Enhancing Human Trafficking Victim Services: A Technology-driven, Participatory Action Research Approach

Human trafficking survivors experience significant service delivery barriers, exacerbated by inefficiencies of current coordinated community response models. Despite research on survivors’ needs and consequences of human trafficking, there remains a gap in examining the most efficient service deployment method for survivors. This study examines low user engagement with a human trafficking victim services platform, BRIGHT, designed to address data gaps and ineffective service deployment. Employing a participatory action research methodology, focus groups with 60 individuals serving human trafficking survivors in Florida were conducted. Participants identified barriers and concerns causing low usage. Through qualitative analyses, three key themes emerged: the current referral process, issues with the referral process, and BRIGHT organizational involvement. Findings indicated an urgent need for a centralized, standardized service referral mechanism. This study emphasizes the importance of incorporating survivor and practitioner feedback in developing service interventions and highlights the necessity for structured, technology-driven approaches to human trafficking service provision.