Embry-Riddle Researchers Investigate Human Trafficking, Offer Free Online Course | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Dr. Alex Rister's goal is to help women “stand up for each other,” which has led her to volunteer in the community and do academic research on the issue of human trafficking. Human being. Rister is an assistant professor and chair of the bachelor's degree program in communications at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Global Campus.

Her community work, which included partnerships with local nonprofits including a women's shelter in Orlando, Florida, combined with her communications research as she explored the question: “How can we communicate in words and images about this terrible crime?”

“When you’re in charge of research and community work, it’s even more intense,” Rister said. “I felt this inner fire to inspire people around me to really care about this issue.”

According to the International Labor Organization, approximately 24.9 million people were subjected to forced labor in 2016. An estimated 33% of trafficking victims are recruited by a family member or caregiver, 28% by a partner intimate and 22% by an employer, according to Polaris, the nonprofit that oversees the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Today, Rister and Dr. Iuliia Hoban, assistant professor and director of the Master of Science in Human Security and Resilience program at Embry-Riddle Worldwide, helped create a massive open online course (MOOC) on the theme of human trafficking. three weeks, from July 8 to 28. The MOOC, entitled “Fighting human trafficking: understanding, prevention and action”, will be accessible to all and free worldwide.

“We want to make sure that our work can be used by the community – that it’s not just ivory tower research that has little impact,” said Hoban, whose background is in global affairs, focusing on security and conflict studies.

Dr. Alexander Siedschlag, dean of the Worldwide Campus College of Arts & Sciences, developed the MOOC idea and content in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Human Trafficking Center. He spoke enthusiastically about Embry-Riddle's commitment in this area.

“I am excited to see the creation of a human trafficking studies focus area here in the College of Arts and Sciences at the World Campus. This further strengthens our approach focused on human security and resilience, in which we also offer a unique online graduate program,” said Siedschlag. “I congratulate Alex and Iuliia on the successful implementation of the MOOC as a whole. Their parallel research project on parallel action research as part of the global MOOC offering is of extreme importance in promoting the discipline of human security, as well as – and according to the motto of our college – an education and innovative research to promote positive change in the world. »

Starting this fall, Embry-Riddle will offer a four-plus-one program in which students can earn a bachelor's degree in communications with a new specialization in crisis, risk and resilience communications; Next, they would move on to a master's degree in human security and resilience, completing both programs online in five years.

Combating human trafficking is an evolving research topic at Embry-Riddle Worldwide. Hoban explained that in his research on the impact of armed conflict and other international security threats on vulnerable populations, “human trafficking has consistently emerged as a pressing concern.”

Often, survivors of human trafficking are people made vulnerable by their circumstances, from war, disaster, foster care, previous abuse or other difficult situations, researchers said .

Misconceptions about the issue and who is affected have often led to a kind of “moral panic,” Rister said. In some cases, for example, migrants fleeing violence and repression have been wrongly accused of being the source of human trafficking, “which leads to negative reactions,” she said.

The researchers' work aims to promote a better understanding of human trafficking and effective ways to address it. Their exploration of the topic highlights “survivor-centered approaches,” Hoban explained, where survivors of human trafficking are essentially asked, “What do you need to heal?” This approach prioritizes the well-being of survivors, avoiding the re-traumatization often associated with prosecution.

“Our study ultimately aims to provide practical information for nonprofit organizations, government agencies, policymakers and academics to effectively combat this crime in a survivor-centered manner,” Rister said.

Maya Adkins, an undergraduate studying homeland security with a concentration in global conflict studies, works with both professors, having “immediately felt drawn to courses focused on international efforts to combat human trafficking.”

Adkins said the opportunity to do this research and the mentorship she received “significantly influenced the trajectory of my postgraduate career aspirations.”

The MOOC concludes just ahead of the United Nations-sponsored World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, a call to action to increase awareness and support to end human trafficking.

Register for the MOOC online.

Published in: Security and Safety Intelligence