The Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach (CenHTRO) and the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons hosted the Prevalence Reduction Innovation Forum (PRIF) on the University of Georgia campus on May 22-24, 2023.
Download the conference program. (PDF)
For the past three years, PRIF has supported seven international teams of researchers in testing the effectiveness of various methodological approaches to measuring human trafficking in six countries across the world. PRIF teams have evaluated methods that are geographically specific and industry-focused. Focused prevalence estimates help governments and NGOs develop tailored interventions to effectively reduce human trafficking. Teams gathered in Athens, Georgia on May 22-24, 2023 to share and hone the toolbox they’ve produced during the three-day conference.
Elizabeth Anderson of the Freedom Fund
This in-person conference was not open to the public.
PRIF researchers, as well as guests from national and international anti-human trafficking agencies, reviewed the results of their trials. Participants discussed indicators and definitions employed in the research and discuss how this knowledge can improve outcomes for victims and survivors of human trafficking. Additionally, the conference debuted an innovative meta-analysis, which uses simulation to compare the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of various methodologies in different geographic contexts and industries.
Researchers from the following institutions presented during the conference: The Freedom Fund, Stanford University, New York University, NORC at the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. PRIF research teams are working in Brazil, Costa Rica, Morocco, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Tunisia. Partners from these research sites will also travel to UGA to participate in proceedings.
“Accurate and specific measurements are essential in helping us determine the scope and severity of human trafficking in different contexts. But they also inform us about what’s working and what’s not working when it comes to combating the problem,” said David Okech, CenHTRO director, PRIF director, and professor of social work. “PRIF has already made incredible strides in the field of human trafficking prevalence estimation, and this conference will continue to build on this impressive foundation.”
