Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Focuses on the severe forms of trafficking in persons for which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age.

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

• Recognize signs of human trafficking while conducting routine inquiries.
• Communicate with trafficking victims with awareness of their physical, environmental and psychological vulnerabilities.
• Conduct investigations of prostitution operations with an understanding of common methods used to control and exploit victims for financial gain.

Much of the course will review actual cases and

• how the victim was recruited, initiated and indoctrinated
• how successful interviewing techniques helped lead to successful prosecution
• resources that are available to the victim
• recognition of the role of domestic violence

Besides traditional assessments, students may write and assemble reports based on video interviews of victims that assess their communication skills through role playing or actual interviews with shadow figures to protect identity. Students will also be tested on available resources for victims and assemble a portfolio containing reports, interviews and resources used.

• Recognition of behavior indicating human trafficking
• Common psychological traits of trafficking victims.
• Victim recruitment, initiation and indoctrination methods
• Common terminology used in the trafficking industry
• Threat and use of violence for control
• Breaking the barrier of mistrust of law-enforcement
• Preparing and documenting for successful prosecution