Conference on Global Organized Crime

I was able to participate in the 24-hour Conference on Global Organized Crime an entirely online conference with 300 experts and over 20 sessions attended by people around the world. I presented the research from our National Science Foundation project on a "Transnational dimensions of human trafficking in the wake of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine." This panel explored how armed conflict, forced displacement, weakened governance, and new technologies have fueled trafficking, with a particular focus on children and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Drawing on research and frontline practice, the session examined evolving typologies of conflict-related trafficking, including forced labor, sexual exploitation, and recruitment into combat roles, as well as domestic labor exploitation of vulnerable groups. By weaving together legal, psychological, and political science perspectives, the discussion situated Ukraine’s experience within wider debates on organized crime in conflict and displacement contexts. The session aims to provided both analytical insight and practical recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to mitigate human trafficking during conflict and in post-conflict recovery.

It was a great opportunity to learn about other research on human trafficking and I got to reunite with a colleague from a panel last summer at RUTA and also meet colleagues who are in an edited volume with us on transnational crime during Russia's war. As a result, it was both an informational and networking opportunity to engage other academics and practitioners working on human trafficking during Russia's war in Ukraine.