Individuals who wish to attend this year’s International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference have until Tuesday, Sept. 12, to register.
The conference, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, will be held virtually Sept. 20-22, Wednesday-Friday, and feature more than 110 live webinar sessions as well as a range of industry-specific lunchtime networking opportunities.
As of Sept. 1, nearly 1,100 people had already registered to attend. More information about the conference, including how to register, is available on the International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference website.
The 2023 roster of presenters includes researchers from around the world, social workers, law enforcement officers, advocates, attorneys and multiple survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation.
“This not only provides researchers a place to feel that their research is important and credible but it also gives survivors a place to see the world is focused on this issue,” said Dr. Celia Williamson a Distinguished University Professor of social work and director of The University of Toledo Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute.
Williamson, a licensed independent social worker who launched the conference in 2004 in an effort to build a stronger network for those studying human trafficking, will speak at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, on trauma and trauma-focused care to help clients heal.
Over the past 19 years, the conference has drawn attendees from all 50 states and 50 individual countries. It also has helped to inspire college students to change their major and professionals to change jobs, Williamson said, and served as a launching pad for new programs, organizations and safe houses.
“The ripple effect of our conference will probably never be truly quantified, but we know the conference and the work that it has helped to inspire has made a direct impact, both here in the United States and across the world,” Williamson said. “We have really been able to shape the narrative and change the conversation about human trafficking.”
The conference is primarily geared toward researchers, service providers, healthcare and legal professionals, advocates, college students and survivors, though Williamson said people from all backgrounds and of all knowledge levels are welcome to attend.
