Human Trafficking

UNL Human Trafficking & Migration Initiative October 2021 Virtual Summit
UNL’s Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs is pleased to present the Human Trafficking and Migration Initiative's 2021 Virtual Summit. Throughout the month of October, we will be showcasing an exciting virtual lineup of speakers, panels, and conversations all centered on the theme of trafficking, migration, and injustice. Our guests and speakers include activists, academics, researchers, abolitionists, front-line workers, and policymakers from around the globe who will be sharing their experience and expertise in combating these issues in all its forms.

The resources are free and open-source, so just click, learn, and share.

We invite you to join us throughout the month of October as we discuss the enduring problem of these important social issues and how to combat it.


Latest Presentation:

October 19 2021
Kevin Bales
Kevin Balesbio
Research Director, The Rights Lab, Nottingham University, Sheffield, UK
Topic:
Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students Presentation Summary
Dr. Kevin Bales - Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students Dr. Kevin Bales - Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students
October 20 2021
Dr. Monti Narayan Datta
Dr. Monti Narayan Dattabio
Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond
Topic:
Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database Presentation Summary
Dr. Monti Datta - Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database Dr. Monti Datta - Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database
October 22 2021
Davina P. Durgana
Dr. Davina P. Durganabio
Co-Author and Senior Statistician - Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index, Senior Multilateral Engagement Adviser for the Minderoo Foundation
Topic:
Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery Presentation Summary
Dr. Davina Durgana - Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery Dr. Davina Durgana - Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery
October 25 2021
Lucy Mahaffey
Lucy Mahaffeybio
University of Nottingham, Marshall Scholar Communication Fellow
Topic:
Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking Presentation Summary
Lucy Mahaffey - Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking Lucy Mahaffey - Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking
October 26 2021
Judi Gaiashkibos
Judi Gaiashkibosbio
Executive director of NCIA (Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs), Advisor and Professor to the Native Daughters Projects at UNL’s College of Journalism
Topic:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children Presentation Summary
Judi Gaiashkibos - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children Judi Gaiashkibos - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children
Prem Paul Award image Prem Paul Award
October 28 2021
Christine McCleave
Christine Diindiisi McCleave bio
CEO of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Topic:
Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools Presentation Summary
Christine McCleave - Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools Christine McCleave - Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools
October 29 2021
Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht
Dr. Courtney Hillebrechtbio
Director of the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs
Topic:
Closing Remarks on the 2021 Summit
Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht - Closing Remarks on the 2021 Summit Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht - Closing Remarks on the 2021 Summit

The Prem S. Paul Award
for Research in
Anti-Human Trafficking

The UNL Human Trafficking and Migration initiative team is pleased to award the Prem S. Paul Award for Research in Anti-Human Trafficking at the 2021 Virtual Summit. This award honors the late Dr. Paul's commitment to fighting human trafficking and his unwavering support for anti-trafficking research and outreach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
picture of Prem S. Paul
Prem S. Paul
picture of Dr. Anita Ravi
Dr. Anita Ravi

Prem S. Paul Award for Research in Anti Human Trafficking 2021 Recipient Dr Anita Ravi

Anita Ravi, MD, MPH, MSHP, FAAFP- CEO, Co-Founder, PurpLE Health Foundation-- Dr. Ravi is a board-certified family medicine physician, public health scientist and nationally renowned expert in gender-based violence, trauma-informed care, and healthcare for victims of trafficking. The PurpLE Health Foundation, a non-profit organization that advances the health of communities by investing in the physical, mental, and financial health of women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence and human trafficking.

Prior to PurpLE Health Foundation, Dr. Ravi founded and directed the "PurpLE Clinic” (Purpose: Listen and Engage) in New York City – a pioneering primary care clinic for survivors of human trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation. She has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications in the areas of trauma, human trafficking, and healthcare delivery in underserved settings, conducts forensic examinations for people seeking asylum. Dr. Ravi currently serves as the Vice Chair of the American Medical Association’s Women Physicians Section Governing Council, as a member of the National Quality Forum's Prevention and Population Health Standing committee, and as a consultant to the United States’ Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center.

