Beyond Rescue: A Complete Framework for Supporting Sex Trafficking Survivors

Beyond Rescue: A Complete Framework for Supporting S*x Trafficking Survivors – Part 2

• Intended for: Novice/Beginning Learners: No advance knowledge required
• NBCC Content Area: Human Growth and Development, Social and Cultural Foundations, Counselor Professional Identity and Practice Issues
• CE hours available: 1.5

Program Description

Please note: We’ve needed to say s*x in this event setup in order to hopefully make it through overzealous spam filters when sending emails to folks about this training.

This is Part 2 of a two-part series on counseling survivors. Attendance at Part 1, Breaking Chains: A Counselor’s Guide to Recognizing and Responding to S*x Trafficking, on June 20, is recommended but not required in order to attend this Part 2 training.

The purpose of the Beyond Rescue: A Complete Framework for Supporting S*x Trafficking Survivors presentation is to educate and prepare mental health professionals to recognize, understand, and effectively respond to the complex needs of s*x trafficking survivors through evidence-based, trauma-informed practice. The presentation aims to bridge critical knowledge gaps in the field by providing practitioners with essential competencies across four domains—awareness, knowledge, skills, and actions—that are necessary for ethical and effective service delivery to this highly vulnerable and often underserved population.

Beyond individual practitioner development, the presentation serves a broader systemic purpose of advancing the quality of care available to trafficking survivors by promoting standardized competencies, reducing barriers to treatment access, and fostering collaborative approaches among professionals across disciplines. By equipping attendees with the tools to identify trafficking situations, understand complex trauma dynamics, implement appropriate interventions, and advocate for policy changes, the presentation ultimately contributes to improved outcomes for survivors, enhanced professional confidence in addressing trafficking cases, and strengthened community responses to prevention and intervention efforts. The presentation also serves to raise awareness about the prevalence and impact of sex trafficking, challenge misconceptions and biases, and inspire professionals to take action in their communities to combat this human rights violation.

Educational Goals

This training supports development of critical self-awareness regarding personal biases, assumptions, and cultural factors that impact therapeutic relationships with trafficking survivors. A comprehensive overview of s*x trafficking definitions, dynamics, risk factors, and survivor experiences will be provided. The presentation will offer practical competencies for the assessment, intervention, and treatment of trafficking survivors, supporting participants to develop capabilities for community education, systems change, and prevention advocacy. This course will teach trauma-informed principles specifically adapted for trafficking Enhance ability to provide culturally responsive services to diverse trafficking survivor populations. Participants will learn how to navigate complex ethical and legal issues inherent in trafficking cases. The training will cover strategies for ongoing competence development and self-care in this challenging field, and participants will gain concrete plans for implementing competencies in their professional practice and communities.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Critically examine their personal assumptions, values, and cultural biases toward s*x trafficking survivors, and identify how these factors influence therapeutic relationships and service delivery.
• Accurately define s*x trafficking, recognize survivor vernacular and communication patterns, and identify key risk factors, barriers to treatment, and trafficker-survivor dynamics including trauma bonding.
• Describe and demonstrate the implementation of trauma-informed, survivor-centered assessment and intervention approaches, including the recognition of coached responses and the use of strengths-based empowerment strategies.
• Design strategies for community education about survivor stigma, develop plans for training other professionals on trafficking dynamics, and identify specific advocacy actions for policy change and increased funding for specialized services.

Equity Focus

This training maintains a strong equity focus by recognizing that sex trafficking disproportionately impacts marginalized populations, including individuals from communities of color, LGBTQ+ youth,
immigrants, those experiencing poverty, and other vulnerable groups who face systemic barriers to accessing quality mental health services. The presentation emphasizes the critical importance of cultural competence, addressing implicit bias, and understanding how intersecting identities influence both trafficking vulnerability and recovery experiences. By centering survivor voices, promoting culturally responsive interventions, and challenging practitioners to examine their own privilege and assumptions, the presentation ensures that all survivors—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, or socioeconomic background—receive affirming, respectful, and effective care. The equity focus extends beyond individual practice to advocacy for systemic changes that address root causes of vulnerability, eliminate discriminatory policies, and ensure that specialized services and resources are accessible to all survivors, particularly those from historically underserved and oppressed communities who may face additional barriers to help-seeking and healing.

Presenters

Presenter Name: Cheri Mays, PhD (she/her)

Dr. Cheri Mays is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Counseling at Northeastern State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Oregon State University, where her dissertation focused on counseling trafficking survivors. As a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and Clinical Certified Domestic Violence Counselor, Dr. Mays brings extensive experience in trauma-informed care to her work. Dr. Mays is an active member of the Global Association of Human Trafficking Scholars and the Oklahoma Coalition Against Human Trafficking, where she contributes to multiple workgroups, including Community Awareness, Education, and Training, as well as Youth Response. Her research on counseling competencies for working with s*x trafficking survivors has been published in the Journal of Human Trafficking, and she has presented her work at numerous international, national, and regional conferences. In addition to her academic work, Dr. Mays has provided direct counseling services to survivors of s*x trafficking in her private practice and as a volunteer with start-up organizations. She has also contributed to policy development, creating presentations for government leaders on the necessary policies related to human trafficking in Oklahoma.

Resonant Equity, Inc. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7682. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Resonant Equity, Inc. is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.