Ending Human Trafficking

By Dr. Sandra MorganBusiness Religion & Spirituality Christianity Non-Profit

Ending Human Trafficking episodes

September 04, 2023302 – What Did You Do This Summer?
Dr. Sandie Morgan discusses her summer travels and the new perspectives she gained on human trafficking.
Key Points
It’s important to integrate the stand-point theory in our learning, listening, and strategy development in order to help those in the most unique of circumstances.
Cultural context plays a large role in understanding where intervention and prevention can be effective.
A “quick rescue” does not exist and it is essential that to provide a way out, resources are provided over and over, and not just seen as a one time thing.
After care of rescue is key for providing long-term safe environments for survivors.
Everyone has a role to play in learning about and improving strategies for intervention and prevention.
Resources
Fiet Gratia
Episode #299- A Prevention Perspective with, Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw
La Guardia Civil
Spain Interpol
Migratory Birds Newspaper
United Nations
UNICEF
Humanitarian Bridges
Hermano Pablo Ministries
A Breeze of Hope
Project Suma
Parliament of World’s Religions
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You are listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast, episode #302: “What Did You Do This Summer?”
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Today’s episode is a special one. Although a guest won’t be joining us, I have a lot to share with you. This summer, I traveled to four amazing countries, each unique in its own way. During my travels, I began to develop some new perspectives on how I understand what human trafficking looks like. I’ve often said it’s more than one thing, it doesn’t always look the same. But I want to spend a little time and take a deeper dive into the differences, alongside the similarities in those countries and my experience, and right here in my own country, in the United States. I started my summer with a short trip to Dominican Republic, where leaders in the anti-trafficking movement, and especially survivor leaders, those with lived experience were gathered to continue the discussion and develop strategies that will impact our community, collective response to end human trafficking. As I was listening and learning to people with lived experience, I made some significant discoveries. First of all, and this is actually very basic, we’ve all said this, but I don’t think we have been as selective in how we apply this. We have a tendency to use a lot of generalizations, a lot of big statistics, but there is no one size fits all approach to prevention or intervention.
As I talk to my students here at Vanguard, which I’m so happy they’re back on campus, and the idea for telling about my summer as part of a podcast episode came from those conversations. And they want to know, what my take away was. What do we need to do? My take away from that conference, where I listened, I took tons of notes, I asked questions, is that there is so much more that we do not understand and principles are applicable, but need to be specifically designed for unique circumstances. So let me give you an example. I’m working with a student who is studying how to do research in the context of social justice, and especially when we’re talking about the implications for women. Her perspective, and we use the term standpoint theory, is she is a young Latina, and her ideas are filtered through, as she put it, growing up in a machismo culture. Some of the things that I say, that sound logical to me, are not logical for her. How do we begin to integrate a stand point theory approach to how we listen, how we learn, and how we develop strategies, especially for prevention or intervention. My ideas of empowerment for a young student look different when I’m talking to someone from a culture where machismo was the standard for her. I’m sure we have a podcast with somebody talking about machismo if that’s a new word for you. So my...
30 min
August 21, 2023301 – Talking With Our Children: A Key to Cyber Safety, with Alana and Mollie Stott
Dr. Sandra Morgan is joined by Alana Stott and her daughter Mollie Stott. The three discuss the importance of cyber-safety and conversations between parents and their children that will ensure cyber-safety.
Alana Stott
A true multi-hyphenate Alana founded and developed Wolfraven Omnimedia as a vehicle to help tell amazing and inspirational stories, including her own, while fiercely advocating for causes aimed at making the world a better place. Stott has written the game-changing business and philanthropy book, “How to Ask for Money;” her powerful memoir, “She Who Dares;” and a series of empowering children’s books – all to be published in 2023. In 2018, Alana Stott raised $1.3 million dollars for a mental health awareness campaign at the request of Prince Harry and Stott’s husband Dean Stott, a double world record-breaking cross-country cyclist, TV presenter and former UK Special Forces Operator. This was not her first stint in fundraising. Much like her working life, her business and philanthropic career paths started early. Alana Stott qualified as a Ship Security Officer and one of the first women to receive the Company Security Officer designation, qualifying her to run security on any vessel at sea. She is also a fully-qualified Close Protection Officer. Stott is an honorary member of The Special Boat Services Association, the UK equivalent of The Navy’s Seal Team 6. She has organized multiple grand red carpet events to raise funds for injured special forces soldiers and their families. Alana was award the title of Member of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) on the King’s Honor List 2023 for her work supporting vulnerable women and mental health awareness.
