U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office for Victims of Crime
U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW.

Washington, DC 20531

Loretta E. Lynch

Attorney General

Karol V. Mason

Assistant Attorney General

Joye E. Frost

Director, Office for Victims of Crime

Office of Justice Programs

Innovation • Partnerships • Safer Neighborhoods

www.ojp.usdoj.gov

Office for Victims of Crime 

www.ovc.gov

NCJ 248754

December 2015

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides federal leadership in developing the Nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. 

OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. More information about 

OJP can be found at www.ojp.gov.

The mission of the Office for Victims of Crime is to enhance the Nation’s capacity to assist crime 

victims and to provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and 

healing for all victims of crime.
1

Introduction

Faces of Human Trafficking is a nine-video 

series created by the Office for Victims of 

Crime (OVC) that blends the experiences 

of a diverse group of human trafficking survivors 

and professionals from across the Nation to raise 

awareness of the seriousness of this crime, the 

many forms it can take, and the important role 

that everyone can play in identifying and serving 

victims. A Public Service Announcement that 

focuses on the diversity and resilience of survivors 

of human trafficking is included with the series. 

While the video series provides a helpful overview 

of human trafficking on its own, we hope that you will use it as a resource to augment your trainings 

and generate further discussion. This packet also includes the following additional resources: 

• Discussion Guide: Designed to reinforce the messages conveyed in the videos, the discussion guide 

provides information on the intended audience and focus of each video, suggests questions that can 

be used to generate discussion, and offers suggestions for enhancing your trainings. 

• Fact Sheets: The four enclosed Fact Sheets provide an introduction to human trafficking, information 

on the legal needs and rights of victims of human trafficking in the United States, information on 

the special considerations and needs of youth victims, and promising practices for building effective 

collaborations to address human trafficking. 

• Posters: Each of the four enclosed posters is designed to target a specific audience—service 

providers and allied professionals, law enforcement, the general public, and victims/survivors. 

Downloadable versions are also available at www.ovc.gov/trafficking. Space is provided on each of the 

downloadable posters to promote your organization’s training or outreach events, or to add contact 

information for local providers or hotlines. 

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking or 

www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.

Please note: The videos in this series describe 

actual human trafficking cases and some of 

the abuses suffered by victims. They may be 

difficult to watch and/or may trigger disturbing 

memories for some audience members. OVC 

strongly encourages trainers to make audiences 

aware of this fact and provide support and 

resources, as appropriate, when these videos 

are shown.

3

VIDEO 1 / running time: 6 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

An Introduction 

This video introduces the issue of human trafficking—both sex and labor trafficking—in the United 

States in order to raise awareness and provide a foundation for further discussion and training. 

It is intended for new staff and volunteers working with victims of human trafficking or other 

at-risk populations, stakeholders, victim service providers, allied professionals, and anyone interested 

in learning more about this crime.

Key Points 

• Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking. 

The precise scope of human trafficking in the 

United States is not known. 

Everyone has a role to play in identifying and 

supporting victims. 

Victims may not self-identify for a number of 

reasons. 

Force, fraud, and coercion are key elements of 

the crime (except when the victim is a minor 

used for commercial sex). 

Traffickers can be anyone—organized crime, 

gangs, “mom and pop” operations, family 

members, business owners, individuals or 

families, pimps, women and men, young and 

old. 

Traffickers prey on victims’ vulnerabilities. 

Victims need an array of services, and one 

agency alone cannot meet all these needs— 

collaboration is key. 

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Discussion Questions

1. What did you learn from the video? Was 

information presented that challenged your 

previous thoughts on human trafficking? 

2. How would you define human trafficking in 

your own words? 

3. Who are the victims of human trafficking? 

4. In addition to physical violence, what are 

some of the methods that traffickers use to 

manipulate and exert control over victims? 

“I didn’t know I was a victim 

of human trafficking until I told 

my story.”

 — Lydia 

Survivor Advocate
4

5. In what industries might you find human 

trafficking? What are the specific industries 

or settings in your community that might be 

vulnerable to human trafficking? 

