Research &
Evaluation
Cast conducts original research on human trafficking and evaluates our programs, using uniquely comprehensive client data, in order to support advocacy efforts and improve outcomes for survivors. We envision a future in which all anti-trafficking policies are survivor-centered and grounded in empirical research, and all services are routinely evaluated with input from survivors. We empower survivors to take an active role in producing research on human trafficking. We are committed to continuously learning from survivors and providing leadership opportunities at all stages of our work.
Our current research priorities include survivors’ health and wellbeing, criminalization of survivors, and ethical storytelling. Our evaluation work focuses on equity across programs and the long-term outcomes of our services.
reports & insights
What Practitioners Need to Know About the Legal Definition of Human Trafficking
Whether someone qualifies for a T visa, victim services, or other protections often depends on one legal phrase, severe form of trafficking in persons. How practitioners interpret that phrase can...
What Survivors Want Us to Know About Storytelling
Stories are a powerful tool for raising awareness. They build support for policy change. They help other survivors feel less alone. But storytelling can also come at a cost, especially...
Processing of the T Visa, the Temporary Legal Status That Protects Human Trafficking Survivors, Has Effectively Stopped
As of June 2026, USCIS’s processing times tool shows 80% of T visa cases are completed within 30.5 months.1 Two years ago, the median processing time was 14.9 months.2 Prepared...
Research and Evaluation Snapshot, 2025
Ethan Levine, Cast The research team at Cast engages in survivor-centered, anti-oppression scholarship. Our work addresses anti-trafficking practice, including but not limited to the provision of direct services to survivors;...
What If Journalists Collaborated with Trafficking Survivors?
Journalists play a crucial role in shaping understandings of human trafficking. When describing the problem, they can draw attention to root causes and urgent gaps in policy and services. When...
What Good Is Research If No One Can Read It?: A New Look at Research Access in the Anti-Violence Field
Connecting the Dots Between Research and Real-World Advocacy Cast’s Research and Policy teams have a new paper out! Cast’s Research and Policy teams just released a new publication focused on...
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Highlights
Measuring the Impact of Cast Services Over Time
Human trafficking can have numerous lasting impacts on survivors’ lives. These include mental health impacts, such as depression and PTSD; physical health impacts, such as chronic pain, injuries, and exposure...
‘Forced Criminality’ in Human Trafficking
What is ‘Forced Criminality’? One of the most misunderstood aspects of human trafficking is “forced criminality.” Also known as criminal exploitation, forced criminality happens when people are coerced into illegal...
Survivors’ Experiences of Sharing Their Trafficking Stories Publicly: Preliminary Findings
Chris Ash, National Survivor Network, Sabra Boyd, Independent Journalist, Barbara Friedman, University of North Carolina (UNC), Ethan Levine, Cast, Andrea Lorenz, UNC. National Survivor Network Report. (2024) In preparation for...
The Provider Perspectives Study: Exploring the Criminalization of Survivors
For many years, Cast has supported survivors who have experienced criminalization over the course of their lives. Some were arrested or incarcerated before being trafficked, and made vulnerable to traffickers...
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resources for
providers
Our resources for social and legal service providers working with survivors of human trafficking.