Watch PhD student Ran Hu’s 10-minute talk on “Decolonizing the stories we tell about survivors of human trafficking”

FIFSW PhD student Ran Hu presented a 10-minute talk on “Decolonizing the stories we tell about survivors of human trafficking” at the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) 2020 Conference.

Her presentation drew from a study she conducted that examined how social service providers represent victims. Through her research, she found that their stories often reinforced “dominant victim stereotypes” while highlighting “the positive impact of their services on clients, rather than survivors’ efforts made in their journey of healing.”

Hu’s research interests include structural and interpersonal violence, violence against women, and issues related to commercial sex and human trafficking. Her previous experience includes program evaluation and development, direct practice in community-based organizations serving migrant women involved in the commercial sex industry, groups affected by HIV/AIDS, and survivors of human trafficking in the United States and China.