Native Empowerment to

Stop Human Trafficking in

Indian Country
25th Annual ICWA Conference
June 5th 2018
 Presenter:

Jeri Moomaw,
Founder/Execu8ve Director



Innova'ons Human Trafficking Collabora've
 MISSION

Innova'ons Human
Trafficking Collabora've (IHTC) is a
social jus'ce 501 (C) (3) non-profit
organiza'on based in Olympia
Washington.
Our goal is to foster unity and
collabora'on to end human trafficking! Our mission is to provide solu'on-

based strategies that empower
individuals and organiza'ons to
eliminate human trafficking with
empathy and compassion

3
Dark Subject
Overview of Trafficking
 1
.children
Adults and

forced to
perform
labor by
force,
fraud or
2.
Adults
involved in
commercial
sex by force,
fraud or
coercion.
3.
Children
exploited
for sex.
By federal and state law, a
minor involved in the
commercial sex industry is
automa8cally viewed as a
vic$m.
Trafficking Victims Protection Act
of 2000 (TVPA)

ACTION MEANS** PURPOSE

Recruiting
Force Commercial
Harboring sexual
exploitation
Transporting Fraud
BY FOR
Providing OR
Coercion
Obtaining
Forced
labor
Patronizing and ** Minors induced into
soliciting, * commercial sex are human
trafficking victims—regardless if
force, fraud, or coercion is
* Sex trafficking only present.

Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), Pub. L. No.106-386, 8 U.S.C. §1101, §7101, 114 STAT 1464 (2000)
 Human Trafficking in Indian Country
Why are Native Americans more
vulnerable and at risk?
Early History

§  Word for rape or prostitution?

None!
§  View of violence against women?
Capital offense!
§  View of women?
Sacred!
§  View of children?
Gift from Creator!
American Indian/Alaska Native Statistics

• Native American
Women are the
most raped,
assaulted, stalked
and murdered out
of all ethnicities
per capita.
•  U.S. Department of Jus8ce. Violence Against American Indian and Alaska
Na8ve Women and the Criminal Jus8ce Response: What is known. 2008:7
 American Indian/Alaska Native Statistics

• Native American Women

experience domestic
violence at a rate that is
50% higher than the
national average.

•  U.S. Department of Jus8ce. Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Na8ve Women
and the Criminal Jus8ce Response: What is known. 2008:7
 Soul Wounds §  Depression
§  Anger
§  The core of the
§  Isolation
significant
§  Violence and
difficul8es suicide
affec8ng na8ve §  Shame
popula8ons §  Substance use
§  Increases risk §  Anxiety

“Trauma and the soul wound: A mul8cultural-social jus8ce
perspec8ve” Daniels & D’Andrea, 2007 Source: Healing the Soul Wound: Counseling with Na8ve Americans and Other
Na8ve Peoples
 “Perfect Population”

"If you're a trafficker looking for the perfect

popula8on of people to violate, Na8ve
[American] women would be a prime target.
You have poverty. You have a people who have
been trauma8zed. And you have a legal system
that doesn't step in to stop it."

Source: Sarah Deer, attorney & author of “The Beginning and End of Rape:
Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America.”
 Sex Trafficking

Hidden in Plain Sight

 Who Does This Affect?


Dispropor'onately affects: §  Does not discriminate based on
•  People who are young sex, socioeconomic status,
nationality, or race
•  People with low income
§  Can happen to males AND
•  People who iden8fy as LGBTQ
females
•  People who are part of
marginalized popula8ons §  Males are less likely to report
abuse or exploitation
•  Survivors of other crimes

Rural, Urban and Fron'er
Communi'es
22
Sex Trafficking—Hidden in Plain Sight

§  Prostitution §  Illicit Massage Parlors

§  Pornography §  Escort Services
§  Strip Clubs §  Man Camps
§  Commercial/Residential
Brothels
Types of Sex Trafficking

