Actions Panel
Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Shifting Perspectives and Police Practices
Date and time
Location
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
299 North Spring Mill Road Room 102 Villanova, PA 19085Refund Policy
Description
Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Shifting Perspectives and Policing Practices
Co-sponsored by the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation and the Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
Police, prosecutors and communities in the United States are experiencing a transformation in the way they view commercial sexual exploitation, and these shifting perspectives are affecting law enforcement’s response to prostitution and sex trafficking. At this pivotal moment, the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE Institute), in collaboration with the Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, hosts Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Shifting Perspectives and Policing Practices.
This one-day conference brings together national and international experts to discuss innovative police practices and prosecution strategies, international perspectives on policing commercial sexual exploitation, challenges to gathering sound empirical data and opportunities to advance reform.
The event takes place on Friday, June 24, from 8:50 a.m. - 4:15 p.m., in the Blank Rome LLP Classroom (Rm 102) at the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. It is open to the Villanova community and the public and is approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for 6 substantive credits.
Welcome: 8:50 – 9 a.m.
Panel 1: 9 – 10:15 a.m. “Innovative Investigations and Shifting Police Practices”
Sgt. Donna Gavin, Detective, Boston Police Department
Marian Hatcher, Senior Project Manager and Human Trafficking Coordinator for the Office of Public Policy, Cook County Sheriff’s Office
Margie Quin, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Moderator: Les Glauner, Detective, Upper Merion Police Department
Panel 2: 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. “Prosecuting Sex Trafficking: Diverting Victims, Deterring Demand and Targeting Traffickers”
Dalia Racine, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney, Dekalb County District Attorney’s Office
Amanda Rodriguez, Chief Program Officer, Turnaround, Inc.
Robert Schopf, Deputy District Attorney, Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office
Moderator: Shea Rhodes, Director, the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Break: 11:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Panel 3: 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. “Difficulties with Data: The Promise and Perils of Empirical Research on Commercial Sexual Exploitation”
Joel Filmore, Clinical Assistant Professor, the Family Institute at Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois)
Eliza Reock, Director of Programs, Shared Hope International (Vancouver, Washington)
Christine Stark, Community Faculty Member, Metropolitan State University (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Moderator: Michelle Dempsey, Faculty Advisor, the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Lunch: 1 – 1:45 p.m.
Panel 4: 1:45 – 3 p.m. “International Perspectives on Commercial Sexual Exploitation”
The Rev. Margaret Fowler, Executive Director, Theodora Foundation (Negril, Jamaica)
Ruchira Gupta, Founder, Apne Aap Women Worldwide (Kolkata, India)
Nicole Siller, Research Fellow and PhD Candidate, University of Groningen (Groningen, Netherlands)
Moderator: Ruth Gordon, Professor of Law, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
Panel 5: 3 – 4:15 p.m. “Creating Real Opportunities for Survivors and Cultivating Survivor Leadership”
Alisa Bernard, Board member, Organization for Prostitution Survivors
Autumn Burris, Founder and Director, Survivors For Solutions
Vednita Carter, President and Founder, Breaking Free
Shamere McKenzie, Anti-trafficking Program Director, Salvation Army of Central Maryland; and CEO, Sun Gate Foundation
Moderator: Lesha Sanders, Project Dawn Court, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania
* Parking is free for all attendees
Program registrants who are unable to afford continuing legal course registration fees due to financial hardship may petition for registration fee waivers or discounted program fees. A petition for a reduced fee shall be filed at the same time the attorney pre-registers for the program, and state why the normal fee associated with the program causes the lawyer a financial hardship. The petition must be signed by the lawyer. The Law School’s CLE coordinator may waive or reduce the fee for the CLE program at his/her discretion.