Published March 27, 2019
North Carolina’s Human Trafficking Commission (NCHTC) held the annual N.C. Human Trafficking Symposium, themed “Prevent, Provide and Heal,” last month at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. The drive behind the event was to bring together North Carolinians of multiple disciplines to discuss the issues and latest research of sex and labor trafficking and share recommended best practices to strengthen the state’s collaborative response to these crimes.
The two-day event was organized with various breakout sessions with community leaders sharing their expertise on human trafficking. Topics covered included sex trafficking education and prevention among youth, the demand for solicitation, the crisis response process, case management and accessibility of aftercare resources.
A common thread of information shared by several of the key speakers was the necessity for trauma informed care and communication training among multiple disciplines to ensure survivors receive the best treatment from all individuals they encounter in the recovery and litigation processes. According to the Trauma Informed Care Project, trauma informed care is a framework that involves understanding what trauma is and is focused on the safety and empowerment of survivors. It requires mindfulness in communication in all contexts. The symposium was facilitated by discussions from human trafficking survivors, law enforcement, legal specialists, social workers, public health and medical personnel, educators, members of faith-based organizations and non-profit leaders including representatives from Youth4Abolition™ and On Eagles Wings.
“The opportunity to connect with colleagues from diverse disciplines, each addressing human trafficking in our state from a different vantage point, is extremely valuable as we hone our skills and impact as an organization focusing exclusively on addressing the scourge of child sex trafficking,” said Lori Vaccaro, President of On Eagles Wings.