•  Familial
•  Survival
•  Pimp Controlled
•  Organized Crime
•  Gang Controlled

Trafficking & gangs
 Traffickers May Be

•  Called pimps or “boyfriends”

•  Male or female
•  Any age
•  Any ethnicity
Common Rela8onships Between Vic8ms
and Traffickers
40%
35%
30% 36%
25%
20%
27%
15%
10% 14% 14%
5% 9%
0%
Boyfriends Employers Friends of Immediate Strangers
Family Family

Covenant House New York and Fordham University’s Applied Developmental Psychology Department.
Homelessness, survival sex, and human trafficking as experienced by the youth of Covenant House New
York. May 2013. https://traffickingresourcecenter.org.
 Sex Trafficking in Indian
Country
Sex trafficking in Indian country and sex
trafficking of Natives represent two
separate issues…

They look very different.

First Hand knowledge
3.Risk Factors and Identification
 Adverse Childhood
Experiences

Increased risk to fall victim to traffickers

 Covenant House New York and Fordham University’s Applied Developmental Psychology
Department. Homelessness, survival sex, and human trafficking as experienced by the youth
of Covenant House New York. May 2013. https://traffickingresourcecenter.org.
Polyvictimization and
Trafficking


Push & Pull

Runaway/Homeless Promise Basic Needs

Family Dysfunction, Promise of Family,

Abuse/Neglect Relationship

Economic
Vulnerability
Promise of Income

Promise of
Marginalized
Acceptance
(c) Becky Owens Bullard
 Poten8al Trafficking Indicators
Physical Health Behavioral Health Social/Environmental
•  Frequent treatment for •  Confusing or •  Absent from school
sexually transmitted contradicting stories •  Failing grades
infections •  Inability to focus or •  Change in dress
•  High number of sexual concentrate •  Age-inappropriate
partners •  Unaware of current romantic partner
•  Multiple pregnancies/ date, location, or time
abortions •  Change in friends
•  Protects the person •  Repeat runaway
•  Dental issues who hurt them
•  Bruising and burns •  Not able to speak for
•  Minimizes abuse one’s self or share
•  Signs of self-harm •  Guilt and shame about information
•  Weight loss or experiences •  Evidence of being
malnourishment •  Suicidal ideations controlled
•  Suicide attempts •  Extreme timidity •  Wears inappropriate
•  Physical and sexual •  Aggressive, clothing for the
abuse antagonistic, or weather
defensive •  Multiple Cell Phones
•  Heightened stress •  Hotel keys, condoms
response •  No passport or legal
•  Posttraumatic stress documents
disorder •  No address
•  Withdrawn
•  Depressed
 4. Vic8mology
 Traffickers’ Tac8cs
•  Psychological manipula8on
•  Reputa8onal harm
•  Abuse of process-threat of
deporta8on, proba8on, CPS
•  Yelling screaming-bea8ng
other in front of them
•  Crea8ng a story of “What
You won’t see shackles and happened to last person
chains. Law does not require who crossed me” use as
this. threat

It’s psychological bondage. •  Restric8ve access to
addic8ve drugs


 5. Understanding Trauma
Trauma and Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking victims

suffer from some of the
most severe and complex
physical, emotional and
spiritual damage of any
wounded population.
Severe Harm

Mellissa Farley Research 9 Country data 2014

 Why vic8ms stay
•  Brainwashed •  Drugged
–  “You have nowhere to –  Addic8ons keep them
go” under control
–  “You are a criminal or
undocumented” •  Duped
–  By false love
–  “You are just a
pros8tute” –  Fraud
–  “You could never •  Threatened
survive on your own” –  with exposure
•  Controlled –  with harm to loved
–  Extreme loss of ones
agency
–  with physical
–  Financially violence/bea8ngs
–  Isolated
 Things to Consider
•  Don’t self-Iden8fy as trafficked or exploited
•  Embarrassed
•  Self blame
•  Lack of op8ons
•  S8gma-cant go home
•  Scared
•  Taught to not trust
Trauma Bonding (Stockholm Syndrome)

The result of ongoing

cycles of abuse in which the
intermittent reinforcement of
reward and punishment creates
powerful emotional bonds that
are resistant to change.