6. What services might a survivor of human 

trafficking need once they are out of the 

exploitative situation? What are the specific 

needs of victims who are minors; male; 

female; individuals who identify as lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer; foreign 

nationals; or U.S. citizens? 

7. What can be done in your community to raise 

awareness of human trafficking? 

8. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” 

(found at 22 U.S.C. 7102).

Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

Describe human trafficking cases that have 

been prosecuted successfully in your area.

•

•

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
5

VIDEO 2 / running time: 7 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

An Introduction to Sex 

Trafficking

This video provides an overview of sex trafficking. It features survivors and professionals—including 

law enforcement, judges, and social service, legal, and health care providers—who share 

information on victim indicators, ways victims are often identified, how professionals may come 

into contact with victims of sex trafficking, and industries where sex trafficking is more common. This 

video is intended for a general audience but will be especially useful for professionals who may be in a 

position to identify victims, such as legal and social service providers, law enforcement, judges, juvenile 

justice personnel, child welfare personnel, code enforcement personnel, school personnel, health care 

providers, migrant worker organizations, immigrant service providers, faith-based communities, and 

community-based organizations. 

abuse, physical abuse, bullying, and exposure 

to violence. 

Once trained, members of law enforcement 

and the criminal and juvenile justice systems 

may experience a paradigm shift as they 

realize that those caught in human trafficking 

are victims, not criminals. 

•

Key Points 

• Under federal law, any minor engaged in 

commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking, 

regardless of force, fraud, or coercion. 

Everyone—including community members 

and professionals—can play an important role 

in identifying victims by knowing what sex 

trafficking is, what to look for, and whom to 

contact.

General awareness of sex trafficking remains 

a barrier to identifying victims and referring 

them for services. There are many creative 

outreach strategies to build awareness among 

the public.

Service providers may already be working with 

trafficking victims but on a different presenting 

issue, such as domestic violence, sexual 

assault, or child abuse. Many victims have 

experienced polyvictimization—exposure to 

multiple kinds of victimization—such as sexual 

•

•

•

“Law enforcement can be 

very proactive when it comes 

to combatting sex trafficking, 

especially if you know where to 

look.”

 — Keith Bickford, Detective 

Multnomah Sheriff’s Office, Oregon
6

• Professionals and community members 

need to understand what sex trafficking is 

and believe victims when they disclose their 

experiences. Believing and supporting victims 

is critical in their healing process.

Discussion Questions

1. How would you define sex trafficking? While 

there is an overlap, how is sex trafficking 

different from prostitution? 

2. What might make someone vulnerable to sex 

trafficking? 

3. What are the “red flags” or indicators that 

someone might be a victim of sex trafficking? 

4. Why might victims hesitate to come forward 

and disclose that they are victims of sex 

trafficking? How might this be different for 

specific populations, such as minors; males; 

females; individuals who identify as lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ); 

American Indians and Alaska Natives; foreign 

nationals; and U.S. citizens?

5. Who in your community might come into 

contact with victims of sex trafficking? 

6. For service providers and first responders, 

what are some of the issues that a victim of 

human trafficking may present with? 

7. For law enforcement, what are some of 

the crimes you respond to where human 

trafficking may be present, if given a closer 

look? 

8. What services might a victim of sex trafficking 

need once they are out of the exploitative 

situation? How might the needs differ 

for victims who are minors; male; female; 

individuals who identify as LGBTQ; American 

Indians and Alaska Natives; foreign nationals; 

or U.S. citizens?

9. What can be done in your community to raise 

awareness of sex trafficking? 

10. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials 

• Provide the federal definitions, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” 

(found at 22 U.S.C. 7102).

Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

Discuss industries and areas within your 

community where sex trafficking might be 

found. 

Describe sex trafficking cases that have been 

successfully prosecuted in your area.

Describe the systems and resources currently 

available in your community (including gaps 

and challenges) for runaway and homeless 

youth, abused and neglected youth, sexual 

assault victims, and formerly prostituted 

individuals.