Key Points
Alana Stott wrote three children’s books for the purpose of opening up different conversations to educate youth. Her book “Live Your Own Way” teaches children that it is okay to have your own adventures, and that you don’t always have to do what those around you are doing. “Who to Help Today” emphasizes the little opportunities we all have to help those around us. “Me and My Friends Play” displays the beauty in childhood friendships and how barriers that often keep us from connecting, are not an issue with youth.
Mollie practices cyber-safety by keeping her location services off, keeping her accounts private, and denying any follow requests from those she doesn’t know. She also blocks accounts that she is concerned about, or brings her concerns to her mom, Alana.
It’s important for youth to be educated about cyber-safety because they can easily spot unsafe situations that their friends might be going through. By giving youth the tools to be safe online, they can help their peers to do the same.
Having conversations with our youth about how to be safe online allows them to feel good about talking to parents about their concerns and feelings.
Resources
Kings Honours List
Wolfraven Omnimedia
Alana Stott Website
She Who Dares by Alana Stott
Molly’s Adventures by Alana Stott
The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story
How to Ask For Money by Alana Stott
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You are listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast, episode #301: “Talking With Our Children: A Key to Cyber Safety” with Alana and Mollie Stott.
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference and ending human trafficking. Our guests today are Alana and Mollie Stott. Alana was awarded the title of Member of the Most Excellent Order abbreviated MBE of the British Empire, on the King’s Honours List 2023. She was awarded this award for her work supporting vulnerable women and mental health awareness, a true multi hyphenate. Alana founded and developed Wolfraven Omnimedia as a vehicle to help tell amazing and inspirational stories, including her own, while fiercely advocating for causes aimed at making the world a better place. Alana has written a game changing business and philanthropy book, “How to Ask for Money,” I’m in the middle of reading it by the way, so watch out, and her powerful memoir, “She Who Dares.” She’s also written a series of empowering children’s books, and we’re gonna get to that in just a minute. Welcome to the podcast, Alana.
Alana Stott 2:06
Thank you, Sandie. Thank you for having us.
Sandra Morgan 2:08
So before we talk about your writing and philanthropy Alana, tell us about your family.
36 min
July 31, 2023300 – R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t: Online Safety Campaign, with Kelsey Syms
Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Kelsey Syms as the two discuss R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t and its importance in educating youth and parents and caregivers about online dangers.
Kelsey Syms
Kelsey Syms is the program manager for the Combating Human Trafficking program at the McCain Institute for International Leadership. She has a master’s in Applied Leadership and Management and a bachelor’s in Political Science. She’s been with the McCain Institute, based in Washington D.C., since 2018.
Key Points
A recent survey by the McCain Institute found that parents and teen on’t talk about sexting and online dangers.
It’s important that the talk between parents and teens about sexting and online dangers fulfill the stop, drop and roll method, meaning that it is a repetitive practice, not just a box that is being crossed off.
Many parents often avoid difficult conversations like the one about online dangers, because they fear they are exposing their child to mature subjects at too early an age. However, R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t provides a toolkit that gives parents tips on conversation starters.
R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t is focused on educating young people about the ways in which predators use social media to target vulnerable groups. They provide resources for both parents and teens, in Spanish and English.
Resources
Mccain institute
R.E.A.L Friends Don’t: Online Safety Campaign
R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t ‘Know the Platform’
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline
Take It Down
The Trevor Project
Q Chat Space
Get the Conversation Started Toolkit
NetSmartz
R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t Facebook
R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t Instagram
R.E.A.L. Friends Don’t Youtube
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 300, R.E.A.L Friends Don’t: Online Safety Campaign with, Kelsey Syms.
Sandra Morgan 0:29
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking Podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Today we have with us Kelsey Syms, from the McCain Institute to talk about the R.E.A.L Friends Don’t Online Safety Campaign. Kelsey has a master’s in Applied Leadership and Management and a bachelor’s in political science. She’s been with the McCain Institute since 2018. So Kelsey, welcome.
