The group heard from experts about human trafficking as a national and international crime (Francesca LaGuardia, Department of Justice Studies and Debra Jones, International Organization for Adolescents), they met with survivors of trafficking and connected with Jasmine Ostrow, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and Joseph Remy, National White-Collar Crime Center. Detective Sergeant Richard Hershey from the New Jersey State Police highlighted experiences and challenges with human trafficking cases. To illustrate the differences between the American and Austrian criminal justice system, the group also completed two field trips to the Essex Co. Criminal Court and Northern State Prison.

Group with judge Marysol Rosero, Criminal Trial Judge

International student travel, such as this annual program with the University of Graz is important because it fosters personal growth, global awareness, and career readiness—all while enriching academic learning through real-world experience.

GCHT was honored for its impactful work in education, research, and community outreach around human trafficking. Its interdisciplinary approach and student-focused programs have strengthened campus engagement and elevated Montclair’s leadership in this critical area.

“We are a small, but incredibly dedicated team. This recognition reflects that we are making an impact on this campus and beyond,” said Dr. Daniela Peterka-Benton, Director of the Global Center on Human Trafficking.

Congratulations to all the awardees and honorable mentions.

Robinson was honored for her efforts to transform how survivors are engaged in the anti-trafficking movement; particularly through her leadership in ethical storytelling and survivor-centered engagement. She is committed to creating healing-centered spaces where survivors are not only recognized but also empowered as professionals and leaders. Through innovative programming and advocacy, Christabelle continues to push for meaningful change and amplifies survivor voices in ways that are both respectful and meaningful to all parties.

“The Freedom Award reminds me that the work we do today is rooted in the legacy of those who came before us; survivor leaders, allies, and advocates who paved the way and made it possible for us to connect and collaborate as we do now. I’m deeply honored and humbled to carry even a small part of that inherited mantle. This recognition is not mine alone; it is a representation of the community that holds me, supports me, and walks beside me as I strive to carry forward this work with care and intention during the time I am fortunate to be on this journey. Thank you to our community for believing in me and creating a space where I can grow and feel empowered to take up space,” Robinson shared.

The Freedom Gala is a continued celebration of progress, serving as a powerful call to action for continued collaboration and education in the fight against human trafficking.

Dr. Peterka-Benton planned a rigorous program of lectures, presentations and field trips during their four-day visit with the support of the Global Center on Human Trafficking and the Department of Justice Studies.

“International cooperation and collaboration are vital in fostering a global perspective on justice” – Peterka-Benton

The group began their program with a day of lectures and roundtables focusing on the crime of human trafficking, its enforcement and prosecution, and the impact on survivors. In a powerful panel discussion with two human trafficking lived experience experts, Gina Cavallo, a well-known local New Jersey survivor advocate and anti-trafficking consultant, and Christabelle Robinson, Program Coordinator at the Global Center on Human Trafficking, shared their vital knowledge about the human trafficking experience and the importance of survivor leadership in anti-trafficking initiatives.

“Survivor leaders, advocates, and professionals with lived experience bring critical insight into the realities of human trafficking by combining expertise with lived experience, challenging misconceptions and leading with truths often obscured by mainstream narratives,” said Robinson. “Lived experience shows us the path forward, transforming how we understand, confront, and prevent human trafficking.”

Additional talks over the groups 4-day visit included a presentation by Kayla Munoz, a victim specialist in the Newark Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as a roundtable on legal service needs for survivors with Jessica Kitson, Director of Legal Advocacy Volunteer Lawyers for Justice & Avtar Sheppard-Singh, Esq., Chief Attorney for Legal Services of New Jersey.

Kayla Munoz, FBI

Jury box US District Court (front left to right: Alain Senatus, Training Specialist, Hon. Julien X. Neals, Daniela Peterka-Benton)

As part of their Transnational Crime and Justice class, our Austrian visitors were also interested in experiencing the U.S. Justice System more broadly, which they were able to do during a visit of Northern State Prison in Newark. The highlight of this visit was a meet and greet with inmates sharing their stories and answering questions. It was a deeply impactful experience for the Austrian students and their faculty to see a correctional approach that is very different from their own experiences.