•

•

•

•

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
7

Key Points 

• Everyone has a role to play in identifying 

victims. Victim identification rests not only on 

service professionals but also on community 

members knowing what labor trafficking is, 

what to look for, and whom to contact. 

General awareness of labor trafficking remains 

a barrier to identifying victims and referring 

them for services. There are many creative 

outreach strategies to build awareness among 

the public.

Service providers may already be working 

with trafficking victims but on a different 

presenting issue, such as workplace violations 

(including wage and hour violations and 

sexual harassment or discrimination in 

the workplace), immigration violations, 

or domestic violence. Many victims have 

experienced polyvictimization—exposure to 

multiple kinds of victimization—such as sexual 

•

•

abuse, physical abuse, bullying, and exposure 

to violence. 

Once trained, members of law enforcement 

and the criminal and juvenile justice systems 

may experience a paradigm shift when they 

realize that those caught in human trafficking 

are victims, not criminals. 

•

VIDEO 3 / running time: 7 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

An Introduction to Labor 

Trafficking 

This video provides an overview of labor trafficking. It features survivors and professionals—

including law enforcement, judges, social service, legal and health care providers—who share 

information on victim indicators, ways victims are often identified, how professionals may come 

into contact with victims of labor trafficking, and industries where labor trafficking is more common. 

It is intended for a general audience but will be especially useful for professionals who may be in a 

position to identify victims, such as legal and social service providers, law enforcement, judges, juvenile 

justice personnel, child welfare personnel, code enforcement personnel, school personnel, health care 

providers, migrant worker organizations, immigrant service providers, faith-based communities, and 

community-based organizations. 

“In order to build any sort of 

relationship, you have to go out 

to them—anywhere where labor 

trafficking victims may go for 

strength or help.”

 — Keith Bickford, Detective 

Multnomah Sheriff’s Office, Oregon
8

• Professionals and community members need 

to understand what labor trafficking is, and 

believe victims when they disclose their 

experiences. Believing and supporting victims 

is critical to their healing process.

Discussion Questions

1. How would you define labor trafficking?

2. What might make someone vulnerable to 

labor trafficking? 

3. In the media, the focus is typically on sex 

trafficking and not labor trafficking. Why do 

you think this is? 

4. What are the “red flags” or indicators 

that someone might be a victim of labor 

trafficking? 

5. Why might victims hesitate to come forward 

and disclose that they are victims of labor 

trafficking? How might this be different for 

specific populations, such as immigrants, 

youth, or abused spouses?

6. Who in the community might come into 

contact with victims of labor trafficking? 

7. For service providers, what are some of the 

issues a victim may present to you? 

8. For law enforcement, what are some of the 

crimes that you respond to where labor 

trafficking may be present, if given a closer 

look? 

9. What services might victims of labor 

trafficking need once they are out of the 

exploitative situation? How might service 

needs be different for specific populations 

such as minors; males; females; individuals 

who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

transgender, or queer; American Indians and 

Alaska Natives; foreign nationals; and U.S. 

citizens?

10. What can be done in your community to raise 

awareness of labor trafficking? 

11. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials 

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” (found at 22 U.S.C. 

7102).

Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Justice for Victims of 

Trafficking Act of 2015, and relevant legislation 

in your state.

Discuss industries and areas within your 

community where labor trafficking might be 

found. 

Describe labor trafficking cases that have been 

successfully prosecuted in your area.

Describe the systems and resources currently 

available in your community (including gaps 

and challenges) for exploited workers (such 

as low-cost legal services for employment 

law issues through the U.S. Department of 

Labor and the Equal Opportunity Employment 

Commission) and exploited immigrants (such 

as immigrant-serving legal and social service 

providers).

•

•

•

•

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
9

VIDEO 4 / running time: 5 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

A Multidisciplinary Approach 

This video highlights task force and other multidisciplinary initiatives, demonstrating the 

collaborations needed to serve victims of trafficking effectively, bring traffickers to justice, 

and build the community’s capacity. It is intended for legal and social service providers; law 

enforcement; federal, state, and local prosecutors; Child Advocacy Centers; Victims of Crime Act 

administrators; allied professionals; and the broader community.

to build trust with service providers so that 

they can work together effectively to support 

victims, once cases are discovered. 