Kelsey Syms 1:20
Thank you so much, Dr. Morgan. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Sandra Morgan 1:24
I’d like to know a little bit first about, what is the McCain institute?
Kelsey Syms 1:29
The McCain Institute is an action tank. We are a part of Arizona State University based in Washington, DC and we work on a whole host of issues ranging from democracy, human rights, preventing targeted violence, leadership programs, and combating human trafficking.
Sandra Morgan 1:55
I love that and you’ve actually been with the McCain institute combating human trafficking for five years now. Is that right?
Kelsey Syms 2:05
That’s correct, I have. I joined the institute. I spent an internship with the Department of Justice in their child exploitation and obscenity section, and shortly thereafter joined the McCain Institute’s combating human trafficking program, and have really enjoyed the thorou...
35 min
July 16, 2023299 – A Prevention Perspective, with Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw
Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw, an attorney from Madrid. The two discuss the role Fiet Gratia, an NGO of which Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw is the Executive Director, plays in preventing trafficking in Spain.
Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw
Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw is the Executive Director of Fiet Gratia, an NGO specialized in intervention and comprehensive assistance to victims of human trafficking, with presence in different parts of Spain. In 2019, Ezequiel was offered the position of Executive Director, and accepted the offer to develop the project of the Solidarity Law Firm with his partner Alberto Miguens. Since 2012, he has been directing as partner and founder, the Law Firm Miguens & Bellshaw, developing an intense work in the area of Human rights. Ezequiel has a degree in Law from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, a Master in management, a Minor in Big Data and Business intelligence, a postgraduate in Compliance, and is a practicing lawyer in Madrid.
Key Points
Fiet Gratia is an anti human trafficking NGO that employs attorneys who aid the NGO in being sustainable and long term.
The industry of pornography is affecting youth as young as 8, directly linking them to prostitution because of the effects it leaves on youth.
The attorneys at Fiet Gratia aid in not only solving an individual’s issue, but helping to find the solution for a bigger issue like trafficking.
The hiring of a compliance officer is similar to risk management, ensuring that everything that NGO does is being done ethically.
Fiet Gratia has gone through the ISO 9001 model, a model that ensures quality management, as well as the EFQM Model, the most respected seal in Europe.
Education can aid in prevention if it is given the same platform in schools as sex education courses are.
Resources
Fiet Gratia
Solidarity Law Firm
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
ISO 9001
EFQM Model
Utilidad Publica
Guardia Civil
UN Palermo Protocol
3Ps: Prosecution, Protection, and Prevention
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You are listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast, episode 299, A Prevention Perspective with, attorney Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw.
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. I recorded this episode on site in Madrid, Spain during a recent Vanguard University, Summer Study Abroad human trafficking course. Our guest is Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw. He’s the Executive Director of Fiet Gratia an NGO specialized in intervention and comprehensive assistance to victims of human trafficking, with presence in several different parts of Spain. In 2019, Ezequiel was offered the position of executive director and accepted the offer to develop the project Solidarity Law Firm with his partner, Albert Miguens. They had been working together in the law firm Miguens and Bellshaw, developing an intense work in the area of human rights. Ezequiel has a degree in law from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, a aster’s in management, a minor in big data and business intelligence, a postgraduate degree and compliance, and he’s a dad to two beautiful children. Now, his background really informs this next conversation. How many do you know who have a minor in big data and business intelligence? You are going to enjoy this conversation. Take a listen.
I am so pleased today to introduce Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw. And we are recording on site at their headquarters in Madrid, Spain. Welcome, Ezequiel.
Ezequiel Escobar Bellshaw 2:52
Thank you Sandie, it’s my pleasure to be with you today. Thank you for your invitation.
Sandra Morgan 2:58
I am so delighted with the model I’ve discovered here, that you are pretty much the author of an NGO fighting human trafficking and I can’t wait for our listeners, literally around the world, to begin to understand how it developed and what makes it unique in best practices for anti-human trafficking from an NGO. So I want to dig right in with your background, your education. Lots of my...
35 min
July 03, 2023298 – Ending Violence Against Children, with Stella Ayo-Odongo
Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Stella Ayo-Odongo from the director for Pathfinding Countries’ global partnership to end violence against children hosted by UNICEF. The two discuss the importance of advocacy and creating spaces where the voiceless can be heard.