You can read more about her work at www.PurpLEHealthFoundation.org

Remedy Drive concert highlights Remedy Drive concert highlights
×
October 4 2021
Dr. Ronnie D. Green
Chancellor Ronnie Greenbio
Chancellor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Topic:
Welcome to the UNL Human Trafficking & Migration Initiative
October 4 2021
Dr. Ronnie D. Green
Chancellor Ronnie Greenbio
Topic:
Welcome to the UNL Human Trafficking & Migration Initiative
Ronnie Green - Welcome to the Virtual Summit Ronnie Green - Welcome to the Virtual Summit
October 6 2021
Dr. Anita Ravi Keisha Walcott
Dr. Anita Ravibio
CEO and co-founder of PurpLE Health Foundation
Keisha Walcott
Keisha Walcottbio
Founding board member at PurpLE Health Foundation
Topic:
Financial Health: Solving the Health-Poverty Trap in Human Trafficking Presentation Summary
October 6 2021
Dr. Anita Ravi Keisha Walcott
Dr. Anita Ravibio
CEO and co-founder of PurpLE Health Foundation
Keisha Walcott
Keisha Walcottbio
Founding board member at PurpLE Health Foundation
Topic:
Financial Health: Solving the Health-Poverty Trap in Human Trafficking Presentation Summary
Dr. Anita Ravi & Keisha Walcott - Financial Health: Solving the Health-Poverty Trap in Human Trafficking Dr. Anita Ravi & Keisha Walcott - Financial Health: Solving the Health-Poverty Trap in Human Trafficking
×
Financial Health: Solving the Health-Poverty Trap in Human Trafficking

PurpLE Health Foundation's (PHF) founding board member Keisha Walcott and CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Anita Ravi and will discuss why financial health is a key element in healthcare delivery for survivors of human trafficking. Through storytelling and visuals, this presentation will cover key parts of financial health as they relate to human trafficking, and the health-poverty trap that survivors experience, and ways in which the healthcare system can support the financial health of survivors through trauma-informed approaches.

October 7 2021
Leonard Rubenstein
Leonard Rubensteinbio
Lawyer, Author, Professor at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Topic:
Drivers and consequences of violence against health care Presentation Summary
October 7 2021
Leonard Rubenstein
Leonard Rubensteinbio
Lawyer, Author, Professor at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Topic:
Drivers and consequences of violence against health care Presentation Summary
Leonard Rubenstein - Drivers and consequences of violence against health care Leonard Rubenstein - Drivers and consequences of violence against health care
×
Drivers and consequences of violence against health care

Despite its prohibition under laws dating back a century and a half, violence against health care in conflict is both a common feature of armed conflict and has profound impacts on populations, both from immediate attacks and long into the future. The violence forces displacement, lead to emigration of essential health workers, and destroys functioning health systems. What is driving these attacks, why do they continue in the face of frequent condemnation, and what can be done to stop them and hold perpetrators to account?

October 11 2021
Amelia Watkins-Smith
Amelia Watkins-Smithbio
PhD student - University of Nottingham, Research Associate - Rights Lab Communities and Society Programme
Topic:
A Feminist Analysis of Chinese Bride Trafficking Presentation Summary
October 11 2021
Amelia Watkins-Smith
Amelia Watkins-Smithbio
PhD student - University of Nottingham, Research Associate - Rights Lab Communities and Society Programme
Topic:
A Feminist Analysis of Chinese Bride Trafficking Presentation Summary
Amelia Watkins-Smith - A Feminist Analysis of Chinese Bride Trafficking Amelia Watkins-Smith - A Feminist Analysis of Chinese Bride Trafficking
×
A Feminist Analysis of Chinese Bride Trafficking

This presentation explores the trafficking of women and girls from Cambodia, Myanmar, North Korea, and Vietnam into China for forced marriage and childbearing. Through a thematic analysis of 46 survivor narratives, the theoretical lens of social constructivist feminism is utilised to establish a multi-level system of gender that perpetuates Chinese bride trafficking.

October 12 2021
Jason Pope Dr. Leah Edwards
Jason Popebio
Executive Director and Founder of the Rain Collective
Dr. Leah Edwards
Dr. Leah Edwardsbio
Founder of Kaart Consulting and lead researcher at Rain Collective
Topic:
Building Connections and Facilitating Partnerships: Human Trafficking in the Middle East and Gulf States Presentation Summary
October 12 2021
Jason Pope Dr. Leah Edwards
Jason Popebio
Executive Director and Founder of the Rain Collective
Dr. Leah Edwards
Dr. Leah Edwardsbio
Founder of Kaart Consulting and lead researcher at Rain Collective
Topic:
Building Connections and Facilitating Partnerships: Human Trafficking in the Middle East and Gulf States Presentation Summary
Dr. Leah Edwards & Jason Pope - Building Connections and Facilitating Partnerships: Human Trafficking in the Middle East and Gulf States Dr. Leah Edwards & Jason Pope - Building Connections and Facilitating Partnerships: Human Trafficking in the Middle East and Gulf States
×
Building Connections and Facilitating Partnerships: Human Trafficking in the Middle East and Gulf States

This presentation explores the process and lessons learned in working with human trafficking and modern slavery organisations in the Middle East and Gulf States. They will explore the challenges and needs of survivors and organisations in the region, with particular attention given to the importance of recognising faith, multi-cultural understanding, and the concept of soft advocacy.