Capacity must be built at the local level. The 

community response to human trafficking 

should be tailored to local needs. 

It is important to assess your community 

for industries where there could be victims, 

vulnerable populations, or a lack of victim 

resources. By doing this, you will know which 

partners to engage.

•

•

Key Points 

• Victims receive better services through 

established collaborative relationships. It is 

best to establish these relationships before you 

encounter a victim so that the groundwork is 

already in place when you need the help. 

Collaboration is not always easy, but it is 

necessary to ensure that victims’ needs are 

fully met. 

Multidisciplinary teams need to clearly 

define their purpose (addressing all types of 

trafficking victims versus a specific subgroup 

only, such as labor trafficking) so that they can 

engage the appropriate people. 

It is important for multidisciplinary 

teams to establish roles and build trust 

among members. Team members need 

to acknowledge their different roles and 

limitations, respect the importance of each 

member’s contribution to the team, and 

understand why members will sometimes have 

contradictory objectives in a particular case.

Service providers are critically important to the 

core of a multidisciplinary team or task force. 

Law enforcement partners need to find ways 

•

•

•

•

“It’s all about planning 

to serve—looking at your 

challenges, looking at your 

area of expertise, and working 

together.”

 — Mychell Mitchell 

FBI Victim Specialist 

Memphis, Tennessee
10

Discussion Questions

1. Why is a multidisciplinary approach so 

important to helping victims of human 

trafficking? 

2. In what industries might you find human 

trafficking? What are the specific industries 

or settings in your community that might be 

vulnerable to human trafficking? 

3. What services might a survivor of human 

trafficking need once they are out of the 

exploitive situation? What are the specific 

needs of victims who are minors; male; 

female; individuals who identify as lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer; 

American Indians and Alaska Natives; foreign 

nationals; or U.S. citizens?

4. Who in your community is currently serving 

victims of human trafficking? Does your 

community have specific organizations that 

work on this issue? Does your community, 

tribe, or state have a human trafficking task 

force or coalition? 

5. What are some of the best legal and social 

service providers for other crime victims (such 

as domestic violence, sexual assault, and 

child abuse) in your community, and what 

expertise might they bring to developing a 

comprehensive approach to serving victims of 

human trafficking?

6. What specialized law enforcement teams exist 

in your community (such as Internet Crimes 

Against Children Task Forces, Innocence Lost 

Initiative Task Forces, and Child Advocacy 

Centers) and what expertise might they bring 

to developing a comprehensive approach to 

addressing human trafficking? 

7. In your professional work, who can you 

collaborate with to strengthen the community 

response to human trafficking? Local 

partners? Federal partners? 

8. If you are on a task force or coalition, what 

are some of your areas of strength? How can 

the task force or coalition be improved? 

9. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials 

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” 

(found at 22 U.S.C. 7102).

Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

Describe trafficking cases that have been 

successfully prosecuted in your area and the 

role that service providers played in supporting 

the victims before, during, and after the 

investigation and prosecution. 

Describe how relationships were built, 

sustained, and challenged during the human 

trafficking investigation and prosecution, 

and what lessons were learned to improve 

the partnership moving forward. Describe 

the systems and resources currently available 

in your community (including gaps and 

challenges) for different subgroups of 

trafficking victims, such as minors; males; 

females; individuals who identify as lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer; foreign 

nationals; and U.S. citizens?

•

•

•

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
11

VIDEO 5 / running time: 6 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

Effective Victim Services 

This video includes information on the importance of providing victim-centered, trauma-informed 

services to meet the wide array of needs experienced by trafficking victims. Coordination and 

collaboration are critical in responding to the diverse population of trafficking survivors, as no 

one provider can meet all of the needs of all types of trafficking victims. This video features survivors 

and service professionals who provide examples of how comprehensive services can support the healing 

process for survivors. This video is intended for legal and social service providers, law enforcement, allied 

professionals, and the general community.

tell their story, make decisions, remember 

appointments, and more. Service providers 

and law enforcement need to understand how 

to work most effectively with victims who show 

signs of significant trauma, and know how to 

work with mental health professionals.