Stella Ayo-Adongo
Stella Ayo-Odongo is the director for Pathfinding Countries’ global partnership to end violence against children hosted by UNICEF. She’s a child rights, child protection, social policy expert, and an advocate for social justice. Stella is a motivated leader and development practitioner with over 25 years of progressive experience in strategic leadership, development management, and program operations. She has extensive knowledge and experience advocating for vulnerable groups, such as the children, youth, and the elderly. Stella is a visionary Pan-African leader, as demonstrated in the founding of national and regional level movements for social justice, such as the African wide movement for the children, civil society organizations for peace in Northern Uganda, and the Uganda parliamentary forum for children, all of which have made significant contributions to voicing issues of the affected.
Key Points
Among the many forms of trafficking in the world, and in Uganda, is harmful cultural practices. While these practices are cultural traditions, they can often be harmful, therefore falling into trafficking.
37 countries have committed to jining the Pathfinding Initiative, meaning they have chosen to champion the cause to end violence against children. This has helped advocate for vulnerable groups and launch initiatives in each country, as it starts at the governing level.
The 7 INSPIRE Strategies include implementation and enforcement of laws, norms and values, safe environments, parents and caregiver support, income and economic strengthening, response and support services, and educational life skills.
To protect vulnerable communities, it is important not only to uplift the voices of those who have lived these experiences by advocating, but create spaces for them to speak as their voices can cause enormous change.
National Child Helplines have allowed for immediate reports to be made, and the Child Helplines of Uganda receives 1500 calls a day with 90% requiring immediate action. Child Helplines also help mitigate trafficking and have aided in the fight to stop child marriage.
Resources
Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children
Uganda Child Rights NGO Network
United States Agency for International Development
General Assembly of the United Nations
INSPIRE Strategies
Early Childhood Development Action Network
Uganda Child Helpline
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 298, Ending Violence Against Children with Stella Ayo-Odongo.
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. My name is Sandie Morgan and this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Stella Ayo-Odongo is the director for Pathfinding Countries’ global partnership to end violence against children hosted by UNICEF. She’s a child rights, child protection, social policy expert, and an advocate for social justice. Stella is a motivated leader and development practitioner with over 25 years of progressive experience in strategic leadership, development management, and program operations. She has extensive knowledge and experience advocating for vulnerable groups, such as the children, youth, and the elderly. Stella is a visionary Pan-African leader, as demonstrated in the founding of national and regional level movements for social justice, such as the African wide movement for the children, civil society organizations for peace in Northern Uganda, and the Uganda parliamentary forum for children, all of which have made significant contributions to voicing issues of the affected. Stella, I’m really excited to meet you and I want to start by welcoming you to Vanguard University. It’s your first visit here so let’s start with the real reason why you’re here in my office at the Global Center for Women and Justice here at Vanguard University.
Stella Ayo-Odongo 2:28
Thank you. I happen to be having to travel to America on travel duty and my daughter, Melissa being here in California, I decided to just take a trip to California to surprise her at Vanguard University. So my mission was basically to come and surprise her unfortunately, like I told you, the surprise didn’t work out. But it was nice meeting, meeting with...
35 min
June 09, 2023297 – Stop Blaming The Victim, with Dr. Amelia Franck Meyer
Dr. Sandie Morgan looks back at Episode 28 “Stop Blaming the Victim” with, Dave Stachowiak and Amelia Franck Meyer. The three discuss the prevalence of victim blaming against commercially sexually exploited children, how it affects the children, and how to help them.
Dr. Amelia Franck Meyer
When we first interviewed Dr. Amelia Franck Meyer, she was the CEO of Anu Family Services, a child welfare agency located in 90 different counties in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Now, Amelia Franck Meyer serves as Anu’s Senior Strategic Advisor and is the founder and CEO of Alia. Alia provides innovations for people and systems impacted by childhood trauma and is a strategic partner of Anu Family Services. Amelia is leading a movement to create a child welfare system where both caregivers and children can thrive. She has worked throughout the United States and internationally, promoting her ideas to change the way children welfare systems work. Amelia Franck Meyer also brought together professionals at the University of Minnesota, where she received her master’s degree in social work, to create Youth Connections Scale and Wellbeing Indicator Tool for Youth, two tools largely used in the child welfare sphere.
Key Points
Terms like “teen prostitute” and “child prostitute” are incorrect and dangerous as they suggest youth were voluntarily involved.
