“What’s the Value of a Black Girl?" – The Intersections of Sex Trafficking, Racism & Sexism

NASW-WA Live Webinar
September 18, 2026, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, PST
via Zoom

3 CE Credits 

Presented by Crystal Bennett, LMSW

Register Now: https://tinyurl.com/ypakxms9

Price: $75/NASW Members, $120/Non-Members

Webinar Description:
Human trafficking is a crime that preys on vulnerabilities and although it cuts across age, ethnicity, race and socioeconomic status, Black girls have an increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation as a result of racism and systematic oppression.   Although Black women and girls make up 13% of the US population, they represent 40% of sex trafficking victims and account for 51% of prostitution arrests.  Black girls are oversexualized, dehumanized and often treated as criminals rather than being allowed to exist in environments which provide hope and healing. 

We each have a shared responsibility to combat human trafficking.  In order to prevent trafficking and work to create environments for survivors to thrive, we must address the root causes of trafficking.

Through the use of personal testimony, video clips, and group dialogue, the presenter will lead the audience in exploring the experiences of trafficking and sexual exploitation for Black girls and explore the racial roots that contribute to the dehumanization and sexualization of Black girls.  Participants will recognize how systematic oppression increases vulnerability to the push/pull factors of human trafficking and evaluate the use of trauma and survivor informed approaches in order to avoid re-traumatization and build resilience.  

1. Analyze the intersectionality of human trafficking, racism, and sexism, and how these factors collectively impact Black girls in the U.S.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of current anti-trafficking efforts and identify biases within these systems that may hinder support for Black girls.
3. Create strategies to address and mitigate the adultification and dehumanization of Black girls within various societal systems.
4. Synthesize historical and contemporary data to understand the root causes and ongoing impact of human trafficking on Black communities.
5. Critique the role of power, privilege, and positionality in perpetuating human trafficking and propose actionable steps to shift power dynamics and support survivors.

About the presenter:
Crystal Bennett, LMSW, is an educator, an advocate, a survivor, and a self-proclaimed thriver! For the past 25 years, she has been driven by her personal experiences of trauma to elevate and amplify the voices of individuals and communities in order to promote healing and opportunities to move from surviving to thriving. 

Crystal has demonstrated a passion in sharing her experiences in order to help individuals heal from their personal traumas and work alongside professionals to create trauma-informed, culturally inclusive, and person-centered spaces. Her experiences include advocacy within the child welfare system, oversight of child and youth programs, crisis hotline response, delivery of community-based mental health services, and implementing trauma-informed strategies and programs for school districts. She has been called upon to provide training, coaching, and consultation across the nation in the subject areas of Human Trafficking, Suicide Prevention, Motivational Interviewing, Child Trauma & Maltreatment, and Racial Trauma. She is a fierce advocate for social justice and leads courageously to dismantle oppressive systems and create equitable and just services, policies, and programs.