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to be “victim centered”? 

2. What are some of the signs of trauma? 

Key Points 

• Service providers from a range of disciplines 

can serve victims of human trafficking, even 

if this is not their specialty. However, it is 

important that everyone is trained on the 

indicators and elements of human trafficking 

so that victims can be identified and referred if 

specialized services are needed. 

It is important to build partnerships in advance 

so that you are ready to provide services when 

victims need them. 

It is not enough for services to be available. 

They should be effective and geared toward 

the victims’ needs. Services should be 

victim centered, trauma informed, culturally 

appropriate, and gender appropriate.

It is important to acknowledge that there are 

challenges in providing some services (such 

as housing and gender-appropriate services), 

and service providers need to learn from 

communities that are successfully addressing 

these needs. 

The impact of trauma on a victim can be 

substantial. It may affect victims’ ability to 

•

•

•

•

“The needs of trafficking 

victims are so great, it really 

takes a village to provide a full 

array of services to one victim.”

 — Maja Hasic, Director 

Anti-Human Trafficking Program

“Tapestri,” Atlanta, Georgia
12

3. What does it mean to provide “traumainformed” services? 

4. Which service providers in your community 

may be working with human trafficking 

victims in response to separate presenting 

issues and needs? (Consider domestic 

violence service providers, rape crisis centers, 

immigrant-serving organizations, Child 

Advocacy Centers, and homeless shelters.)

5. What partnerships should you consider 

building in advance of working with victims of 

human trafficking to ensure that they receive 

comprehensive services? 

6. How might services need to be tailored for 

specific victim populations, such as minors; 

males; females; individuals who identify as 

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer; 

American Indians and Alaska Natives; foreign 

nationals; and U.S. citizens?

7. What are some of the challenges you 

anticipate in providing services to victims 

of human trafficking, and what are some 

possible ways to overcome these challenges? 

8. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials 

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” 

(found at 22 U.S.C. 7102).

Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

Describe trafficking cases that have been 

successfully prosecuted in your area and the 

role that service providers played in supporting 

the victims before, during, and after the 

investigation and prosecution.

Describe a local program that has instituted 

principles of trauma-informed care. (See 

the Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide 

at www.ovcttac.org/taskforceguide for 

more information.) Discuss some of the 

concrete changes that were made to policies, 

procedures, and practices to better support 

staff and clients.

•

•

•

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
13

VIDEO 6 / running time: 7 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

Focus on Youth 

who ar

Y outh who are trafficked for sex or labor face a distinct set of needs and often interact with 

a different set of response systems than adult victims. This video highlights the specific 

vulnerabilities, risk factors, and needs of youth, with a focus on the diverse range of professionals 

e in a position to identify exploited youth and connect them with appropriate services. It is 

intended for service providers, law enforcement, school personnel, health care providers, child welfare 

services, juvenile justice, runaway and homeless youth programs, and youth-serving organizations such 

as mentoring programs, judges, and the general community.

Key Points

• Maltreatment and poverty are risk factors for 

human trafficking.

Youth are vulnerable to trafficking for a variety 

of reasons, including their age, developmental 

capacity, legal dependency on abusive adults, 

rejection by their family or community, and 

history of trauma or abuse.

You may already be working with youth victims 

through separate systems or presenting 

issues (such as child abuse, sexual abuse, 

truancy, runaway or homeless youth, or 

criminal charges). However, if a trafficking 

victim is identified, additional services may be 

available.

Addressing the full range of victimization that 

youth victims have suffered leads to better 

outcomes.

It is important to acknowledge that there are 

challenges in providing some services (such as 

housing and gender-appropriate services) and 

to learn from communities that are successfully 

addressing these needs. 