Blaming victims instead of seeing them as children who are in need of protection adds to the harm these youth have already experienced.
A lot of the youth being found in these circumstances are children who were already in the Foster care system. Because these children felt that they had no protection in the system, from the lack of adult connection, they took it upon themselves to find protection.
When commercially sexually exploited youth are found, they have already had their innocence taken from them, however, they also lost the time they should have had doing things with their families and friends.
Resources
Anu Family Services
Olive Crest
Dr. Darla Henry’s 3-5-7 Model
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 297.
Welcome back! My name is Sandie Morgan. Producing this podcast, dedicated to studying the issues, being a voice, and making a difference takes a team. We’re saying another goodbye, this time to Idalis Moscoso, who has served as blog editor, organizer, wonderful website content provider. She’s going off to Italy for grad school and we wish her well. And, we’re welcoming on board Nadia Sosa. When I asked Nadia recently what her favorite episode has been during her onboarding, she quickly responded, “number 28!” I immediately knew what she was talking about and I want everyone to revisit it with us. You’ll be listening now to Dr. Amelia Franck, in Episode 28, “Stop Blaming the Victim.” The bonus is that you will also get to hear Dave again throughout this interview. Okay now, let’s get to the episode. Here’s me introducing our guest.
Let me introduce Amelia Franck Meyer, she has been the CEO of Anu Family Services since 2001. That’s a child welfare agency located in Wisconsin and Minnesota. For those of you who listened to the last podcast, we were talking about not calling these kids terms that put them into juvenile delinquency, but finding the opportunities and making opportunities by giving them designations that place them squarely in a child welfare context. That’s exactly what Amelia does. She is an advanced practice social worker, a licensed independent social worker, she has a master’s degree in social work from University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in sociology from Illinois and a graduate certificate from the University of Minnesota. We are very happy to have you here. Welcome.
Amelia Franck Meyer 2:42
Thank you. My pleasure to be here.
Sandra Morgan 2:44
Well, when you did your workshop for us at the Ensure Justice Conference, the title of your workshop was “Stop Blaming the Victim.” We talked about the kinds of baggage that come with terms like “teen prostitute” and “child prostitute” and what that does so that people say things that are really just unreasonable. A clinician that says, “Well, the first time she was forced, but after that it’s her choice.” Or, “Well, if she’s dressed like that, what does she expect?” So we have lots of evidence that people do blame the victim and we have people who are trying to be part of the solution that even blame the victim because she doesn’t follow through on what we advised her to do. What we want to hear from you today is why we shouldn’t blame the victim. What is her experience? What can we do to better understand the victim?
Amelia Franck Meyer 3:48
Well, I’m just struck with this group of girls, how much it reminds me of the Stockholm Syndrome and the work that’s been done around that where victims actually identify with their abusers as a protective mechanism. It’s a normal healthy brain response to captive trauma. When I hear words like “teen prostitute”, I get a little cringed hearing those because there is an implied meaning that it’s a trade, that it’s voluntary or chosen, that if she just wanted to leave she could. Clearly, this does not really emphasize the impact of trauma and fear. There’s so many things we can relate to this kind of experience for girls in terms of kidnap victims, prisoners of war, Elizabeth Smart, Patty Hurst, the e...
26 min
May 17, 2023296 – Understanding and Pursuing Labor Trafficking Cases Collaboratively, with Derek Marsh
Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Derek Marsh, the Associate Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University. The two discuss the importance of shedding light on labor trafficking as well as understanding labor trafficking cases collaboratively.
Derek Marsh
Derek Marsh is the Associate Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University, working alongside Dr. Sandie Morgan. He worked for the Westminster Police Department for over 26 years but retired from law enforcement with the rank of Deputy Chief. Derek Marsh helped start the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and served as the co-chair from 2004-2012. He also helped develop and teach courses in human trafficking across the state of California and testified for Congress twice as an expert witness regarding local law enforcement issues in human trafficking. Derek Marsh currently teaches undergraduate courses in Human Trafficking at Vanguard University of Southern California and is working with the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Key Points
The same approach and attention given to sex trafficking should be used when approaching labor trafficking as both are crimes.
While labor trafficking cases have decreased, collaboration when pursuing cases gives victims to opportunity to be liberated and ensures those who have committed the crime are held accountable.
