BGSU professors share insight on combating human and labor trafficking, honored for their efforts during Ohio Attorney General's summit

University professors Dr. Lara Wilken and Tracy McGinley routinely collaborate to raise awareness about human and labor trafficking nationwide

By Branden Ferguson

Committed to addressing the ongoing, and often overlooked, issues of human and labor trafficking nationwide, Bowling Green State University professors Dr. Lara Wilken and Tracy McGinley have made it their mission to raise public awareness on the topic while also helping survivors.

For more than a decade, the pair has blended their respective disciplines – Wilken's in nursing and McGinley's in criminal justice – to educate healthcare providers on survivor care and treatment and to help law enforcement better identify and interact with victims.

This spring, they spearheaded the launch of the innovative BGSU Labor Trafficking Education and Research Initiative, focused on gathering quality data, developing survivor-informed best practices and establishing cross-sector partnerships through education, advocacy and empowerment. The new initiative is a collaborative effort between the College of Health and Human Services and BGSU Firelands.

“Human trafficking continues to be a major issue in our communities,” Wilken said. "We see many misconceptions of what trafficking entails. It is essential that we not only educate on this topic, but that we include survivors in the development of simulation and teaching of the content, as they are the experts.”

In addition to their work at BGSU and in the community, Wilken and McGinley also help shape statewide conversation and policy on addressing human and labor trafficking, serving on Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's Human Trafficking Initiative.

This summer, both participated in Yost's annual Human Trafficking Summit in Columbus, where Wilken hosted a breakout session featuring simulated scenarios focused on survivor-directed and trauma-informed approaches.

“It is exciting to share the great work that is being done at BGSU with anti-trafficking leaders from across the state of Ohio,” Wilken said. “The summit was a wonderful opportunity to work with other professionals from all over the state, as it is important to remember that we cannot work in silos if we want to empower victims and survivors.”

In addition to providing their collective valuable insight, Wilken and McGinley were recognized by the Ohio Attorney General at the summit for their work on the University's Labor Trafficking Education and Research Initiative.

As Wilken and McGinley continue to expand their work and outreach on the initiative, the BGSU professors said they plan to involve students in research and service-based projects to bolster their education through experiential learning.

“In a time when there are so many myths about what human trafficking is, it is important that our students are receiving the facts and that they share this information with others,” McGinley said. “Our students will ultimately work in the nursing and criminal justice fields, two areas that will likely encounter human trafficking victims. It is important for them to know how to identify and assist victims.”