Speaking to the Future Fighters of Human Trafficking

Pam Dodge (pictured L) has served as a legal intern with CGJ, and currently serves as a student staff member and graduate assistant.

On a recent trip to Oklahoma, I had the opportunity to speak to high school students about human trafficking. One of my life-long friends is now a high school teacher, and she invited me as a guest speaker to her five classes of students. When she first extended the invitation, I hesitantly accepted, thinking that I was not possibly qualified to be a “guest speaker.”

However, in my two years of law school, I have learned far more than I realized. Through my work at the Center for Global Justice and my internship with International Justice Mission in India, I have gained the kind of knowledge that comes from hands-on experience.  I spoke to the students about a basic understanding of the issue of human trafficking, and then we compared the challenges of fighting domestic human trafficking (in the U.S.) with the challenges of fighting international human trafficking. The material I used was drawn from my work at the Center and my internship with IJM. I had so much material that I actually had to cut it down because we ran out of time in the first class. I was easily able to lay out basic concepts and to answer the students’ questions. Additionally, I provided resources to my friend (their teacher) to continue the teaching.

I was also deeply encouraged by how engaged the students were. The students were interested; they participated in discussion; and they asked tough questions. They intuitively understood the challenges facing those who fight human trafficking. While preparing, I was concerned that some of the material would be too challenging, but the students surprised me with how quickly they grasped difficult concepts that some adults struggle to understand. They also asked emotionally intuitive questions—for example, how I personally dealt with the casework in India. I am confident that many of the students I spoke with are future fighters of human trafficking.

Time has gone by so quickly—I can hardly believe that I am already in my third year of law school. Although I am still a law student, I already have enough experience to begin to teach and equip the next generation of human rights advocates. I am grateful to the Center for Global Justice for these opportunities and experiences.

This post was written by a Center for Global Justice student staff member.  The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.