Evaluating Processes and Outcomes of Housing Models for Victims of Human Trafficking

Abstract

The Community Safety Evaluation Lab (C-SEL) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in collaboration with a network of community-based organization providing services to victims of human trafficking, will work on a project entitled “Evaluating Processes and Outcomes of Housing Models for Victims of Human Trafficking”. This project emerges from the fact that safe and stable housing is a protective factor as well as a critical resource for survivors of human trafficking as they exit their situation of exploitation and start their journey towards healing. Community-based organizations delivering services to victims of human trafficking rely on a variety of models and resources to address homelessness. The models range from emergency homeless shelters to meet the immediate needs of survivors, to longer term safe housing options designed to allow survivors to concentrate on their healing process, including the mental health aspects of such progress and risk of falling into situations of re-exploitation.  This proposal aims to gather a better understanding of available homelessness services for victims of human trafficking, challenges experienced by community-based organizations developing such services, and examples of best practices in the provision of housing to this population based on the experience of human trafficking survivors as well as service providers. Specific project objectives are: 1) To describe and map the types of housing models and services for victims of human trafficking available at the national level; 2) To identify and achieve consensus on the most appropriate housing models and services for different types of victims of human trafficking; 3) To conduct a process and outcome evaluation of specific housing models and services for victims of human trafficking delivered by community-based organizations; 4) To develop policy recommendations and practice guidelines for the delivery of housing services for victims of human trafficking. The project aims to achieve an in depth understanding of best models to protect victims of human trafficking experiencing homelessness and provide better guidance for organizations who are at different stage of development of such services as well as policy makers who are working on initiatives addressing human trafficking and homelessness in various parts of the country.