•

•

•

•

• The impact of trauma on a victim can be 

substantial. It may affect victims’ ability to 

tell their story, make decisions, remember 

appointments, and more. Service providers 

and law enforcement need to understand how 

to work most effectively with young victims 

who show signs of significant trauma and 

also learn how to work effectively with mental 

health professionals.

Discussion Questions

1. What are some of the vulnerabilities or risk 

factors of youth that traffickers can exploit? 

“Any young person is 

vulnerable.”

— Melinda Giovengo

Executive Director, YouthCare 

Seattle, Washington
14

2. Why might it be difficult for a young victim 

to self-identify as a human trafficking victim? 

Why might youth hesitate to disclose this 

victimization? Why might youth victims resist 

leaving abusive situations?

3. What are some of the specific needs of young 

victims of human trafficking, once they are 

out of the exploitative situation? What needs 

may their non-offending family members 

have? 

4. Does your community have a protocol 

for responding to youth victims of human 

trafficking?

5. What youth-serving systems in your 

community may provide support to victims of 

human trafficking? 

6. Are there specialized programs or services 

that might be especially helpful for individuals 

who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

transgender, or queer; immigrants; or 

American Indian and Alaska Native youth? 

What about programs for boys?

7. What happens when youth are arrested 

for theft, drug possession, prostitution, or 

delinquency in your community? Does the 

response change if these criminal acts are a 

result of being a trafficking victim?

8. What youth services are not available in 

your community, and how can you arrange 

for these services? Are service providers 

prepared to respond appropriately to the 

needs of diverse populations of trafficking 

victims?

9. What can be done in your community to 

raise awareness of sex and labor trafficking of 

youth? 

10. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials 

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” (found at 22 U.S.C. 

7102).

Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

Provide any relevant Safe Harbor legislation 

in your jurisdiction, and discuss the resources 

available within the juvenile justice system 

for youth victims and the impact of a criminal 

record on juveniles.

Provide an overview of the child welfare 

system in your community. Discuss how 

personnel in the system are being trained to 

better address the needs of trafficking victims.

•

•

•

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
15

VIDEO 7 / running time: 6 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

Legal Needs and Rights of 

Victims

This video details the array of comprehensive legal needs a victim of human trafficking may have, 

including issues of immigration, family law, housing, bankruptcy, employment law, public benefits 

access, criminal defense, rights enforcement, and civil actions. It includes information on legal 

resources available to victims of human trafficking for both U.S. citizens and foreign national victims, as 

well as information on immigration benefits available to foreign national victims. It is intended for social 

and legal service providers, pro bono attorneys, law enforcement, judges, public defenders, immigration 

attorneys, and the general community.

Key Points

• Victims may have a wide range of legal needs. 

Explore all possibilities with victims to ensure 

that all their rights and needs are met. 

Different client goals will lead to different legal 

solutions. Sometimes criminal prosecution 

is not the focus of a victim’s interests, while 

others are motivated to ensure that the 

trafficker is brought to justice.

The U.S. legal system is complex and 

confusing. Victims will need ongoing support 

and information about the various legal cases 

they are involved in and also their role, rights, 

and options related to each case.

Victims may need extra support (emotional, 

spiritual, legal, or therapeutic) if the case 

brings up painful memories of the trafficking 

experience.

To best serve victims, it is important to dispel 

any myths they may have. For example, a few 

myths on the T visa include the following: 

– Myth 1: You can’t file a T visa until the 

prosecutor agrees to it.

•

•

•

•

– Myth 2: You need a law enforcement 

certification for the T visa.

– Myth 3: Applications for the T visa and 

related documents are always provided to 

the defense attorney in a criminal case.

“It’s important that victims are 

notified regarding their rights. 

Victims have a right to timely 

notifications. Victims have a right 

to be heard in court. Victims 

have a right to be treated with 

dignity and respect, and a right 

to privacy.”

— Mychell Mitchell 

FBI Victim Specialist 

Memphis, Tennessee
16

Discussion Questions

1. What legal needs might victims of human 

trafficking have? Consider criminal, civil, and 

immigration issues. 

2. In your community, who can help trafficking 

victims understand all their legal options and 

achieve their goals?

