{"id":133960,"date":"2023-09-15T00:02:47","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T04:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=133960"},"modified":"2023-09-15T09:29:37","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T13:29:37","slug":"catholic-sisters-hosted-expert-panel-on-sex-trafficking-on-college-campuses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/catholic-sisters-hosted-expert-panel-on-sex-trafficking-on-college-campuses\/","title":{"rendered":"Catholic sisters host expert panel on sex trafficking on college campuses"},"content":{"rendered":"

Advocate described anti-trafficking efforts as \u2018the new abolition movement’<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

An organization of religious women working to \u201ceradicate modern-day slavery\u201d raised awareness of human trafficking on college campuses in a recent online event.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, or USCSAHT, hosted a webinar<\/a> via Zoom on how college campuses across the United States face threats from human traffickers.<\/p>\n

USCSAHT comprises members of more than 100 Catholic sisters’ congregations as well as like-minded individuals and groups, according to its website<\/a>. The faith-based network advocates to prevent human trafficking, educates the public and helps survivors access support.<\/p>\n

Communications Director Christine Commerce, who led the webinar, introduced The College Fix<\/em> to the Sisters\u2019 cause in an email last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor some, attending college is a pivotal time that involves meeting new people and testing the waters of independence,\u201d Commerce wrote. \u201cIt can also be a time of increased vulnerability. In addition to the disproportionately higher rates of sexual assaults occurring on college campuses, there is also the risk of sex trafficking.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wednesday presentation \u201cfocuse[d] on human trafficking with particular attention to what is happening on college campuses across the U.S,\u201d Commerce said.<\/p>\n

The webinar featured a panel of \u201cthree long-time advocates and scholars,” according to Commerce.<\/p>\n

Advocate and political science Professor Tony Talbott of the University of Dayton \u201cis currently teaching one of the nation\u2019s first college courses on human trafficking,\u201d Commerce said in the webinar.<\/p>\n

Talbott described anti-trafficking efforts as \u201cthe new abolition movement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Expert Celia Williamson, a social work professor and executive director of the Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute at the University of Toledo, detailed how she helped develop a program for local women involved in prostitution.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept running into barriers and so those barriers kept moving me into responding to larger issues,\u201d Williamson said during the webinar. \u201cAnd then that led me to build an anti-trafficking coalition which led me to work on the legislation\u2026and now it\u2019s twenty years later. I had no idea of the scope and the reach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last to be introduced was Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, associate professor of social work and director of the office of sex trafficking intervention research at Arizona State University.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first three weeks of college are one of the most riskiest experiences in a woman’s life,\u201d Roe-Sepowitz said, responding to a question from Commerce about who is most likely to be targeted by traffickers on college campuses.<\/p>\n

Roe-Sepowitz added that \u201csugaring recruiting\u201d occurs on her campus. Those with a \u201c.edu email address\u201d have unique opportunities for abuse because students are more likely to trust them.<\/p>\n

Williamson said that it\u2019s the \u201csmart people who are vulnerable,” who are the easiest to \u201cdesensitize\u201d to trafficking activities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a continuum that happens through manipulation,”\u00a0she said. “Many people think you\u2019re walking down the street and a van pulls up and snatches you in the van and you are trafficked \u2026 it\u2019s more complex [than that],\u201d<\/p>\n

Roe-Sepowitz added that romance is often used to manipulate women. \u201cThey\u2019re smart enough to see a person\u2019s vulnerability and exploit it for their own use,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

As moderator, Commerce asked the panel about signs of trafficking college students should be aware of and how they should report them.<\/p>\n

Talbott emphasized calling the national hotline at 1-888-373-7888 as well as utilizing 911 and campus police.<\/p>\n

The webinar concluded with a brief Q&A from the online attendees, who asked about efforts to minimize trafficking, how to volunteer to help those trafficked and the top apps to watch out for from traffickers.<\/p>\n

Roe-Sepowitz said that apps such as Discord, SnapChat, and Tinder are all highly used by human traffickers.<\/p>\n

Talbott spoke about how her University of Dayton student community boasts several student-led clubs and organizations to raise awareness to other students. Peer-to-peer accountability is more effective than adult speakers, she said.<\/p>\n

The USCSAHT will host its annual conference September 28 through the 30 of this year in Illinois titled \u201cBreaking Barriers to End Human Trafficking,\u201d Commerce said. The event will mark the organization\u2019s 10-year anniversary.<\/p>\n

MORE: Here\u2019s how colleges can fight sex trafficking and porn<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

IMAGE: Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace<\/p>\n

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