Trauma and Human Trafficking: What You Need to Know (Part 1)

Understanding the elements of trauma-informed care is helpful and supportive in creating a collective understanding of the negative impacts of trauma. It is essential in helping human trafficking survivors heal and recover. Specialized training and treatments in trauma are important for the survivor. The purpose of this training is to increase understanding of ‘trauma-informed care’ versus ‘approach’ versus ‘trauma treatment’ and how to determine if an organization has integrated each component. A trauma-informed care organization assessment tool will be explored, as well as identifying best practices in trauma treatment for survivors of human trafficking. This program is a must for a wide range of people and professionals in the community including non-profit agencies, justice system and law enforcement, health care and specifically mental health professionals, advocates, faith communities, and anyone who wishes to understand more about trauma and its impacts, particularly as this issue intersects with human trafficking.

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Katie Papke

Presenter: Katie Papke LMSW, CAADC, CCHTVSP

Katie Papke is a human trafficking survivor. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker,  Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and a Clinically Certified Human  Trafficking Victims Services Provider. Katie has her own private therapy practice and has a passion for providing trauma treatment to survivors of human trafficking, domestic  violence, sexual assault, and other traumas. 

Katie has years of experience in community education and consultation. She is a  School of Social Work Program Associate Professor at Grand Valley State University in  Grand Rapids, Michigan teaching classes on human trafficking. She has provided over  120 national and international trainings on human trafficking. She is a HEAL Trafficking  trainer and subject matter expert. Katie graduated from Florida State University with her  Bachelors and Masters of Social Work in 2006.  

Katie serves on the Denver Anti-Trafficking Alliance (DATA) Advisory Survivor Board,  the Colorado Human Trafficking Council Survivor Leader Advisory Board, 3Strands  Global Foundation Survivor Advisory Board. She is active in her local West Michigan  human trafficking task force and serves on the Board of Sacred Beginnings, providing  services to those who have experienced human trafficking. Katie has provided expert  consultation with the Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign, Polaris Project,  HEAL Trafficking, Freedom Network Training Institute, and the Michigan Abolitionist  Project. 

In 2024, Katie was appointed by the governor to the state of Michigan’s Human  Trafficking Commission as the vice-chair. Katie was recently awarded “40 under 40  Boston Congress of Public Health Catalyst Award” for her achievement at the  Department of Veteran Affairs in shaping human trafficking as a public health concern.

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