BRIGHTening Pathways: Analyzing Stakeholder Needs for Enhanced Engagement in Human Trafficking Services

• In Event: Comparative Interdisciplinary Research and the Trafficking in Persons Lab at the University of South Florida

Abstract

In 2020-2021, the USF TiP Lab conducted an initial needs assessment with various human trafficking stakeholders in Florida, which identified a pressing need for a vetted, secure, and streamlined mechanism to connect providers with available services for human trafficking victims. Following this assessment, we created and launched the BRIGHT platform. After the initial platform launch, we conducted semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews to accurately assess and identify the needs of providers to promote platform engagement and increase utilization. We present a comparative analysis of the qualitative results of these distinct data collection efforts to assess whether we accurately understood the initial stakeholder needs. Our results allow us to ensure BRIGHT’s success and the potential for the platform to become a national model for human trafficking stakeholders.

Authors

• Shelly Wagers, University of South Florida

• Jessica Grosholz, University of South Florida

• Kailey Pate Carter, University of South Florida

• Soriyah Amanda Khan, University of South Florida

• Martha McCullough, University of South Florida