Investigating and identifying labor trafficking is difficult without collaboration because of its tendency to involve foreign nationals.
It’s important to have knowledge of the signs of labor trafficking to keep individuals who could possible be in a labor trafficking situation from being exploited.
Resources
Understanding and Pursuing Labor Trafficking Cases Collaboratively by Derek Marsh
Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force
Bureau of Justice Assistance
2010 TIP Report
Trillium Egg Farm Case
National Trafficking Hotline
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 296, Understanding and Pursuing Labor Trafficking Cases Collaboratively, with Derek Marsh.
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Derek, it’s so nice to have you back on the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. Listeners, you all remember, Derek Marsh is the Associate Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice. But he has a long history in combating human trafficking. He’s the co-founder of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. He’s been a fellow with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, training on labor trafficking across our nation, and the list goes on. We’ll have a link to his bio in the show notes but welcome back, Derek.
Derek Marsh 1:30
Thank you, Sandie. Thanks for having me back.
Sandra Morgan 1:32
So you just recently wrote an article for a peer reviewed journal. And I was so impressed, first of all, for those of you who know what it takes to publish an article in a peer reviewed journal. That just deserves a pause, and some kudos to you for that kind of work. So thank you for doing that.
Derek Marsh 1:57
Well, I have you to thank obviously. The folks at Societies, where the article is being published, were super patient and super understanding with me as I managed to write through COVID and through one of my parents deaths. So I really appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding through getting this article together.
Sandra Morgan 2:15
Thanks, Derek. So let’s talk about what this article is about, because you probably were a little challenged to take your broad experience and condense it into a journal article, because you’ve been doing this work for way longer than a decade. And when we think about the stats that we see nationally, and globally, on human trafficking, the stats predominantly reflect investigations on sex trafficking. Labor trafficking is harder to investigate, and it takes longer to prosecute a case. So there are some significant challenges in doing that. Instead of writing an article about all the problems, you actually were very proactive in this article in order to demonstrate that there are ways we can make progress. So let’s start off with what do you think people will take away from reading this article?
Derek Marsh 3:32
Well, I hope, number one, that they take away that labor trafficking isn’t a crime that can be easily marginalized just because sex trafficking is such an egregious crime. I think there needs to be a balanced approach to pursuing it across the board. If you’re going to be doing sex trafficking or pursuing or investigating sex trafficking, then I think we should be also just as focused on pursuing, i...
33 min
April 17, 2023295 – What is the Role of a Resource Parent in Serving CSEC Victims, with Nicole Strattman
Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Nicole Strattman, the manager for the Resource Families: Recruitment, Development, and Support program in Children and Family Services. In this episode they discuss Resource Parents/Resource Families and why they are important in child welfare.
Nicole Strattman
Nicole has been employed with the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) since 1999. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California. She is currently the manager for the Resource Families: Recruitment, Development and Support program in Children and Family Services. Nicole has worked in a variety of programs at SSA which have included assignments investigating child abuse as well as representing SSA in Family Law Court. In 2014, Nicole began working alongside the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force to create an enhanced collaborative response model, treating trafficked children as victims and ensuring the child welfare system had the services to meet the victim’s needs. She is a California Department of Social Services “Above and Beyond” award recipient and has received recognition from California State Senator Ling Ling Chang and California Congresswoman Katie Porter for her commitment to end Human Trafficking and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). Nicole was a key advocate in bringing in a therapy dog into youth’s court hearings, which was profiled on local news station, KTLA in Los Angeles as well as the nationally syndicated show CW’s Dogs of the Year. As an expert in the field, she has traveled across the state as a presenter and trainer on CSEC and Human Trafficking as it relates to Child Welfare, where she has trained social workers, victim advocates, mental health practitioners, law enforcement and international delegations from countries, such as Egypt and Vietnam.
Key Points
The language of resource parenting came in 2013 and the term aims to emphasize the importance of family homes over group homes or institutionalized living situations.
The goal of resource parenting is always reunification with the biological parent of the child.
Care communities are those around resource parents and families, who provide support through volunteering or mentoring, if they cannot house a child themselves.
Resource parents are important because they provide a stable home and life for a child who is separated from their biological parent.
Trauma-informed training for resources parents is key to ensure families and individuals can effectively provide care for commercially sexually exploited children.
