Belmont University, a recognized pioneer in innovative education, is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to combat human trafficking through a powerful collaboration. The university’s Data Collaborative (BDC) has joined forces with Engage Together, a leading organization dedicated to eradicating human trafficking, to create data-driven solutions that are already making a significant impact. This 18-month partnership, focused on leveraging data to understand and address vulnerabilities, has seen remarkable progress in Tennessee and is now poised to become a national model.
Engage Together, known for its comprehensive approach to strengthening community responses against human trafficking, has been actively working with key Tennessee agencies, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) Human Trafficking Task Force and the Tennessee Counter Trafficking Alliance (TCTA). Their current project in Tennessee highlighted a critical need: a way to pinpoint the specific vulnerabilities within communities that traffickers exploit. This is where Belmont University’s pioneering spirit and data expertise came into play.
Ashleigh Chapman, Founder and CEO of Engage Together, articulated the transformative potential of this collaboration. “I had been searching for a way that we could accurately render the data in such a way that it would showcase which communities are at higher risk for trafficking and why. Marrying that picture against our assessments of responses at a community-level, well, that’s powerful. That’s transformative really.” She recognized that visualizing this data was the key to unlocking more effective strategies.
Belmont’s Data Collaborative embraced this challenge, developing a pioneering tool that visualizes vulnerability data alongside community response information. This innovative approach provides a comprehensive, county-level picture of both the risks and the resources available to combat trafficking. Tommy Strickler, data analytics manager for the BDC, emphasized the community-centric nature of their work. “The novel approach that we’re taking with our work with Engage Together is that from a community perspective, going in and helping mobilize individuals, organizations, businesses and governmental agencies, to see the role that they can play in helping stop human trafficking completely in their community.”
The impact of this pioneering model was immediately evident. When presented to stakeholders and participating agencies, the data visualization tool sparked palpable excitement. Chapman recounted, “You have a sense for what’s going on when you’re serving your community, such as a law enforcement official, a nonprofit director, a Department of Children’s Services leader, but to see the data laid out like that truly is powerful. This has never been done before; it was revolutionary.” The ability to see concrete data illuminating the challenges and potential solutions was a game-changer for those on the front lines of this fight.
The success of this Belmont-led initiative has resonated at the highest levels of government. U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Amy Klobuchar have introduced a bill aimed at creating a National Human Trafficking database, housed at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This proposed legislation has the potential to scale Belmont’s pioneering approach nationwide, offering a standardized, data-driven framework for combating human trafficking across the United States.
“They felt that this kind of model needed to be nationally available,” Chapman explained. “We’ve provided guidance on that bill, and we’re excited to see where it goes. If it passes, the database with the FBI would streamline data collection efforts in each state and strengthen each community’s data-driven insights and response strategies.” Looking to the future, Chapman optimistically added, “I think Belmont and Engage Together will have hopefully 50 states to support soon,” highlighting the potential for widespread adoption of their pioneering work.
The partnership between Belmont’s BDC and Engage Together is not limited to Tennessee. Building on their initial success, they are expanding their support to the TBI and TCTA, and are actively planning expansions into other states, including Florida, Texas, and Montana. Furthering their commitment to data-driven solutions, they are also pursuing a federal grant to conduct a five-year study on the histories of trafficking survivors in Tennessee. This in-depth research promises to yield even richer insights into vulnerability factors, informing more targeted and effective interventions.
Recognizing critical gaps in victim identification, the collaboration is also pioneering solutions within the healthcare sector. Chapman noted, “90% of victims of trafficking in the U.S. are presenting themselves to local healthcare settings many times, and they’re not identified as victims of trafficking.” To address this, Chapman and the BDC are developing programs to equip healthcare providers with the essential knowledge and tools to identify potential trafficking victims, turning healthcare settings into vital points of intervention.
For Engage Together and Belmont University, providing data and information is just the beginning. Their ultimate goal is to drive action and empower communities to become active participants in the solution. “We don’t want to give people information about an issue and not invite them to become part of the solution,” Chapman emphasized. “Everything we do in Engage Together is to hopefully drive action.” Resources like Engage Together’s Justice U course series offer tangible steps for individuals to get involved and become educated.
Universities like Belmont play a pivotal role in this fight. “Universities are phenomenal conveners and collaborators with the community,” Chapman explained. “They can take on those deep dive research projects, whether it’s faculty-led or from a center like the BDC. Universities can bring resources, energy and thought leadership around something that direct service providers, who are always triaging so much, wouldn’t have the resources or bandwidth to put to it. That’s such a great partnership.” Belmont University, as a true pioneer in this space, is demonstrating the profound impact that academic institutions can have on complex social issues through data-driven research and community engagement.
This partnership exemplifies Belmont’s deep commitment to addressing complex social issues with innovation and collaboration. As this pioneering project continues to expand and evolve, it holds immense promise for making a significant and lasting impact in the ongoing fight against human trafficking, showcasing the transformative power of partnerships between universities, non-profits, and government agencies.
