Erryn Tappy
CNA Research Intern
Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking

Call it our summer of surveys. As interns at LCHT, my colleague Mindy and I have been tasked with launching a Community Needs Assessment (CNA) in Boulder.

The ambitious research project is designed to facilitate the enhanced coordination and provision of services to victims of human trafficking in the state of Colorado. To date, LCHT has surveyed more than 160 first responders who have contact with victims – an integral part of the CNA process. LCHT has carried out CNAs in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Englewood and Cheyenne, WY. Before extending the CNA to Boulder, Mindy and I had to first edit the 14-page survey LCHT distributes to first responders. We spent months scrutinizing every word and every sentence in the document. Sounds tedious, right? For us, it was exactly what we wanted as interns: an opportunity to grow as community-based researchers.

I was drawn to this internship, specifically the CNA project, because it combines two topics I am really passionate about: science and social justice. As an undergraduate, I took a class focused on human trafficking, which is what originally motivated me to become involved in the anti-human trafficking movement; however, my understanding of research in the field has been deeply enhanced through my work at LCHT.

Mindy and I both came into the CNA project with our own values and expectations about community-based research. Thankfully, they closely match the values of LCHT. We believe community-based research should go beyond making observations from the outside looking in, and instead should support the community in identifying and voicing their own needs. We believe research should be non-exploitative. We try to be mindful of the impact that each step of the research process may have on a community. And we’re committed to sustainability. To us, that means we don’t own information gathered in a CNA, the community does.

When creation and ownership is shared, a project can gain life beyond laboratories, libraries and agencies.

In extending the CNA project to Boulder, we’ve learned a lot, building upon the beliefs we had at the outset of the project. We’ve gained a new level of appreciation for the complexity of the research process, and the necessity to be mindful of details. Yes, dissecting every sentence in a survey is time-consuming, but researchers need to be critical of every detail to obtain success. This became clear to us while editing the survey used to gather data for the CNA project. Without a strong foundation, research undoubtedly suffers.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project is seeing how eager people are to learn more about the issue of human trafficking and what they can do about it. It’s also inspiring to recognize the potential that local communities have to combat human trafficking. Additionally, we witnessed first-hand the advantages of being connected to the community throughout the research process. As a recent graduate of CU Boulder, my sense of belonging to that community has been so helpful in establishing connections there. I didn’t have to start from scratch. It was great to know what resources were available to me, and to feel comfortable in reaching out to those resources. I feel fortunate to be able to bridge the roles of both a Boulder community member and a researcher.

We are optimistic that others can form similar bridges between their communities and the anti-human trafficking movement.

For more information, check out this link on our site. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please include them in the comments section below or e-mail us at info@combathumantrafficking.com.