Minor Victims of Human Trafficking (MVHT) Grant

The Asian Association of Utah (AAU) proposes to implement the Minor Victims of Human Trafficking (MVHT) program to enhance the scope of tailored services for Utah’s minor victims of sex and labor trafficking and to increase the community’s capacity to identify and respond to the trafficking of minors.  MVHT goals include 1) Minor trafficking victims have access to developmentally appropriate, culturally and gender responsive, victim-centered and trauma-informed case management and wraparound services to support their safety, security, and healing; and 2) Identify minor victims of all types of trafficking through use of coordinated training, public awareness and outreach efforts. Project activities include provision of individualized case management and wraparound services, mentoring, coordination of care across multiple systems, partnership expansion to enhance service options, and provision of life skills groups and opportunities for meaningful connection to the community. Additional activities include the updating of human trafficking training and awareness materials, outreach to minors at risk of being/having been trafficked and partners who are in contact with high-risk youth, training community members on the issue of trafficking of minors, conducting public awareness, engaging stakeholders to increase coordinated community response and establishment of community-based interventions, and data collection and evaluation. Expected outcomes include enhanced quality and quantity of tailored services for victimized minors; enrolled minor victims are safe, stable, and on a path to healing; an increased community capacity to identify and respond to the trafficking of minors; a comprehensive network of partners, and the establishment of community-based interventions. Minor trafficking victims, minors at risk of being trafficked/having been trafficked, and the community at large are the intended beneficiaries of this program.