3. Who in your community can help advocate 

for a trafficking victim during a criminal case 

against the trafficker? What specific rights 

of victims need to be protected during the 

investigation and prosecution?

4. Why might trafficking victims choose to 

pursue a civil action against their trafficker? 

What are victims’ options, and what do they 

need to understand about civil actions?

5. Do U.S. citizens and immigrants have 

different legal rights and needs? 

6. Why might victims of human trafficking 

hesitate to come forward and disclose their 

experiences? 

7. What forms of immigration relief are available 

to victims of human trafficking?

8. What rights do victims of crime have? 

9. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials 

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” 

(found at 22 U.S.C. 7102).

• Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the Unites States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

Provide an overview of crime victims’ rights 

in the federal, state, local, and (if applicable) 

tribal justice systems in your jurisdiction, and 

discuss how these might be important to 

trafficking victims.

Provide an overview of various civil 

remedies, including filing complaints with 

the U.S. Department of Labor or the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission and 

filing a private civil case.

Provide an overview of civil legal issues that 

might arise as a result of human trafficking—

discrimination in access to housing or public 

benefits, vacating criminal convictions, divorce, 

child custody and support, bankruptcy, 

employment law, and others.

Provide an overview of the existing civil 

legal services network in your area, and 

identify what services might be missing or are 

especially appropriate for additional pro bono 

support.

Provide an overview of some of the longterm impacts of a criminal record—inability 

to access federal financial aid for higher 

education, ineligibility for certain public 

benefits, difficulty in attaining housing or 

employment from private companies who 

conduct a background check—and an 

overview of the vacatur provisions, if any, in 

your jurisdiction.

•

•

•

•

•

For more information, including additional training resources, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
17

VIDEO 8 / running time: 6 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

The Victim-Centered Case

This video features survivors, service providers, prosecutors, and local law enforcement who have 

worked on human trafficking cases that have ended with a successful prosecution. They stress the 

importance of proactive cases and collecting various kinds of evidence rather than relying solely 

on victim testimony. It is intended for prosecutors, law enforcement, service providers, courts, and the 

general community. 

Key Points

• Cases should be victim centered, not victim 

focused or victim built. Like with sexual 

assault or domestic violence cases, a strong 

human trafficking case should not rest entirely 

on the victim’s statement. Instead, the case 

presentation should also include evidence that 

corroborates the victim’s account of the crime.

Evidence may look different in various 

trafficking settings—evidence of trafficking in 

a restaurant will be different than evidence in a 

field labor or street prostitution setting. 

The impact of trauma on a victim can be 

substantial. It may affect victims’ ability to 

tell their story, make decisions, remember 

appointments, and serve as a strong witness in 

their case. Like other crimes, you can work with 

trauma in your case, if you understand it. 

Think outside the box. For example, a 

partnership with Zoning Enforcement can help 

you enter and gain information on massage 

parlors or nail salons, and a partnership with 

Alcohol and Beverage Licensing can allow you 

to enter and request information from a bar or 

cantina. 

•

•

•

• When state and federal prosecutors work 

together, they can best determine how to 

bring the case forward.

Don’t just approach cases from a “vice” 

perspective—you won’t find labor trafficking. 

An intelligence-based approach helps you 

gather the information you need. These cases 

are time-consuming but worth it.

Forensic interviews are critical when working 

with youth and can also be useful with victims 

of all ages who have suffered significant 

trauma or when there is a language or cultural 

barrier. 

•

•

“These types of cases need 

to be victim-centered but not 

victim-built.”

— Anita Alvarez 

Cook County (Illinois) State’s Attorney
18

• Federal law enforcement agencies such as the 

U.S. Department of Justice Human Trafficking 

Prosecution Unit and Child Exploitation and 

Obscenities Section, the Executive Office 

of U.S. Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation, and the U.S. Department of 

Human Services Blue Campaign are resources, 

if you need assistance with your case. 

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to have a “victimcentered” case? 

2. What are indicators or signs of trauma, and 

how can this affect the victim’s ability to tell 

their story or participate in the case? 

