“Thrivers” Tell Their Stories At UD’s Human Trafficking Conference

By: Sean Newhouse – Contributing Writer

Abolition Ohio and the UD Human Rights Center, partnered with UD along with Wright State University’s Women’s Center and the Dayton Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. to sponsor the conference “Understanding & Ending Human Trafficking: A Conversation with Survivors and Advocates” on Saturday at UD’s River Campus.

The conference featured speakers and panels comprised of anti-human trafficking advocates and survivors, referred to as “thrivers,” of modern-day slavery.

Celia Williamson, the executive director of the human trafficking and social justice institute at the University of Toledo, was the keynote speaker.

Williamson passionately discussed the importance of buying fair trade products and services (goods that don’t rely on slave labor.) She said buying these products, though more expensive, isn’t about charity but rather empowerment.
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To understand the extent of human trafficking, I took a quiz recommended by Williamson, here.

I answered questions about my lifestyle and product purchases. According to the survey, I have 39 slaves working for me.

Williamson also talked about protecting vulnerable youth from trafficking, including homeless, low income and LGBTQ+ teenagers. She said it’s important for society to stop “othering” people.

She noted progress has occurred in how the criminal justice system addresses trafficking victims, but also expressed the need for continued reform.

“Why is a 14-year-old sold by a 40-year-old to a 30-year-old, and the 14-year-old is the one subject to arrest?” Williamson said.

Following Williamson, a panel of survivors of sex trafficking and their advocates spoke and answered questions from the audience.

The panelists echoed the importance for organizations aiding trafficked persons to provide assistance to all survivors, include human trafficking prevention and awareness in education curriculum, and see people as people and not numbers.

UD students who attended appreciated the conference.

“I feel UD students should come to these events because it increases awareness of issues in our community. I didn’t know about this before I came to UD,” said Meredith Nortz, a sophomore mechanical engineering major.
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Photo Taken from UD Human Rights twitter