Human Trafficking: Survivors Speak

Program Agenda:

2:00 | Welcome and Introduction

2:05 | The Impact of the FIFA World Cup in 2026 with Respect to Human Trafficking - Joseph Remy, 3CE Assistant Prosecutor, Special Victims Unit, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office

Deepen your understanding of the legislative initiatives to address human trafficking and develop your ability to advise your clients:

• Recognize the scale of the FIFA World Cup and the associated risks of increased human trafficking activity.
• Examine current efforts to draft and enact legislation aimed at mitigating the risk of trafficking leading up to the World Cup, review what the new legislation entails and its intended impact.
• Analyze New Jersey’s approach to updating its human trafficking laws prior to the 2014 Super Bowl, recognizing patterns of trafficking associated with large-scale events, and preparing for future challenges.

2:35 | Evaluating Hospitality’s Role in Human Trafficking - Michelle Stegmann, Esq.

As New Jersey prepares for the influx of visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this session focuses on the heightened responsibilities and legal vulnerabilities of the hospitality industry in preventing and responding to human trafficking. With over 1,500 lawsuits by human trafficking survivors against hotels and motels pending nationwide, it is critical that you:

• Become aware of how the hospitality industry can become a focal point for human trafficking activities during major events and the need for its increased vigilance.
• Discuss the specific legal obligations of hospitality entities to prevent human trafficking, including the necessary training for staff and balancing the privacy rights of patrons.
• Survey the civil litigation landscape and current lawsuits against the hospitality industry and discover how these cases are shaping industry standards and practices.
• Explore strategies and legal safeguards for the hospitality industry to proactively combat trafficking.

3:05 | Insights from Lived Experiences: A Survivor’s Perspective - Theresa Flores, Cristian Eduardo, Melanie Thompson and Gina Cavallo 

Human Trafficking Survivors and Advocates, Moderated by Michelle Stegmann, Esq.

3:55 | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks

4:00 | Program Ends

About the Survivors

Theresa Flores is a survivor of human trafficking, a best-selling author and the founder of The SOAP Project. She is a licensed social worker, was appointed to the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission in 2009 and has testified before the Ohio Legislature in support of human trafficking legislation. Additionally, the “Theresa Flores Law” was passed in Michigan and eliminates the statute of limitation for children who have been trafficked. Flores was sold in an underground crime ring in an upper middle-class suburb outside Detroit from the time she was 15-17 years old. She now works with other survivors, has researched the health problems of over 200 trafficking survivors, and has hosted over 400 women at Survivor Wellness Weekends. In addition to publishing five books, Flores has also received many awards including the L’Oréal Women of Worth & University of Dayton’s Alumni Association 2013 Christian Service Award and The Courage Award from the Governor of Ohio for her work in human trafficking.  

Cristian Eduardo is an advocate, speaker, and educator for anti-trafficking initiatives - including the Equality Model – and is an advocate for immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights. He is a survivor of international and domestic human trafficking, a queer Mexican immigrant, a person living with HIV, and someone who speaks openly about the mental health challenges he has faced that frequently result from trauma. Eduardo is a board member of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking and is a survivor leader at New Yorkers for the Equality Model. He also serves as a member of different survivors’ advisory boards and council, including the Alliance to End Human Trafficking, Sanctuary for Families, United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and PACT-USA. He is a co-chair of the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition and the co-founder of United Immigrants of New York and Mujeres en Resistencia, coalitions of advocates focused on creating awareness and educating about gender-based violence, including femicide, and connecting the Spanish-speaking community with accessible resources.

Melanie Thompson is the outreach and advocacy coordinator at the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women International. She is a speaker, activist and survivor of sex trafficking. With over 13 years of advocacy experience, she is both a national and international expert consultant and speaks avidly to the intersectionality of race, child welfare, juvenile justice, LGBTQ+ rights and other systems of oppression. As a subject matter expert, Thompson has extensive media experience and has testified before numerous legislatures and entities, including the United Nations and various Parliaments, about the need to pass strong anti-trafficking laws and end the arrests of sex trafficked and prostituted people in the sex trade. She sits on several survivor advisory boards working to implement inclusivity and create more effective strategies for survivors everywhere.  

Gina Cavallo is a leader in the anti-trafficking movement and the founder of We RISE USA. She is the Survivor Consultant and Board Vice-President for the NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking and is the Co-Chair of the NJ Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Anti-Trafficking Task Force. Gina also serves on the New Jersey Commission on Human Trafficking. She has testified on critical policy issues in Washington, DC and Trenton, and received the National Liberators Award for Survivor Leader in 2020. Her first book, A Survivor’s Secrets was published in May 2024.