The group also visited the US District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark and was welcomed by the Honorable Patty Shwartz, Court of Appeals Judge for the Third Circuit, and the Honorable Julien X. Neals, United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey and their staff. Both judges took extensive time out of their day to speak to the students about the federal court system and human trafficking cases in particular. In addition to the individual sessions with both judges and a presentation from the U.S. Marshalls’ Service, the group also had the chance to witness two sentencing hearings.

This year’s program was again well-received by our Austrian colleagues and keeps garnering a lot of interest from other students in Graz.

“International collaboration in academia is essential for promoting cross-cultural understanding and addressing global challenges like human trafficking. Both students on-site and those in Austria, who followed our activities via social media, were inspired by the unique insights into the U.S. justice system and the invaluable learning experience gained through this program”, said and Dr. Nina Kaiser and Dr. Sebastian Gölly (University of Graz).

For more information about this annual visitation program, please reach out to peterkabentd@montclair.edu.

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Ali Boak, the inaugural Director of the Global Center on Human Trafficking. Ali’s foundational work over the past three years has been instrumental in the Center’s development. She is now moving on to become the Executive Director of Lifeway. We are grateful for her contributions and wish her the best in her new role. Thank you for your continued support of the Global Center on Human Trafficking. We look forward to new opportunities and successes under Dr. Peterka-Benton’s leadership.

The study was conducted by the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication and the Global Center on Human Trafficking.

Highlights from the study on ‘Pizzagate’ on X include:

• A 9,501.5% spike in Pizzagate posts on the X platform in the period after Musk’s boosting of the conspiracy
• 375,140 posts using the term Pizzagate
• 81,536,652 total impressions generated by original posts referencing Pizzagate

Google Trends Analysis showed a similar increase in online search activity related to Pizzagate. The most liked, viewed and retweeted posts consistently supported the baseless Pizzagate conspiracy.

“The Pizzagate conspiracy is an example of the sensational and fictitious presentation of human trafficking that makes solving the real problem of human trafficking so much more difficult,” said Daniela Peterka-Benton, academic director of the Global Center on Human Trafficking and coordinator of the Trafficking Misinformation Network.

“Particularly concerning is that the Pizzagate conspiracy is foundational to QAnon. The QAnon conspiracy is based on a number of antisemitic tropes and elevating it online in the current context seems to be particularly irresponsible,” said Bond Benton, associate professor of Public Relations in the School of Communication and Media at ����vlog.

The full study, “Everything Old is Q Again,” was conducted by Benton and Peterka-Benton from the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication, located within the School of Communication and Media, and the Global Center on Human Trafficking, respectively.

For media inquiries, contact the Media Relations team at ����vlog.

Mr. Abrowka has a wealth of experience in the field of human trafficking and child protection through his work with the United Nations and also possesses research expertise with blockchain and Geographic Information Systems to monitor and prevent child labor in Ghana’s cocoa sector. During his short 2-day stay on our campus, Mr. Abrokwa gave three lectures sharing his expertise.

His research methods workshop “Doing Research with Semi-Literate Study Populations – Experiences from the Field in Africa” introduced the audience to research methodologies for work with study populations with limited reading and writing abilities.

“The Future Dynamics of Child Trafficking and Child Labor in Ghana– Obstacles and Opportunities Within the Future of Work Discourse” addressed child labor in the context of changes in job roles with the emergence of AI and the future of work.

Lastly, “Digitalization and Child Labor in Agriculture: Exploring Blockchain and Geographic Information Systems to Monitor and Prevent Child Labor in Ghana’s Cocoa Sector” introduced the audience to how technology can help to identify high-risk areas of child labor in cocoa growing areas and possibly other sectors of agriculture.

For more information about the speaker or his lectures, please contact peterkabentd@montclair.edu. Dr. Peterka-Benton would like to thank the College of Humanities and Social Sciences for supporting this expert lecture series through the CHSS Interdisciplinary Groups fund.