sex trafficking – UofL News

Be on the lookout for human trafficking

Betty Coffman — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 15:27:54 +0000

Each year, the joy of the Derby is marred by the knowledge that such large high-profile events can result in increased instances of sex trafficking.

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Naomi Warnick, a pediatric emergency medicine fellow at UofL, suggests members of the public keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.��If you suspect you have encountered someone who is being trafficked, report it by calling the at 1-888-373-7888. Law enforcement also can be notified.��

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While it can occur more during the Derby, Olivia Mittel, associate dean for medical student affairs in the UofL School of Medicine, said sex trafficking happens everywhere and at all times, and judgment should be used when making contact with anyone potentially involved in the situation.

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“I think it’s important for people to become familiar with the various aspects of trafficking and recognize that many people are at risk, there’s not just one way. Asking the question ‘is anyone asking you to do something you don’t want to do?’ is one way to gauge whether someone is at risk.”

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Warnick and Mittel are developing educational content for health care providers to help them recognize human trafficking and provide care for those who are trafficked or at risk of being trafficked. The project specifically relates to trauma informed communication with those who are affected by trafficking.��

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Melissa Currie is Kosair Charities Professor and Endowed Chair for Pediatric Forensic Medicine and chief of the��Kosair Charities Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine and stresses that the public should remember children can be victims of sex trafficking too.��

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“The average age of entry into trafficking in the United States is 13 years old. It can involve the child being advertised, solicited or otherwise exploited for commercial sex acts. The exchange can involve money, drugs, food, attention or housing—particularly in children who have run away from home—in return for sex acts.”

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Children won’t necessarily recognize that they are being used and exploited, Currie said.

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“Victims often don’t recognize that they’re being victimized and may identify their trafficker as a romantic partner.��This is a complex crime that targets our most vulnerable children.”

Across disciplines, UofL is developing expertise to help sex trafficking victims

Jill Scoggins — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 13:52:11 +0000

She could be the girl next door. With strawberry blonde hair and a lightly freckled face, Cotie is 26 but could pass for half-a-dozen years younger. ��It’s only when you talk with her that you learn Cotie – who asked to be identified only by her first name – has lived an uncommon life. She is a survivor of sex trafficking.

Beginning at age 19, Cotie was pimped out or walked the streets, offering sex for money for her next high. She was repeatedly physically and emotionally abused and sexually assaulted.

Cotie didn’t have help to avoid what she and others like her call “the life,” but the University of Louisville is working to give victims like Cotie assistance to leave that life behind or elude it altogether.

Sex and labor trafficking combined are, as defined by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, “a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against their will.” Nationally, more than 8,500 cases of human trafficking were reported in 2017. Almost 6,100 involved sex trafficking, but researchers warn that as many as two-thirds of cases are never reported.

Several departments on UofL’s Belknap and Health Sciences Center campuses began working a few years ago to address human trafficking through the university’s quadruple enterprises of education, research, clinical care and community engagement. Today, the university is leading the way nationally in educating health care providers to recognize signs of trafficking.

UofL’s approach to studying the problem is truly transdisciplinary. Faculty members in social work, criminal justice, engineering, law and medicine are investigating various aspects, from the mental and physical health of victims to the routes and logistics of the actual trafficking.

Cotie didn’t have access to most of UofL’s services until she was leaving the life. But if she had, it could have made a world of difference.

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Derby fans: Know these signs to help potential sex trafficking victims

Jill Scoggins — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 12:43:26 +0000

Amidst the fun and excitement of the Kentucky Derby each year, signs of a dark world arise – the dark world of sex trafficking, particularly of children and teens.

It is a practice that always increases during high-profile events such as the Derby, say providers with the . But armed with knowledge on what to look for, bystanders at the Derby may be able to help sex trafficked youngsters get help.

“The average age of sex trafficked victims ranges from 14 to 17, most are female, and we know that incidences of sex trafficking triple during the Kentucky Derby,” said Emily Neal, RN, a forensic nurse specialist with the Kosair Charities Division of Forensic Pediatric Medicine.

“It is directly a case of supply and demand,” said Jennifer Green, MD, child abuse pediatrics fellow in the . “The more people there are who are willing to purchase other people, the greater the number of people there are who are available to be purchased.”

