service professionals on how to identify, treat, and respond appropriately to potential victims of human trafficking.
Identifying Adolescent Victims of Human Trafficking, Presented by School-Based Health Alliance
Check out this free webinar on Identifying Adolescent Victims of Human Trafficking. This webinar originally aired on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.
INSIGHT INTO THE INVISIBLE: Modern Day Slavery- Human Trafficking Defined, Presented by Knights of Peter Claver
The Social Justice Committee of the Knights of Peter Claver take pride in bringing you this powerful, dynamic, and informative webinar with a panel of experts who deliver first hand knowledge dealing with human trafficking and its crippling effects on life.
Investigate and Conduct Human Trafficking Operations, Presented by the Texas Attorney General’s Office
Victims of human trafficking can be protected with empowering collaborative responses and trauma-informed investigations. Government entities, law enforcement agencies, and non-governmental organizations are partnering together to identify, rescue, and serve victims.
Mandatory Reporting of Human Trafficking, presented by Heal trafficking
This webinar explores a topic of increasing concern to health care professionals, lawyers, and other advocates. In recent years, increasing numbers of states have been amending their laws to require reporting of human trafficking, especially of children. These laws usually cover sex trafficking and sometimes include labor trafficking. Mandatory reporting requirements raise many clinical, legal, ethical, and implementation issues.
Outcomes for Human Trafficking Survivors (OHTS) Instrument, Presented by HEAL TRafficking
This presentation describes the development and testing of a tool to measure service outcomes for human trafficking survivors. This user-friendly, excel-based tool measures changes in feelings of safety, well-being, social connectedness, and self-sufficiency. The tool is relevant to programs serving minor and adult victims of sex and labor trafficking, and is available to service providers at no cost.
POLICY AND PRACTICE: DISCUSSING CHILD WELFARE’S IMPORTANT ROLE IN ADDRESSING SEX TRAFFICKING, Presented by JuST LIVE! State Action
Panelists Bethany Gilot, MS, and Madeline Hehir, MSW, discuss the important role child welfare plays in sex trafficking. In recent years, child welfare (CW) agencies across the U.S. have initiated or strengthened strategies to address the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in their state ranging from identification to service responses. Much of this has been in response to requirements in federal legislation, such as Family First, JVTA, Preventing Sex Trafficking and TVPA. However, CW response models vary greatly. This presentation addresses CW’s role in responding to CSEC through the lens of federal requirements and the broader lens of safe harbor principles.
Queering the Support for Trafficked Persons, Presented by HEAL Trafficking
This presentation discusses "Queering the Support for Trafficked Persons: LGBTQ Communities and Human Trafficking in the Heartland" with Dr. Corinne Schwarz from Oklahoma State University.
Racism & the Anti-Trafficking Movement, presented by the Human Trafficking Legal Center
This webinar discusses racism in the anti-trafficking movement based on a survey of trafficking survivors. Distributed in multiple languages, the survey sought to learn more about the impact of systemic and structural racism experienced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) trafficking survivors.
Religious Helping Trafficking Victims along the Road of Recovery, Presented by the Order of Malta
Check out this free webinar on Religious Helping Trafficking Victims Along the Road of Recovery. Recording of webinar organized by the Order of Malta on the 20th of October 2020
Risk for Human Trafficking during COVID-19, Presented by William James College
The William James College Center for Multicultural and Global Mental Health (CMGMH) hosted this webinar on human trafficking and exploitation, including how the COVID-19 pandemic can increase risk.
Sex Trafficking During a Pandemic with Dr. Lenore Walker, Presented by NSU College of Psychology
In this Shark Chats webinar, Professor Emeritus Lenore Walker discusses sex trafficking during a pandemic.
The 21st Century Cures Act: Open Notes and Privacy for Human Trafficking Survivors, Presented by HEAL Trafficking
Panelists discuss the 21st Century Cures Act and its requirement that patients have immediate access to their medical record. It discusses some of the potential safety challenges that this might present to trafficked individuals as well as possible IT solutions for addressing these challenges. Lastly, panelists discuss how to have conversations with your patients about the limits of privacy in electronic medical records.
THE TIES THAT BIND US: A SURVIVOR-LED DISCUSSION ON TRAUMA BONDING, Presented by Framework
Hear survivors of labor trafficking discuss what traumatic bonding is and what it was like for them in the human trafficking context in which they experienced it. A central part of the discussion will focus on why trauma bonds are such a powerful tool for traffickers and why victims often feel they have no choice but to acquiesce to the demands of those exploiting them. The panel will prominently feature a discussion of the circumstances that make individuals particularly vulnerable to trauma bonding, indicators of traumatic bonding, and what can be done to prevent people from becoming victims.