What We Do
In collaboration with our partners, we equip organizations and individuals with the knowledge, tools, and resources to address human trafficking.
Education
Understanding the complexities of human trafficking is the first step to combating it. Learn about the basics, facts, myths and more.
Training
Trauma-informed training programs for service providers, businesses and organizations that are tailored for your industry.
Survivor Leadership
Survivors are experts offering valuable insights in prevention and anti-human trafficking efforts by advising the community.
Community Engagement
Everyone plays a role in combatting human trafficking and there are numerous ways to effect change.
Education
Understanding the complexities of human trafficking is the first step to combating it. Learn about the basics, facts, myths and more.
Learn about the Fundamentals of Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking is a complex and oftentimes misunderstood crime that occurs across our country and in every community. This introductory presentation will provide an overview of sex trafficking to help participants understand how human trafficking impacts especially vulnerable populations and marginalized communities.
This presentation will show what human trafficking looks like in your community, identifying the facts and myths, as well as discussing topics such as legislation, the types and stages of trafficking, and demand.
Take action now and schedule an education session for your workplace, school, organization or church. We present in person and virtually.
Learn
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Throughout the month, the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking along with its more than 70 members of the Greater Cleveland Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking will host events and initiatives to educate the public, encourage advocacy, and inspire action to prevent and end human trafficking in Cleveland and at our State Capitol in Columbus.
The Collaborative’s month-long series includes:
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day which is observed on Saturday, January 11 will also be celebrated on Friday, January 10. Participants are encouraged to wear blue and share photos on social media using the hashtags #WearBlueDay and #PreventHumanTrafficking. Wearing blue helps to start a discussion. Encourage friends, family and coworkers to visit the Collaborative’s website at collabtoendht.org to learn more about human trafficking, sign up for this enewsletter to stay informed throughout the year and follow us on social media. Look up! Downtown Cleveland’s Terminal Tower will be lit in blue light on Saturday, January 11.
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Join us for 90 minutes to learn the essential information you need to begin to identify human trafficking and what you can do to help. Two free virtual sessions will be led by Kirsti Mouncey, President & CEO of the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking and a member of the Collaborative’s Survivor Advisory Council. With 20 years of experience in the anti-sexual violence and anti-human trafficking field, Kirsti brings extensive expertise in trauma-informed care, education, and advocacy, guiding organizations and individuals to better understand and address the complexities of human trafficking.
Choose a time that is convenient for you, two options are listed below.
FREE Fundamentals of Human Trafficking on Wednesday, January 15, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
(via Zoom) RSVP here.
FREE Fundamentals of Human Trafficking on Tuesday, January 21, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
(via Zoom) RSVP here.
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Greater Cleveland Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking Bi-Monthly Meeting on Thursday, January 16, 10am-11:30am. More than 70 partner organizations
will gather for a bimonthly coalition meeting where they will review the 2025 Collective Action Plan and unveil a new human trafficking public awareness campaign designed by Brokaw Inc. that focuses on the reality that anyone can be trafficked and that everyone can help. The campaign will invite the public to take a pledge to join the fight against human trafficking. As a part of this event, proclamations from Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne along with County Council and City of Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb will be shared.
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2025 Human Trafficking Prevention Statehouse Advocacy Day on Wednesday, January 29, 8:30 AM, Statehouse Atrium, Ohio Statehouse. This event brings together more than
200 community leaders, advocates, survivors, coalition partners, and state elected officials to focus on prevention and inspire action. Open to the public. Register here.
Advocacy Day will feature remarks from leaders and advocates, including:
Kara B. Wente, Director of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth
Kelli Cary, State Anti-Trafficking Director, Office of Criminal Justice Services, Ohio Department of Public Safety
Linda Majeska Powers, Legal Director of the Ohio Human Trafficking Initiative, Office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost
State Representatives Richardson and Williams, with Rep. Williams confirmed to speak
To stay up to date on all that is happening throughout the month, follow us on social media:
Facebook @Collaborative to End Human Trafficking and Instagram @collabtoendht
Training Programs
The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking provides practitioner-driven, survivor-informed content that is responsive to the particular needs of victim service providers, businesses and system stakeholders, their communities, and the victims they serve.
Our trainings strengthen the victim assistance responses to human trafficking, give training participants tools they can use in their work, support multidisciplinary task forces and cross-sector collaboration, and build stakeholder capacity and leadership in identifying human trafficking victims and connecting them to services.
Take action now to deepen your organization’s knowledge and employees’ skills for responding to human trafficking.
Topics include but are not limited to:
- Trauma Informed Care & Survivor Centered Programming
- Building a Trauma Informed Organization
- The Role of Collaboration in Anti-Human Trafficking Work
- Vicarious Trauma & Resiliency Building
- Ethics
- And many more
The Collaborative offers educational programs on human trafficking for diverse audiences.
For more information or to schedule a program contact info@collabtoendht.org or fill out the program request form.
“Very well put together training the presenters did amazing and this training was packed with information that I did not know about this matter” (Thrive Peer Support).
“Enhanced my understanding of trauma informed care practices. I really thought all of the training was very valuable. I would love to see more trainings like this in the future”. (Portsmouth Coalition)
“The presentation was excellent. Just listening to the trainer, her knowledge and passion” (ADAMHS Board)
Survivor Leadership
Anti-trafficking efforts can only be successful with comprehensive inclusion of diverse professionals, including survivor leaders. Our Survivor Advisory Council members offer insight into the anti-trafficking field through application, adaptation and validation. Their insights gained through lived experiences and professional endeavors will highly impact the fight against human trafficking within Northeast Ohio and beyond.
Community Engagement
We work collaboratively with individuals and groups of people to bring about change. Our goal is to empower volunteers to become ambassadors of the Collaborative’s mission. We provide comprehensive training and opportunities to raise awareness about the reality of human trafficking and to help shape a future free of trafficking in our community.
Everyone has a role to play in the fight against human trafficking. You can use your voice to raise awareness and initiate action.
- Social Media
Engage people via social media who are also willing to spread the word about Human Trafficking. We make it easy for Ambassadors to quickly share information with followers. We create images for you to share or hashtags that will prompt engagement.
- Fundraise
Start a fundraiser to support the mission of the Collaborative and other anti-human trafficking efforts in NE Ohio. We can help you find the fundraising strategy that works best for you.
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Greater Cleveland's Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking
“It is impossible for any single agency or organization to respond comprehensively to the problem of human trafficking.”
Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking leads the efforts of Greater Cleveland’s Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking, Northeast Ohio’s 70+ member anti-human trafficking coalition made up of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and businesses.
Together we are working to:
- Develop and sustain a coordinated and consistent response to human trafficking in our community
- Harness the collective power of the multidisciplinary membership to substantially improve the capacity of our community to impact the problem
As the backbone organization for these efforts, the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking maintains overall strategic coherence, coordinates the day-to-day operations, and implementation of the work, including stakeholder engagement, communications, data collection and analysis, and other responsibilities.