Green and Neal provide these recommendations on what bystanders can do to recognize potential sex trafficked victims during Derby season:

Signs to watch for include young people who may appear overly sexualized for their age, do not possess or have control of their documentation such as driver’s licenses or passports, and who are in the presence of an older, usually male adult, who is controlling them and their behavior.
Sexually trafficked victims may have tattoos to “brand” them, such as bar codes or the names of someone other than themselves.
They could be wearing clothes that are inappropriate for their age, are too revealing or are not climate appropriate.
They could be staying confined to one area, seemingly to “work” that area for customers.
They could have signs of trauma: bruises, lesions, black eyes or other marks that raise concern.
They could have two or more cell phones in their possession, taking calls from all of them.

If Derby fans see someone they suspect may be a sex trafficked victim, Green and Neal emphasize getting professional help.

“The first step is to call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline, 1-888-373-7888,” Neal said. “The center will stay on the phone with you to help you get local resources, such as law enforcement, to intervene.”

“If you see direct signs of abuse to a child or are concerned about a child’s safety, involve law enforcement officers immediately and indicate your concerns clearly,” Green added.

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UofL researchers discover ‘alarming’ sex trafficking trends among homeless youth

Judy Hughes — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 14:37:03 +0000

University of Louisville researchers found that 40 percent of the homeless youth surveyed in Louisville and southern Indiana reported they had been victims of sex trafficking, mostly in exchange for money or lodging. University officials announced the findings March 1 with Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear.

“That is alarming. That is something that we have to fix,” said Beshear, who detailed several efforts in motion to combat trafficking, which he called “the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprise.”

“Human trafficking represents the worst form of abuse, often to children, and it is increasing in Kentucky,” the attorney general said. “That’s why my office is partnering with the public and private sectors to enhance and improve policy measures and training opportunities to increase resources and awareness to help end human trafficking. Research such as UofL’s study is important and will help our efforts to combat this form of modern-day slavery.”

The Youth Experiences Survey studied 132 homeless youth aged 12-25 during two weeks in October 2016 to determine the scope of sex trafficking in Kentuckiana. More than three-quarters were from the area. The study showed approximately one of every two females and one of every three males reported being sex-trafficked with the average age of their first such experience at 16.

Youths who reported being sex-trafficked were more likely to be drug-addicted, diagnosed with more than one mental health problem and participate in self-harming, including suicide attempts. They also reported a high level of childhood trauma and abuse.

More than 70 percent of the sex-trafficked youth reported that technology was used as part of their victimization with smartphones being the most common. Social media apps such as Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram also played a role in recruiting and selling.

The team hopes the findings will help communities better serve homeless youth through increased awareness of their specific experiences and needs, said Jennifer Middleton, assistant professor of social work and UofL Human Trafficking Research Initiative co-director.

The findings will be shared this month at the 2017 Central Kentucky Human Trafficking Summit at Georgetown College and next month at the Southern Indiana Human Trafficking Awareness Conference at Indiana University Southeast.

“This study provides us with a snapshot of the complexities homeless youth face, particularly youth who have experienced sex trafficking. The results highlight the need for early identification and screening of sex-trafficked youth as well as enhanced, trauma-informed services to help them,” Middleton said.

Middleton said the team’s goal is to expand the study to the entire states of Kentucky and Indiana. The next wave of data collection is underway with youth involved with the justice system.

“This work by the Kent School and the University of Louisville is going to make a difference, and I know it’s just getting started,” Beshear said.

The UofL Human Trafficking Research Initiative at the Kent School of Social Work conducted the initial survey with the aid of eight agencies that helped collect the information: YMCA Safe Place Services, Transition Age Youth Launching Realized Dreams (TAYLRD), Home of the Innocents, Haven House, Center for Women and Families, Clark County Youth Shelter, Floyd County Youth Services and the Kristy Love Foundation.��

Angela Renfro, a trafficking survivor who is founder and executive director of the Kristy Love Foundation, said the research confirms “what we have known for a very long time.”

“Human trafficking is a crime and its victims are often hidden, which makes awareness important and difficult to achieve,” she said.

“It’s very important and I really thank the University of Louisville for helping us.”