Total Credits: 1 including 1 American Psychological Association, 1 Association of Social Worker Boards, 1 National Board of Certified Counselors, 1 California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals
This webinar examines why trafficked youth in the United States have historically been misidentified and criminalized rather than recognized as victims. Led by Mikayla Simeral, MSW, Director of Training Advancement at Shared Hope International, the session traces the evolution of domestic minor sex trafficking and highlights how trauma responses, systemic bias, and gaps in services contribute to these harmful outcomes. Drawing from both direct advocacy experience and national-level training and policy work, Mikayla will offer practical strategies for early identification, trauma-informed engagement, and survivor-centered intervention. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how misidentification occurs—and how to help shift responses that protect, support, and dignify exploited youth.
Mikayla Simeral is the Director of Training Advancement at Shared Hope International, where she develops and delivers training to strengthen responses to domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) across systems of care. Drawing on her experience as a Victim Services Coordinator in Florida’s Suncoast region, Mikayla brings deep insight into the realities survivors face and the challenges service providers encounter. Her earlier work as a Local and Global Outreach Director in the Washington, D.C. area sparked her enduring passion for social justice issues, both domestically and abroad. With a Master of Social Work and a Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology, Mikayla integrates cultural competence and trauma-informed practices into her work at Shared Hope.