3. What types of evidence may help to 

corroborate a victim’s statement? What about 

in sex trafficking cases? In labor trafficking 

cases?

4. What can investigators and prosecutors do to 

help build rapport with a victim? 

5. What local, state, or tribal criminal codes 

might apply to labor trafficking, and who is in 

the position to investigate these offenses?

6. For law enforcement, what other crimes 

can you potentially charge in addition to or 

instead of human trafficking? What are the 

possible benefits of those other charges?

7. What can be done in your community to 

proactively identify and investigate sex or 

labor trafficking? 

8. What federal resources can provide assistance 

with human trafficking cases? 

9. What federal, state, local, or tribal partners 

could you cultivate to expand your access 

to needed investigation resources (e.g., 

undercover vehicles, technology, information 

sharing, additional personnel)?

10. What can you do with the knowledge that 

you have gained today?

Supplemental Training 

Materials 

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” 

(found at 22 U.S.C. 7102).

Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

Compare the federal criminal trafficking 

charges with the relevant state, tribal, and local 

codes, and point out the differences for sex 

and labor trafficking.

Provide definitions for victim-centered and 

trauma-informed approaches to criminal 

investigations and prosecutions (see the 

Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide for 

definitions).

Describe trafficking cases that have been 

successfully prosecuted in your area (both sex 

and labor trafficking of U.S. citizen and foreign 

national victims), including all the partners 

involved in the investigation and prosecution 

of the cases.

•

•

•

•

For more information, including additional resources 

for your trainings, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking 

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.
19

VIDEO 9 / running time: 7 minutes

Faces of Human Trafficking: 

Now That We Are Free

The concluding video in this series features survivors of human trafficking who are resilient, thriving 

members of their communities. They share insight on the support systems, services, and personal 

journeys that helped them persevere, with words of encouragement for others who were or may still be 

in situations of human trafficking. This video is intended for a general audience but will be especially 

useful for new staff and volunteers working on human trafficking issues or with at-risk populations, as well 

as stakeholders and allied professionals.

Key Points

• Victims of human trafficking are like any of us. 

They are victims of a terrible crime but they are 

also valuable, resilient individuals who have a 

critical role to play in anti-trafficking efforts. 

Victims of human trafficking may have longterm or life-long struggles resulting from 

the trafficking. With effective services and 

supportive assistance, however, they can thrive 

and build fulfilling lives for themselves and 

their families. 

Survivors are important advocates and 

partners. It is important to understand the vital 

role they play in developing stronger systemic 

responses to human trafficking, beyond their 

ability to describe their own experiences as 

trafficking victims. 

Trafficking impacts families. Services are often 

needed to help families reunite and recover 

(both foreign nationals and U.S. citizens). 

Economic empowerment is a long-term need; 

poverty or lack of family and community 

connections are often underlying and ongoing 

vulnerabilities that are exploited by traffickers.

•

•

•

•

Discussion Questions

1. How does this video portray victims and 

survivors differently than typical portrayals of 

trafficking victims? Why is this important? 

2. What are some of the long-term needs a 

survivor or victim of human trafficking may 

have? 

3. How can survivors of human trafficking help 

to improve your outreach work, program 

development, services, and approach to 

investigating and prosecuting trafficking 

crimes?

“What do you want to be in 

life, now that you are free, that 

you own your body?”

— Suamhirs 

Survivor Advocate
20

4. For service providers, what are some of the 

ways that your organization supports survivor 

mentorship and leadership? 

Supplemental Training 

Material 

• Provide the federal definition, from the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) 

of 2000, of “a victim of a severe form of 

trafficking in persons” and “sex trafficking” 

(found at 22 U.S.C. 7102).

• Provide a brief history of modern human 

trafficking legislation in the United States, 

including the TVPA of 2000 and its 

reauthorizations, the Preventing Sex Trafficking 

and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the 

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, 

and relevant legislation in your state.

For more information, including additional resources 

for your trainings, please visit www.ovc.gov/trafficking

or www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide.