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September 6, 2016 by Guest

Knowledge is Powerful and Helpful: How Trauma Can Impact Interviews of DMST

By Iona Rudisill, Baltimore Child Abuse Center

Trafficking of youth has been occurring for decades and centuries. Regardless of the Emancipation Proclamation being enacted in 1863, the reality is slavery never stopped. That is exactly what juvenile sex trafficking is: the slavery and bondage of innocent youth for the pleasure and commercial exploitation of others. And this experience has profound impacts on the individual enslaved. Therefore, when a 14 year old is brought to an accredited Child Advocacy Center because they have been sexually abused by an aunt repeatedly fondling them, an uncle sodomizing them, and a cousin selling them to others for fiscal profit and gain, the trauma that this adolescent has experienced is complex. It is during the adolescent years of development when children begin to come into their own identity, this developmental milestone is directly impacted by the fact that the child has had to deal with mistrust, broken promises, psychological and physical threats as well as endless mind games. Since these adolescents have encountered a multiplicity of deplorable life experiences, the manner in which they manage this trauma imposed upon them can have an effect on how they interact with professionals who are trying to help them, particularly in the way the traumatized youth responds in an interview.

This is why I am offering a training session to provide professionals (i.e. social workers, forensic interviewers, mental health providers, law enforcement and attorneys) with a better understanding of how the dynamics of trauma can affect the results in the different types of interviews a juvenile sex trafficked youth will encounter. We will explore brain development of youth, and discuss steps that professionals can take in helping the youth unpack their painful memories with the understanding of how brain development has been impacted by their experiences. The more prepared an interviewer is to recognize that the trauma is speaking rather than the child, and utilize the tools required to bring the child out of that trauma-control, the more fruitful and helpful the interview will be for the variety of needs in a juvenile sex trafficking case.

About the Author: Iona Rudisill is an LGSW, with over 22 years of working in the field of child abuse and 16 years of experience in forensic interviewing, with training in a myriad of national and international protocols. She is currently the co-chair of the Maryland State Human Trafficking Task Force Victim Services subcommittee and Human Trafficking Program Manager at Baltimore Child Abuse Center.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

August 30, 2016 by Guest

5 Things I Learned Doing Standup

Copyrighted Content © By Marti MacGibbon, CADC-II, ACRPS

Here’s something I learned from years of performing standup in clubs, colleges, auditoriums, and a federal penitentiary: Standup is metaphor for life. It’s tough, thrilling, often painful, often fun, always rewarding. And in standup, as in life, there are myriad things that are completely beyond your control. You learn by trial and error, but learn to make the best choices you can under pressure. And when — not if — you fail, you get back up onstage as soon as possible, knowing that the process will ultimately bring you success. The biggest lessons I learned in my ten thousand hours or so of professional standup experience can help you to meet any challenge or obstacle in life.

Employ some or all of these techniques and principles and see where they take you:

Stand Up. Respect yourself, take a position, stand up for what you believe in. When you know who you are and you like yourself, you can approach life’s challenges with confidence. Build your character by taking on difficult projects and associating with people who are smarter, better, stronger and faster than you are. Never underestimate yourself. Be honest, and have a point of view. Be bold.

“Fortune sides with he who dares.” — Virgil

Have Fun. If you’re having fun and you’re committed to your position, passionate about your process, no barrier can stand in your way — you’ll be invincible. It may take some time to win, but if you keep re-energizing your sense of fun and passion, you will conquer.

Never Hang Back, Always Move Forward. Be Proactive. Audiences respond to confidence and like-ability. When you’re onstage, always move toward the audience. Be ready to make friends, and don’t anticipate adversaries. Optimism always pays off, and when you expect good things to happen, they are more likely to happen.

Respect Others. Respect, but don’t fear others. Never underestimate your audience, or your friends, family, associates or competitors. Refrain from taking anybody, or anything for granted. Start out your day with a moment of appreciation for the people you work with. Recognize and acknowledge the accomplishments of others and know that you are part of a greater reality.

