The Global Center on Human Trafficking
HSI and GCHT

Research

The Global Center on Human Trafficking (GCHT), housed within Montclair State University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, serves as a cross-disciplinary research hub in the global effort to combat human trafficking.

Montclair began its important work to address all forms of human trafficking in 2018 and GCHT has brought together research faculty from across campus to conduct research, develop programming, and influence policies that drastically and measurably reduce human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Through our research, we contribute to a better understanding of global human trafficking in an interdisciplinary and comprehensive context.

Our researchers work with community partners to inform policy and practice as we seek to understand the forces that drive human trafficking in the U.S. and abroad. Recognizing that a survivor-informed perspective in human trafficking research is underrepresented in existing anti-trafficking research, we are dedicated to a survivor-led approach that goes beyond simply including survivor voices. Survivors are at the forefront of our research initiatives, actively participating in every aspect of our projects, from inception to dissemination.

Our aim is to challenge existing norms and create a model of research that is not just survivor-informed but survivor-driven. This approach is not just a moral obligation but a strategic decision for more effective, ethical, and impactful outcomes in the fight against human trafficking