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 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...
Health-Related Referral Patterns Among Labor and Sex Trafficking Survivors in Los Angeles County, CA
Cast’s research has been published in the Journal of Human Trafficking! “Health-Related Referral Patterns Among Labor and Sex Trafficking Survivors in Los Angeles County, CA” takes a deep dive into...
Measuring the Impact of Services for Human Trafficking Survivors: Tracking Clinically Significant Improvement Across Outcomes
For years, success in survivor services has been measured in numbers—but do they truly reflect the reality of healing and progress? The Journal of Applied Social Science has published a...
Research and Evaluation Snapshot, 2024
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;...
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...
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...
Showing 1 of 5
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...
Our Newsletter
Stay up to date with Cast.
Sign up to be the first to hear about Cast’s latest policy news.
Sign up to be the first to hear about Cast’s latest research and evaluation news.
resources for
providers
Our resources for social and legal service providers working with survivors of human trafficking.
