The National Institute of Justice (NIJ or the Institute) is the research, evaluation, and technology agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and is dedicated to improving knowledge and understanding of crime and justice issues through science. Primary Investigator, Dr. Audrey-Lumley Sapanski, was awarded $2.5 million to conduct research on human trafficking over a three-year period. To learn more about the grant, please visit the NIJ website about our funding.
The Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham is "the world's largest group of modern slavery researchers." With an international presence and a survivor-informed research focus, they bring a plethora of resources to DEPTH especially with regard to conducting a prevalence estimate of TIP along the US-Mexico border, which is a foundational goal of the project. The RL team is currently engaged in prevalence estimation of bonded laborers in 10 states of India, labor trafficking among cross-border migrants in Malaysia, and forced child begging in Niger. Primary Investigator, Dr. Audrey Lumley-Sapanski came to CMU from a position at the University of Nottingham. To learn more about this partner, please visit their website.
Mission: Border Hope is a faith-based non-profit in Eagle Pass, Texas that employs an adaptive direct service model to best fit the needs of their community. It is their belief "that all people are worthy of an abundant life and we are willing to invest our presence, compassion, prayers, and gifts to support those seeking opportunity," and do so in partnership with United Methodist Church. MBH primarily served asylum seekers who arrived at the US-Mexico border in search of a better life with temporary shelter and short-term case management services. These critical services range from helping new arrivals to navigate complex legal systems through ‘Know Your Rights’ training, providing a safe landing place and access to clean water and food, and providing basic goods. They come to DEPTH with a wealth of experience in direct service with the project's target population and culturally competent surveyors. To learn more about their mission and services, please visit their website.
The International Rescue Committee works in 40 countries around the globe to help any humans impacted by the world's most severe humanitarian crises. Their office in Phoenix, Arizona is partnered with DEPTH in a similar manner to Mission: Border Hope. For over 20 years, IRC’s offices have offered trauma-informed and client-centered direct services to trafficking survivors. IRC has gained a reputation as a national and international provider of training and technical assistance (TTA) in refugee resettlement and anti-TIP programming, including TTA focused on labor trafficking. Their high capacity for sensitive and culturally competent survivor inclusion brings a necessary understanding to the project's survey collection and interviewing process. To learn more about the IRC, please visit their website.
Western Slope Against Trafficking is a regionally-based non-profit that "consists of service providers, activists, lived experience experts, with deep roots in the western slope communities." Their primary focus is raising awareness of TIP on the Western Slope. WSAT has been affiliated with Hispanic Affairs Project, a key provider of services such as trainings and connection to services for the immigrant community in the region including migrant workers subjected to TIP. WSAT has representation on Governor Polis’s anti-trafficking Council, Polaris, Survivor Alliance, and the National Survivor Network. To learn more about what they do, please visit their website.