Be Yourself. Let go of the urge to downplay who you are, or to overcompensate for any real or imagined flaw or weakness. Recognize that in the white hot truth, the reality of universal thought and consciousness, no one is above you, and no one is below you. You never have to try to impress anybody, or intimidate anybody, or play any games. Standup strips away everything but what’s funny. Life strips away everything but what’s real. You are enough, right now, as you are, and if you continue the brave work, you will continue to become more, and greater, exponentially. Trust in that and continue on your path, no matter how tough the challenges.

Remember, life, like comedy, is tough but fun. Focus too much on the tough and you break down. Focus on the fun and you win out. So have fun, be strong, and keep working it.

About the Author: Marti MacGibbon has recovered from and triumphed over human trafficking, adolescent sexual abuse/assault, homelessness, domestic violence, severe PTSD and hard-core drug addiction. Today, she is an internationally known humorous inspirational speaker and a nationally award-winning, bestselling author.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

August 22, 2016 by Guest

“Church” Controlled Human Trafficking

By Mary Knight, MSW

About the creator: Mary Knight, Filmmaker and Survivor reveals the role a church played in her trafficking as a young girl.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

August 15, 2016 by Guest

The Connection Between Dissociative Identity Disorder and Sex Trafficking

By Lisa Cruz, RN-C MNN

Dissociative Identity Disorder is commonly called Multiple Personality Disorder. The disorder is generally misunderstood and often sensationally or inaccurately depicted in the media. However, did you know numerous studies have shown 1-3% of the general population meets the diagnostic criteria for Dissociative Identity Disorder?

Dissociative disorders occur on a spectrum, ranging from mild to severe. The spectrum begins with normal dissociation and is followed by dissociative amnesia. The more familiar and widely known Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) falls into the middle range of the dissociative disorders spectrum. Lastly, the most complex dissociative disorder is Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

One of the most common causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is childhood sexual abuse. When a child experiences a stressful event such as sexual abuse, the fight-or-flight response is activated. Dissociation is a way of escaping psychologically when the child cannot escape physically. The child’s only escape may be to pretend the abuse is happening to someone else or another “part” of themselves. If the sexual abuse is severe and prolonged, the “part” the child repeatedly escapes to may develop its own identity, becoming completely separate from the child’s conscious and accessible memory.

DID is the result of creativity, intelligence, strength and the desire to survive – not a mental weakness or illness. DID can be healed through therapy and the integration of the separate “parts” into a new and whole self. However, if the disorder remains undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, the person cannot be helped or healed.

Trauma survivors may only have symptoms instead of memories. Many people with DID report memories of childhood trauma and obvious symptoms, such as “coming to” in an unfamiliar place or meeting unfamiliar people who know them, but as a different name. However, it is not uncommon for people to not be able to recall memories of their childhood trauma, yet still display the more subtle and harder to recognize symptoms of PTSD and DID. These symptoms can include unexplainable feelings of guilt, shame and worthlessness, unexplainable feelings of emotional numbness and detachment, mood issues, difficulty concentrating, thought insertion, depersonalization, derealization and more. Since there are no known traumatic memories to attribute the symptoms to though, the person is often misdiagnosed and only treated for surface issues, masking their true needs. When this happens, the opportunity to help bring healing and restoration to the person is missed.

It is especially important for those working with sex trafficking victims to be aware of dissociative disorders. Many trafficking victims have a history of childhood sexual abuse, a leading cause of PTSD and DID. Additionally, studies have shown women in prostitution experience the same level of PTSD as combat veterans. Furthermore, studies have shown that 35% of prostituted people and 80% of exotic dancers experience dissociative disorders. In fact, studies have shown that 5-18% of prostituted people and 35% of exotic dancers meet the diagnostic criteria for DID.

However, the situation is far from hopeless. With proper diagnosis and help, a person can heal from dissociative disorders. In fact, there is a phenomenon called Post-Traumatic Growth. Trauma survivors can even become stronger and create a more meaningful life. They don’t just bounce back—that would be resilience— they actually bounce higher than they ever did before.