Source: https://healingbeyondsurvival.wordpress.com/tag/trauma-bonding/

46
 6. Effec8ve Interac8on
Working with
victims of
human
trafficking is
complex.

48
 Victim-Centered Approach

This approach is defined as the systematic focus on the

needs and concerns of a victim to ensure the
compassionate and sensitive delivery of services in a
nonjudgmental manner.

It will require patience, empathy, and compassion from

you, as well as from your partners involved in the effort.

50
 Trauma Informed Care
Trauma Informed Care emphasizes physical,
psychological and emo8onal safety for both clients
and providers, and helps survivors rebuild a sense
of control and empowerment.


 Screening
Foundation
Sample messages to use with a vic8m to
gain trust:
•  “I am here to help you.”
•  “My 1st priority is your safety.”
•  “We will find you the care you need.”
•  “We can help you get the services you need.”
•  “No one has the right to hurt you or make you
do things against your will”

ASU Mental-Health-Providers-Brochure.pdf
 Trauma Informed Interviewing

Building rapport is the first step in interviewing
vic8ms in a trauma-informed way. It is cri8cal to keep
in mind that a vic8m’s reality is your reality when
preparing for and conduc8ng inves8ga8ve interviews
with poten8al trafficking vic8ms.
Your Role in Screening for Trafficking
• Gather informa8on
necessary to iden8fy
the services your
vic8m/client needs
• Use trauma-informed
screening, avoid
asking for a detailed
history of their
exploita8on
• Screen in a safe,
neutral loca8on
• Provide interpreter
services as needed
CSEC protocol screening ques8ons
•  How do you take care of yourself while away from
home?
•  Did you have a way to make money while on the run?
How?
•  While you were away from home did anything keep
you from going back?
•  Has anyone asked you to do anything sexually that
made you feel uncomfortable?
•  Does this person give you money, drugs, clothes,
shelter?
•  Are you in control of your money or has someone
offered to manage it for you?
 Protocol Components
1. Staff training
2. Screening and iden8fica8on
3. Interview procedures
4. Safety Planning
5. Mul8disciplinary treatment and
referral process
6. Mandatory repor8ng
7. Formal Response Policy
8. Follow-up and follow-through


Mul8disciplinary Response and
Referral Networks
 Support and Advocacy
 Needs of Survivors

Moving survivors of
exploitation from crisis to
confidence!
 Advocacy-Why is it important?
Everyone involved in a human trafficking
case must advocate for the victim.
Posi've Interac'on
 Hope
Regardless of the situation or
circumstance, remember your role is to
offer hope!
Tribal Response

Collaborate?

Tribal Government, Tribal Coali8ons, Tribal Organiza8ons and
State and Federal Government need to work together to
effec8vely combat human trafficking in Indian Country.
Why?
•  Leverage Resources
•  More Effec8ve Response to Incidents of Human Trafficking
•  Greater Agency Buy-in or Support of An8-trafficking Efforts
•  Joint Training Opportuni8es
•  Promote a Unified Message on Human Trafficking to Tribal
Communi8es

67
TAKE ACTION Join a human trafficking Task Force
TAKE ACTION Train everyone!
 Assessment/Response
Protocols

Why is it
important?

89% of vic'ms come

in contact with
providers
 Preven8on/Interven8on Needs
TAKE ACTION

•  Establish HT Screening and response

Protocols
•  Establish HT Law and Order Codes
•  Develop Strong Partnerships
•  Empowerment Opportuni8es for youth
and women
•  Safe Housing

TAKE ACTION WRAP AROUND SERVICES
Report
 CONTACT
US
www.innovationshtc.com
info@innovationshtc.org
360-705-8575