Preparing Practitioners to Identify and Address Sex Trafficking in Northeast Wisconsin
Sex trafficking (ST) occurs when 1) a minor exchanges sex for financial compensation (e.g. food, money, clothing, housing, drugs), known as a commercial sex act (CSA), or 2) an adult (over the age of 18) is induced through force, fraud, or coercion to perform a CSA. Outagamie County's Youth and Family Services Division was tasked with directing a multi-system delivery response for suspected and confirmed ST cases in the northeast region of Wisconsin (17 counties and three tribes). This Baldwin Wisconsin Idea project proposal builds on an existing, multi-year partnership between UW-Madison and YFS by enhancing the collective response to ST in the Northeast region of Wisconsin.
Outcomes
This two-year project consisting of consultation, community-based research, and training will culminate in the provision of a regionally relevant, evidence-informed ST training and tools to strengthen identification of and practice with sex trafficked youth. Post-project ST knowledge transfer will be established by asking providers for input on preferred methods to continue supporting the ongoing identification of and practice with sex trafficked youth (e.g. recorded trainings, toolkits, handbooks, train-the-trainer modules etc.). This will sustain this project’s impact after its conclusion and is particularly important, as staff turnover occurs over time across the service delivery system.
Focus Areas
Project Leader
Lara Gerassi
Assistant Professor
- Department/Unit
- Social Work
- School or College
- College of Letters & Science