Resources
Quality Parenting Initiative
Family Urgent Response System
Big Brothers Big Sisters
YMCA
Court Appointed Special Advocate
Hearts in Motion
Olive Crest
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 0:00
You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 295, “What is the Role of a Resource Parent in Serving Commercially Sexually Exploited Child Victims” with Nicole Strattman. Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Today we have my good friend Nicole Strattman with us. Nicole has a master’s in social work. She’s been in child welfare here in Orange County as a social worker for 23 years. She’s the former CSEC coordinator and currently is Administrative Manager for the program for resource families, recruitment, development and support. Nicole, welcome to the podcast. Nicole Strattman 1:26 Yes, thank you Sandie. That is a long title there. But yes, thank you, I’m glad to be here.
Sandra Morgan 1:31
I think your job is bigger than it used to be.
Nicole Strattman 1:35
It certainly has expanded, that is for sure.
Sandra Morgan 1:38
I appreciate so much what you’re doing. We just finished the annual Ensure Justice Conference and our theme was ‘Finding A Way Home.’ One of the problems, we’ve learned over the years, is that placements are very challenging. Even when you have a placement for a victim of child commercial sexual exploitation, the child may not stay in that placement. So, family-based care is going to have a better result. I always thought of child placements through our chil...
34 min
March 13, 2023294 – Combatting Exploitative Child Labor in the U.S., with Matthew Soerens
Sandie is joined by Matthew Soerens from World Relief to discuss a recent New York Times investigation that revealed unaccompanied children arriving at U.S. borders are being exploited for labor. They discuss the findings of the report, the U.S. process to place children, and the Department of Labor’s response.
Matthew Soerens
Matthew Soerens is the US Director of Church Mobilization for World Relief, where he helps evangelical churches to understand the realities of refugees and immigration and to respond in ways guided by biblical values. He also serves as the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition that advocates for immigration reforms consistent with biblical values. Matthew previously served as a Department of Justice-accredited legal counselor at World Relief’s local office in Wheaton, Illinois and, before that, with World Relief’s partner organization in Managua, Nicaragua. He’s also the co-author of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis.
Key Points
Immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are vulnerable to human trafficking, especially labor trafficking, because they are in a foreign country and often come with vulnerabilities.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act provides basic protections for unaccompanied minors at the U.S. border who are identified is especially vulnerable to human trafficking.
Children are being exploited for labor in the U.S. through online enticement of vulnerable youth from other countries.
As consumers, we all have a responsibility to hold companies accountable and demand enforcement from the federal government.
Resources
World Relief
Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S. | The New York Times
More than 100 children illegally employed in hazardous jobs, federal investigation finds; food sanitation contractor pays $1.5M in penalties | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)
Evangelical Immigration Table
Press Release: World Relief Urges Congress to Reject H.R. 29, Warns It Will Hinder Fight Against Human Trafficking and Harm Vulnerable Children
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 00:00
This is episode 294, Combating Exploitative Child Labor in the U.S., with Matthew Soerens.
Production Credits 00:10
Produced by Innovate Learning, maximizing human potential.
Sandra Morgan 00:30
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. And today, I’m really happy that my friend Matthew Soerens is with us. He is the US Director of Church Mobilization and Advocacy at World Relief. He’s also part of the evangelical immigration table, and so many other things. He adjunct teaches at Wheaton, and he completed an MS in international public service at DePaul University. He is also co-author of Welcoming the Stranger, and more recently, Inalienable. And one of the things that was really important to me as I put this bio together, keeping it brief, of course, is my students here at Vanguard and when I’m at other universities, often ask me, ‘How did you become an advocate?’ And I love mentioning our guest’s paths as great examples of many options. Some people start in law enforcement, other people in psychology, sociology, but you studied international public service. And that is, I want to go back and get that degree. It sounds fascinating. What do you study?
Matthew Soerens 02:14
Yeah, I mean, I kind of joke sometimes. It was so interdisciplinary that I have a master’s degree in it and I’m not quite sure what it was. But it was a mix of nonprofit management. So I actually was already working at World Relief when I did that master’s program, along with international affairs, international relations, and some of the governmental side of public policy dynamics, and then a dynamic of cross cultural communication, as well. So bringing all those things together. And I use less of those things in my work at World Relief because we primarily serve refugees and other immigrants in our U.S. programs. And there’s lots of cross cultural dynamics there.
