Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

The Set Me Free Project

First Presenter’s Email Address

victoria@stephanieolson.com

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Stephanie Olson is a speaker, an author, and the Chief Executive Officer of The Set Me Free Project, a prevention education organization on human trafficking, social media safety, and healthy relationships. Stephanie helps leaders build resilience. Her work on teaching resilience in leadership has inspired people across the United States. Engage your team on topics such as leadership, trauma, a toxic workplace, mental health, resilience, and DEI. As a woman of color, a survivor of domestic and sexual violence, and an accomplished CEO, she brings lived experience, research, and humor to help take your team to the next level. In her conversational and humorous style, Stephanie will inspire and empower.

Location

Session Seven

Strand #1

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Hands: Safety & Violence Prevention

Relevance

This proposal aligns with Strand 2 ("Heart": Social & Emotional Skills) and Strand 3 ("Hands": Safety & Violence Prevention) of the National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. It focuses on cultivating cultural humility among educators to address barriers faced by youth in disclosing sexual violence and sex trafficking experiences. By promoting a supportive social climate (Strand 2) and ensuring safety for all children and youth (Strand 3), we can empower educators to create an environment where victims feel comfortable sharing their experiences and seeking help.

Brief Program Description

Discover the power of cultural humility in promoting safe spaces for youth to disclose experiences of sexual violence and sex trafficking. Explore the impact of educators' perspectives on disclosure rates and understand how diverse cultural backgrounds influence coping mechanisms. Gain practical insights and strategies to foster cultural humility, create a supportive environment, and enhance safety measures, thus ensuring the well-being of at-risk youth.

Summary

This presentation centers on fostering cultural humility among educators to address sexual violence, sex trafficking, and forced criminality among youth. Cultural humility recognizes the importance of understanding and respecting individuals' diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences. When educators approach disclosures from a culturally humble perspective, they can create a safer and more supportive environment for victims to come forward.

The session will delve into the barriers faced by youth in disclosing sexual violence and sex trafficking experiences. Participants will explore how educators' responses to disclosures impact victims' willingness to share their stories. The lack of representation among teachers that aligns with diverse student backgrounds will also be addressed, emphasizing the importance of representation in building trust and rapport.

To promote a "Heart" that fosters social and emotional skills, the presentation will highlight how cultural humility enhances educators' abilities to respond empathetically to disclosures. Attendees will gain practical strategies to create a supportive and inclusive climate in their educational settings, enabling survivors to feel safe and heard.

Within the "Hands" strand, this proposal aims to equip educators with essential knowledge and tools to enhance safety and violence prevention measures. By understanding how diverse cultural backgrounds influence coping mechanisms, educators can tailor their support appropriately.

Participants will leave with take home learning opportunities, including actionable steps to promote cultural humility in their classrooms, schools, or communities.

Evidence

The Set Me Free Project®: https://setmefreeproject.net/

Working with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on the following research project: https://cyfs.unl.edu/academies-bureaus/ivrl/current-projects/project-live/

Working with the Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Education (HTYPE) Demonstration Program on a grant with our curriculum for youth.

Learning Objective 1

Understand the concept of cultural humility and its significance in creating a safe and supportive environment for youth facing sexual violence, sex trafficking, and forced criminality. Participants will explore the impact of educators' cultural perspectives on disclosures and identify the barriers hindering victims from seeking help.

Learning Objective 2

Gain practical strategies to foster cultural humility in educational settings, promoting and fostering social and emotional skills. Attendees will learn how to respond empathetically to disclosures, cultivate a sense of trust through representation, and create an inclusive climate where all students feel comfortable sharing their experiences.

Learning Objective 3

Acquire knowledge and tools to enhance safety and violence prevention measures. Participants will understand how diverse cultural backgrounds influence coping mechanisms and receive evidence-based approaches to support youth effectively, ensuring their well-being and protection from sexual violence, sex trafficking, and forced criminality.

Keyword Descriptors

Cultural Humility, Sexual Violence, Sex Trafficking, Youth, Educators, Safety, Violence Prevention, Social & Emotional Skills, Disclosure, Representation.

Presentation Year

2024

Start Date

3-5-2024 2:15 PM

End Date

3-5-2024 2:45 PM

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Mar 5th, 2:15 PM Mar 5th, 2:45 PM

Fostering Cultural Humility in Addressing Sexual Violence and Sex Trafficking among Youth

Session Seven

Discover the power of cultural humility in promoting safe spaces for youth to disclose experiences of sexual violence and sex trafficking. Explore the impact of educators' perspectives on disclosure rates and understand how diverse cultural backgrounds influence coping mechanisms. Gain practical insights and strategies to foster cultural humility, create a supportive environment, and enhance safety measures, thus ensuring the well-being of at-risk youth.