Human Trafficking: Identification and Response in a Healthcare Setting

About this Event:

Healthcare professionals are uniquely positioned to identify and assist human trafficking victims due to their front-line access and trusted role in the community. In a 2017 survey of 127 human trafficking survivors, 69% of respondents interviewed reported having had access to health services at some time during their exploitation and 85% percent of those said they had received treatment for an illness or injury directly related to their work or exploitation. The dynamics of sex and labor trafficking are complex, and it is critical that physicians and their staff be able to identify red flags and equip themselves with practical strategies to respond effectively within a healthcare setting.

The Illinois State Medical Society invites you to join Anna Pastor, Coordinator of the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force for a program that will provide a comprehensive overview of human trafficking and help participants enhance their ability to identify and respond to cases that may indicate sex or labor trafficking. This session will challenge commonly held beliefs and stereotypes, providing clarity on the various factors that contribute to trafficking and how to address them.

This session is essential for healthcare professionals who want to enhance their ability to identify and respond to human trafficking, ultimately playing a critical role in the intervention and support of trafficking survivors.

Presenter:

Anna Pastor is the Coordinator of the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force (CCHTTF). Anna graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a B.A. in Political Science, focusing on non-profit management. She played a pivotal role in developing a human trafficking identification and response curriculum for the Chicago Police Training Academy and has trained a wide range of professionals including emergency department staff, legal service providers, social workers, crisis hotline volunteers, students, and law enforcement personnel.

Anna oversees eight specialized committees within the task force, ensuring coordinated responses to labor and sex trafficking.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, learners will be able to:

• Define human trafficking and list elements of a trafficking situation
• Identify commonly held beliefs and stereotypes that promote sex and labor trafficking
• Describe individual and societal factors that make someone vulnerable to being trafficked
• Identify red flags that indicate someone might be in a labor or sex trafficking situation

Accreditation

The Illinois State Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Credit designation

The Illinois State Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Disclosure

There are no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined commercial interests for anyone who was in control of the content of this activity.