October 14 2021
Dr. Oana Burcu
Dr. Oana Burcubio
Rights Lab's Communities and Society Program - Law and Policy Program
Topic:
Understanding risks of exploitation for vulnerable migrant workers in the UK Presentation Summary
October 14 2021
Dr. Oana Burcu
Dr. Oana Burcubio
Rights Lab's Communities and Society Program - Law and Policy Program
Topic:
Understanding risks of exploitation for vulnerable migrant workers in the UK Presentation Summary
Dr. Oana Burcu - Understanding risks of exploitation for vulnerable migrant workers in the UK Dr. Oana Burcu - Understanding risks of exploitation for vulnerable migrant workers in the UK
×
Understanding risks of exploitation for vulnerable migrant workers in the UK

The measures imposed to control the Covid-19 pandemic significantly affected the British agricultural sector which relies on 70,000 seasonal workers annually. The project provides the first quantitative assessment of the impact of Covid-19 on the exploitation risk for Romanian and Bulgarian workers in the UK. The study used survey-based approach, policy review and key informant interviews. We suggest policy and practice changes that may assist with mitigating current challenges and future crises.

October 15 2021
Dr. Rochelle L. Dalla
Dr. Rochelle L. Dallabio
Professor, Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Topic:
Familial Sex Trafficking among the Bedia Caste of India: Defying the Dominant Human Trafficking Discourse Presentation Summary
October 15 2021
Dr. Rochelle L. Dalla
Dr. Rochelle L. Dallabio
Professor, Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Topic:
Familial Sex Trafficking among the Bedia Caste of India: Defying the Dominant Human Trafficking Discourse Presentation Summary
Dr. Rochelle L. Dalla - Familial Sex Trafficking among the Bedia Caste of India: Defying the Dominant Human Trafficking Discourse Dr. Rochelle L. Dalla - Familial Sex Trafficking among the Bedia Caste of India: Defying the Dominant Human Trafficking Discourse
×
Familial Sex Trafficking among the Bedia Caste of India: Defying the Dominant Human Trafficking Discourse

The dominant human trafficking discourse suffers from sorely simplified perceptions of the “ideal” sex trafficking victim (e.g., subordinate female forced into the sex industry by unknown assailants) and “typical” sex trafficking perpetrators (e.g., callous criminal masterminds who use violence to control victims). This empirical investigation sought to examine the extent to which these conceptualizations reflect the reality of a unique India caste where child sex trafficking is intergenerational and community sanctioned.

October 19 2021
Kevin Bales
Kevin Balesbio
Research Director, The Rights Lab, Nottingham University, Sheffield, UK
Topic:
Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students Presentation Summary
October 19 2021
Kevin Bales
Kevin Balesbio
Research Director, The Rights Lab, Nottingham University, Sheffield, UK
Topic:
Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students Presentation Summary
Dr. Kevin Bales - Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students Dr. Kevin Bales - Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students
×
Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students

Presentation and Talk-back with UNL Students in the College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Social Justice, Human Rights and the Media class.

October 20 2021
Dr. Monti Narayan Datta
Dr. Monti Narayan Dattabio
Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond
Topic:
Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database Presentation Summary
October 20 2021
Dr. Monti Narayan Datta
Dr. Monti Narayan Dattabio
Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond
Topic:
Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database Presentation Summary
Dr. Monti Datta - Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database Dr. Monti Datta - Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database
×
Contemporary Slavery and Armed Conflict – Introducing the CSAC database

This talk introduces a new dataset that looks at the relationship between contemporary slavery and armed conflicts around the world from 1989 to 2016. Identifying different types of enslavement within these conflicts, and found that 87 percent contained incidences of child soldiers, 32 percent included sexual exploitation/forced marriage, 21 percent included forced Labor, and 14 percent contained instances of human trafficking. The use of enslavement in armed conflict to support strategic aims is also identified and found in about 17 percent of cases. We discuss the implications of our findings and directions for further research.

