National Expert Roundtable Discussion: Understanding and Improving Law Enforcement Investigations of Human Trafficking: Focus on Sex Trafficking

Authors

Alison Boak
Daniela Peterka-Benton, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Donna Meeker-O'Rourke, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Francesca Laguardia, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Christabelle Robinson, Montclair State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

7-2023

Abstract

The National Expert Roundtable on Sex Trafficking convened by GCHT alongside AEquitas, Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Foundation, Fermata Discovery, and Woolf Group Strategic Solutions, brought together law enforcement agents, survivor leaders, service providers, and attorneys to explore how investigations and prosecutions of sex trafficking can be improved. Participants emphasized the urgent need for standardized national training, trauma-informed approaches, and meaningful survivor inclusion in awareness campaigns, operational planning, and legal proceedings. They also called for more consistent community outreach and bias-awareness training to ensure equitable treatment across diverse populations. This 43-page report compiles evidence-based recommendations to elevate law enforcement response and survivor support in sex trafficking cases.

Book Publisher

Montclair State University Global Center on Human Trafficking

MSU Digital Commons Citation

Boak, Alison; Peterka-Benton, Daniela; Meeker-O'Rourke, Donna; Laguardia, Francesca; and Robinson, Christabelle, "National Expert Roundtable Discussion: Understanding and Improving Law Enforcement Investigations of Human Trafficking: Focus on Sex Trafficking" (2023). Articles, Presentations, and Reports. 2.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/human_traff_ctr_pubs/2