About the author: Lisa Cruz has experienced Post-Traumatic Growth after surviving child sex trafficking and Dissociative Identity Disorder. Lisa has been a Registered Nurse for 23 years and is the founder of Nurses Against Trafficking.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

August 10, 2016 by Guest

The Role of Child Advocacy Centers in Sex Trafficking Cases

By Iona Rudisill, Baltimore Child Abuse Center

I became a nurse because when I was ten years old I went to a doctor who missed the signs, and that was my last chance at telling someone about what was going on in my life. My last thought was, ‘Maybe somebody could rescue me. Maybe I could have a different life.’ When that guy missed the signs, it devastated me…I just decided what would have made a difference for me—and that was the medical professionals.
–Jen Spry, RN and survivor of human trafficking

The sex trafficking of juveniles is now recognized as a critical public health concern. The burden of identifying, referring and treating victims requires multidisciplinary education for health care providers and a coordinated community response, one that Child Advocacy Centers nationwide are prepared to provide. In 1987, Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC) was the first Child Advocacy Center (CAC) developed in the State of Maryland, and for decades BCAC has been providing a resource to the community with a comprehensive approach for youth who have personally experienced sexual trauma and witnessed various forms of violence. BCAC is an accredited Child Advocacy Center that understands when providing services to youth who have been trafficked or are highly vulnerable to being trafficked, a holistic response (i.e. forensic interviews, treatment, advocacy, healthcare) is needed – from prevention to aftercare for youth and their families. Given their background and experience in trauma-focused and multidisciplinary approaches, CACs can provide an excellent healthcare response for DMST cases. BCAC as well as some other CACs have board-certified forensic pediatricians as part of their multidisciplinary team. This forensic pediatrician collaborates with medical and non-medical colleagues regarding multiple public health care needs such as malnutrition, tattoo removal, forced pregnancies, substance abuse, mental health diagnosis, visionary problems, dental care and burns. These healthcare risks can leave a permanent scar on the life of a youth, if mishandled or overlooked. Therefore, Child Advocacy Centers are an essential component in providing a necessary healthcare response in the best interest of the youth by performing such medical procedures as non-acute forensic examinations and testing for STIs, as well as healthcare education and necessary referrals.

Collection of forensic evidence in acute cases (sexual violations occurring within 72 hours) may be challenging in the CAC setting due to the extensive time involved in conducting these evaluations and the need for physicians who are comfortable with and experienced in doing these exams. Even if CACs do not have the personnel, space or time to complete these acute examinations, being able to refer to another healthcare provider is a necessity. BCAC has addressed this through an active partnership with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD that is equipped to provide Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations (SAFE) for acute sexual abuse and assault cases, which would include DMST. Therefore, Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services investigators could transport a child who has received a forensic interview to Mercy for a forensic examination, which would provide the space, equipment and personnel to collect necessary evidence for their investigations.

The healthcare response in a CAC helps to provide consistency for a youth who has experienced DMST because they won’t have to travel to different places or be interviewed by different professionals, who all want to provide the necessary care for them. Therefore, ensuring that CACs have the critical resources and healthcare providers on staff who have knowledge about the multiple dynamics involved in these case investigations is essential. Overall, it is vital that health professionals of all branches receive the training and education needed to address the complexities of human trafficking.

In response to this need, Shared Hope International recently released i:CARE, a guide for health care providers to recognize and care for victims of domestic minor sex trafficking. Resources like this one are so important in advancing the knowledge needed to improve the responses to juvenile sex trafficking. If the doctor who missed the signs in Jen Spry, the survivor quoted above, had been trained, and had the support of other trained professionals in the medical community, she might have been saved from further abuse and might have received the specialized treatment victims of child sex trafficking require.

i:CARE was written in collaboration with physicians, psychologists, nurses, professors, experts and survivors of trafficking, and is accompanied by four short training videos. Visit the Shared Hope Store online to purchase your copy of i:CARE today.