October 22 2021
Davina P. Durgana
Dr. Davina P. Durganabio
Co-Author and Senior Statistician - Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index, Senior Multilateral Engagement Adviser for the Minderoo Foundation
Topic:
Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery Presentation Summary
October 22 2021
Davina P. Durgana
Dr. Davina P. Durganabio
Co-Author and Senior Statistician - Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index, Senior Multilateral Engagement Adviser for the Minderoo Foundation
Topic:
Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery Presentation Summary
Dr. Davina Durgana - Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery Dr. Davina Durgana - Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery
×
Finding Today’s Slaves: Statistics in the Fight Against Modern Slavery

Dr. Durgana will present on the use of statistics to fight modern slavery globally. From working with the United Nations to field research globally on prevalence estimation. A Royal Chartered Statistician, and on faculty at National Defense University and a senior visiting faculty at Oxford University’s Green Templeton College she was selected as a Google Fellow for Technology and Social Change for her work in Human Trafficking and Technology. She will review risk assessment and policy intervention.

October 25 2021
Lucy Mahaffey
Lucy Mahaffeybio
University of Nottingham, Marshall Scholar Communication Fellow
Topic:
Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking Presentation Summary
October 25 2021
Lucy Mahaffey
Lucy Mahaffeybio
University of Nottingham, Marshall Scholar Communication Fellow
Topic:
Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking Presentation Summary
Lucy Mahaffey - Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking Lucy Mahaffey - Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking
×
Oklahoma’s Response to Human Trafficking

This study engaged 40 participants across OK asking “What is the nature of human trafficking in OK? Who is currently responding and how? What gaps are there?” She will present a full deep dive of OK's response or a more general "lessons learned" from studying a US state response to human trafficking. Originally from OK she presents a local to global view. Her research includes law enforcement, task forces, tribal governments, victim service providers, shelters, and nonprofits. She presented her research to the OK legislature.

October 26 2021
Judi Gaiashkibos
Judi Gaiashkibosbio
Executive director of NCIA (Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs), Advisor and Professor to the Native Daughters Projects at UNL’s College of Journalism
Topic:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children
October 26 2021
Judi Gaiashkibos
Judi Gaiashkibosbio
Executive director of NCIA (Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs), Advisor and Professor to the Native Daughters Projects at UNL’s College of Journalism
Topic:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children Presentation Summary
Judi Gaiashkibos - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children Judi Gaiashkibos - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children
×
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children

Working with the Nebraska Legislature, Judi Gaiashkibos played a key role in the 2019 passage of LB 154 tasking an in-depth study of the crisis of missing Native women and children in Nebraska which has led to a greater understanding of the scope and causes of this National problem. As a Descendant survivor of the Genoa Indian Boarding school and serving as the co-chair of the UNL Genoa Digitizing project and supporting Secretary Deb Haaland’s boarding school initiative, she will discuss the on-going issues with this crisis.

October 28 2021
Christine McCleave
Christine Diindiisi McCleave bio
CEO of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Topic:
Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools
October 28 2021
Christine McCleave
Christine Diindiisi McCleave bio
CEO of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Topic:
Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools Presentation Summary
Christine McCleave - Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools Christine McCleave - Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools
×
Truth, Healing, and Justice for Indian Boarding Schools

Christine Diindiisi McCleave shares a powerful, historical, empirical, and educational presentation about the Indian Boarding School History in the USA which most non-Natives are not aware about. The truth about the US Indian boarding school policy has largely been written out of the history books. There were more than 350 government-funded, and often church-run, Indian Boarding schools across the US in the 19th and 20th centuries. Indian children were forcibly abducted, which is human trafficking, by government agents, sent to schools hundreds of miles away, and beaten, starved, or otherwise abused when they spoke their native languages.

October 29 2021
Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht
Dr. Courtney Hillebrechtbio
Director of the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs
Topic:
Closing Remarks on the 2021 Summit
October 29 2021
Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht
Dr. Courtney Hillebrechtbio
Director of the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs
Topic:
Closing Remarks on the 2021 Summit
Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht - Closing Remarks on the 2021 Summit Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht - Closing Remarks on the 2021 Summit




Thank You to our Sponsors

  • UNL Chancellor’s Office
  • UNL's Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs
  • Lincoln Community Foundation
  • The Pearle Francis Finigan Foundation
  • Humanities Nebraska