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Millikin’s Human Trafficking Research Lab nominated for a 2025 Liberator Award

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We recently found out that the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin was nominated for a 2025 Liberator Award by the SOAP (Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution) Project in the student organization category.  The Liberator Awards were created by The SOAP Project to unite people from around the country who are working to combat human trafficking. The SOAP Project is an anti-trafficking non-profit organization whose mission is to end human trafficking by mobilizing communities, providing prevention, education, and advocacy, and facilitating restorative experiences for survivors. The award was named after William Lloyd Garrison, a prominent American abolitionist and editor of the first abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator.  The Human Trafficking Research Lab is deeply honored to be nominated for the Liberator Award in 2025. This award highlights and acknowledges leading abolitionists across the United States, and the student research assistants in the HTRL and I are proud ...

Eighth Annual Panel Discussion for Human Trafficking Prevention Month

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Thanks to everyone who came out to our Policing Human Trafficking: Developments and Challenges panel discussion! We co-sponsored the event with the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services Office in Decatur. We had a great mix of community members, faculty, and students and a very interesting discussion. I learned a lot about different victim centered approaches to policing and they even discussed the reasons for adjudicating lower offenses on the lower level which aligns with our current research project.  One of my favorite things about hosting this event every year during Human Trafficking Prevention Month is getting to see all the colleagues in the anti-trafficking movement and also many former students who worked in the Human Trafficking Research Lab (and then making them pose for a photo with me). One of my research assistants was also interviewed on WAND about the panel discussion and you can access the interview here .

Byers and Co Radio Interview

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I was on Byers and Co this morning with another research assistant who is working in the Human Trafficking Research Lab. We talked about our research and the panel discussion tonight Policing Human Trafficking: Developments and Challenges as part of Human Trafficking Prevention Month! Here is the interview

WAND Interview for Panel Discussion

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On January 28th, Dr. Dean and I met with WAND News in the morning for a short interview for their evening news. I was asked about how I got into the field of human trafficking research, what I have contributed to the lab, and what I want going forward. The interviewers used a quote of mine concerning why research and creating conversation around trafficking is important even when having the conversation is hard. The interview itself was a great experience and granted the lab more exposure to the surrounding community of Central Illinois. Here is the interview if you want to watch it! Maggie Schrage

Winter Immersion Coding

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As a political science major with a minor in criminal justice, my academic path has provided me with a unique lens to view the world, especially the issues within our society. Throughout my analyzation of court cases for possible indication of human trafficking within Vermilion County, Illinois. It provided a very eye-opening experience on how difficult it is to identify and combat such potential human trafficking cases. When I first began diving into court cases, my goal was clear: to analyze court cases for potential cases where human trafficking might have occurred. I had to examine each case with additional research and determine if there is or is not the possibility of human trafficking. As I analyzed hundreds of court cases I realized human trafficking hides in plain sight, which makes it very difficult to recognize at times, as they are camouflaged with the charges of prostitution, solicitation, sexual assault, child pornography, domestic violence, and many other criminal charge...

City Council Human Trafficking Prevention Month Declaration

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The Human Trafficking Research Lab braved the freezing temps and attended the Decatur City Council meeting. My research assistant Maggie Schrage read a proclamation for Human Trafficking Prevention Month to the city council and had it signed by the mayor of Decatur! Maggie's thoughts on reading the proclamation: On January 21st, I had the opportunity to read a proclamation about January being Human Trafficking Awareness at the Decatur City Council meeting. It was an impactful experience to get to share our concern about human trafficking with the community and to see the city council and mayor’s devotion to the topic as well. It was my first interaction with local government officials, and I am happy that my first meeting with them was to represent the lab. Maggie Schrage

Millikin to Host 8th Annual Panel on Policing Developments & Challenges for Human Trafficking Prevention Month

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Everything is coming together for our eighth annual panel discussion for Human Trafficking Prevention Month titled “Policing Human Trafficking: Development and Challenges.” The panel will be on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Ballroom A/B of the University Commons at Millikin University and will round out events held around the United States for Human Trafficking Prevention Month 2025. This panel discussion will feature law enforcement entities on the federal and state levels from around Central Illinois and will discuss the challenges and opportunities law enforcement faces in policing sex and labor trafficking and the implications of this policing on survivors and victims in our region. Panel members will include:  • Eric V. Bowers, Resident Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations • Christopher JS Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation • Lt. Brandon Grzechowiak, Division of Criminal Investigation–Investigative Support Command, Tra...

Wear Blue Day 2025!

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At the Millikin Human Trafficking Research Lab we wear blue a lot because we are the Big Blue but today we are wearing blue to participate in #WearBlueDay and raise awareness to human trafficking in our community for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day!