Sandra Morgan 02:48
Okay. So that’s where we’re gonna go now is what you’re doing here in the U.S. And there was a big report recently about children in exploitative labor. So let’s kind of back up a little bit and talk about the intersection of that exploitation and immigration generally.
Matthew Soerens 03:11...
31 min
February 20, 2023293 – Investigating Child Exploitation, with Erin Burke
Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Erin Burke from Homeland Security to discuss federal investigations into child exploitation crimes. They discuss the public-private partnership between HSI and NCMEC, the difference between child exploitation and human trafficking, and the rise of sextortion amongst our youth.
Erin Burke
Erin Burke is the Unit Chief for the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit (CEIU) at Cyber Crime Center (C3) with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). CEIU is comprised of three sections, the Victim Identification Lab, Intake and Operations, and Angel Watch. As a Special Agent, Erin has worked investigations related to child exploitation, human trafficking, national security, transnational narcotics, gangs, and financial crimes for over fifteen years. Erin earned a master’s degree in Forensic Science from The George Washington University.
Key Points
The Child Exploitation Investigations Unit (CEIU) is the primary unit addressing child exploitation within HSI and partnering with other law enforcement around the world.
Sextortion is becoming a growing trend in exploiting children for sexually explicit images and money.
Kids are growing up in a digital age which requires us to understand the technology kids use and create safety barriers to protect them.
Child exploitation is sexual abuse against a child perpetrated by a trusted individual.
Child sex trafficking is the sexual exploitation of a child for monetary gain.
NCMEC is the national clearinghouse for child exploitation and partners with federal agencies to investigate child exploitation crimes.
Resources
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
iGuardians | Home Security Investigations
NetSmartz | NCMEC
CyberTipline for Online Exploitation | NCMEC
Take It Down | NCMEC
Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic film
Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate
Love the show? Consider supporting us on Patreon!

Become a Patron

Transcript
Sandra Morgan 00:00
You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 293, Investigating Child Exploitation, with Erin Burke.
Sandra Morgan 00:27
Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. And for many of you in our last episode, you learned that my founding co-host, Dave Stachowiak, has sent me out of the nest solo and this is my first solo hosts to podcast. So, I am especially delighted to have such an amazing guest today. Erin Burke is unit chief for Child Exploitation Investigations at the Cyber Crime Center, Homeland Security Investigations. And she is an amazing and diligent investigator. She has, as a special agent, worked investigations related to child exploitation, human trafficking, national security, transnational narcotics, gangs, and financial crimes for over 15 years. Erin has a master’s degree in forensic science from The George Washington University. Thank you so much for joining us today, Erin.
Erin Burke 01:53
Thank you so much for having me. I’m really excited to be here today and to talk to you.
Sandra Morgan 01:57
So tell us, first of all, what the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit at Cyber Crime Center, also known as C3, what does it do?
Erin Burke 02:11
So the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit, I might also refer to it as CEIU, is basically Homeland Security Investigations headquarters element that focuses on all types of child exploitation and abuse crimes. So we are comprised of three units, there’s intake investigations, and that unit is where we work with our domestic and international partners to actually work on cases and large scale operations to combat predators online. The other section is Angel Watch. And that is an initiative that we have to basically protect the world’s children. So it’s an initiative where we have to make sure that individuals who are leaving the United States with the intent to harm and abuse children elsewhere, that we can target them and prosecute them as necessary. Then our third is the victim identification lab. And this is a cutting edge laboratory, our main mission is to identify and rescue children of abuse and exploitation. So they use some really amazing technology combined with traditional investigative tools to focus on finding those kids who are being abused, and their images are posted online, who are being abused, and they’re being caused to travel around the country, they’re going to focus on identifying who those kids are, rescuing them, identifying the predators and putting them in jail as well. So really, we’re a one stop shop for all things child exploitation for Homeland Security Investigations, and for all of our partners around the world.
Sandra Morgan 03:40
Wow, all three of those sections could be a single podcast. But let’s start with the victim identification lab. What happens when you find out a child is being exploited onl...
29 min

About Ending Human Trafficking

From the publisher's feed

The Global Center for Women and Justice launched the Ending Human Trafficking podcast in April 2011. Our mantra is Study the Issues. Be a voice. Make a difference. We believe that if you do not study…