Developing survivor leaders in Colorado who can inform and lead at all points of the statewide anti-trafficking movement.
SURVIVOR LEADERSHIP
Survivor Leadership with the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking
The Survivor Leadership project was initiated in 2017, and represents an expansion of LCHT’s existing Leadership Development Program, which has supported 125 future human rights leaders over the last twelve years. While the U.S. anti-trafficking movement has seen great progress since the initial Trafficking Victims Protection Act passed in 2000, there remains a lack of consistent survivor leadership guiding the response to this crime.
In Colorado, LCHT has observed that survivors are too often left out of strategic conversations where their wisdom and experience are essential. If survivors are included, it is typically only an invitation to “share their story”, not to participate, inform, and advise with the decision makers themselves. This kind of approach is problematic at best, and re-traumatizing at worst. The need to counter this dynamic is clearer than ever. LCHT has historically taken great care to include survivors in its research, training, and other work, and an investment in an ongoing survivor leaders group is in line with its mission, vision, and values.
INITIAL PROJECT GOALS
IDENTIFY SURVIVOR PARTICIPANTS
An LCHT team member with personal lived experience and a history of working with survivors is leading this project and will help identify initial participants.
DEVELOP SURVIVOR COHORT
LCHT will provide meeting facilitation, strategic planning support, and professional development to survivor leaders based on their goals for getting involved in the movement.
CONNECT LEADERS TO THE MOVEMENT
LCHT will help survivor leaders connect with diverse stakeholders and sectors (Statewide task forces, law enforcement, legal professionals, service providers, community coalitions, professional groups, etc.) in order to prioritize survivor-voice in informing the movement.
