Survivor Engagement

Survivor input is a central tenet of the Department’s approach to combating human trafficking and of the federal government’s approach as a whole.  The TIP Office prioritizes establishing new and innovative ways to incorporate survivor input into federal anti-trafficking policy and programs primarily through supporting and engaging the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, a statutorily created body comprising human trafficking survivors appointed by the President, as well as through the Department’s Human Trafficking Expert Consultant Network (the Network), which facilitates the Department’s ability to engage and compensate experts, particularly those with lived experience of human trafficking, to provide expertise and input on Department of State anti-trafficking policies, strategies, and products.   

The TIP Office has commissioned and collaborated with the Network to develop the below resources related to incorporating survivor engagement and trauma-informed approaches into anti-trafficking efforts.  

• Online training – Understanding Trauma and Trauma-Informed Approaches
• 2023 TIP Report Introductory Essay – Partnership: Effectively Prosecuting, Protecting, and Preventing Trafficking in Persons
• 2022 TIP Report Introductory Essay – Survivor Engagement in the Anti-Trafficking Field: History, Lessons Learned, and Looking Forward
• Fact Sheet – Unifying Trauma-Informed Practices and Voices of Survivor Leadership
• Fact Sheet – Navigating the Unique Complexities in Familial Trafficking
• Recommendations – Trauma-Informed Considerations for Anti-Trafficking Efforts in the COVID-19 Environment, its Aftermath, and in the Context of Possible Future Pandemics
• Fact Sheet – The Intersection of Human Trafficking and Addiction
• Fact Sheet – Trauma Bonding in Human Trafficking