CeYou! Plus!

Human Trafficking & Sextortion: The Evolving Playbook & Why Proactive Response Matters

3 Hours, 0 Minutes
Sunday, July 19th, 2026 1:45 PM EDT -4:45 PM EDT Laura Cusack

3 CE Credits

Price

$59.99 USD

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Description

Human trafficking and sextortion represent two of the most pervasive and rapidly evolving threats facing young people and vulnerable populations today. While distinct in their mechanics—trafficking involves the exploitation of a person for labor or commercial sex through force, fraud, or coercion, while sextortion uses threats to distribute intimate images to extort money, additional images, or sexual acts—both crimes share common threads: they exploit vulnerability, they thrive on secrecy and shame, and they demand that mental health professionals be equipped to recognize, respond to, and prevent them. The intersection of these threats is increasingly visible as online exploitation blurs the boundaries between trafficking recruitment and sextortion operations, with organized criminal networks now running industrial-scale schemes that can drive a teenager from first contact to suicidal crisis in under 30 minutes.

This three-hour workshop provides mental health professionals with a comprehensive, evidence-based understanding of both human trafficking and sextortion. This presentation covers human trafficking fundamentals: federal definitions under the TVPA, common myths, types of trafficking, vulnerability factors, grooming tactics, and indicators for both sex and labor trafficking. It also includes sextortion and online exploitation: how perpetrators operate using scripted grooming and AI deepfakes, the role of pornography in normalizing exploitation, real case studies with documented timelines from first contact to tragedy, and the devastating psychological impact on victims. This presentation leaves participants with practical response tools—what to say, what NOT to say, mandatory reporting obligations, evidence preservation, prevention strategies for families and communities, and a detailed walkthrough of key resources.

About the Presenter:

Laura Cusack, MSW, is a clinically trained advocate, educator, and subject matter expert in human trafficking, crime victimization, and trauma-informed care. With over a decade of direct practice and program leadership, she has delivered more than 400 hours of training to over 15,000 professionals and community members, including clinicians, behavioral analysts, social workers, and crime victim practitioners. Laura serves as Director of Programs for her local human trafficking coalition, where she develops specialized curricula for medical and behavioral health professionals, middle and high school students, school staff, parents, and hospitality professionals. She launched the organization's [kNOw MORE] Resource Library and its Survivor Support Fund, and consults for her local Human Trafficking Task Force. Previously, as Senior Victim Advocate at a Center for Independent Living, she supervised advocates serving crime victims with disabilities and trained statewide on the intersection of disability and trafficking victimization as a designated trainer for the Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute. Laura is a sought-after presenter at clinical and behavioral health conferences, including the Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Convention, PSCP: The Psychology Network, and the CEYOU Conference (2022–2026). She has also developed and delivered seven national trainings for YouthBuild USA and the U.S. Department of Labor, and has supervised more than 70 bachelor's- and master's-level social work interns from five universities as a Florida-credentialed Field Supervisor. Laura has extensive experience facilitating human trafficking prevention and processing groups with youth in diverse settings, utilizing evidence-informed curricula such as My Life My Choice and iEmpathize. She completed post-graduate certificates in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Child Welfare at Florida Atlantic University, where she also earned her Master of Social Work. In 2022, she was named Palm Beach County's Victim Advocate of the Year.

Agenda:

0:00–0:08	Welcome & Orientation	Class Segment
0:08–0:10	Part 1: HT Fundamentals Divider + Opening Video	Class + Video

0:10–0:30	Myths of Human Trafficking (10 Myth/Fact Slides)	Activity + Class
0:30–0:42	Federal Law, Trafficking Definitions & How Victims Are Trafficked	Class Segment
0:42–0:52	Case Discussions: Bri, Cassie, Brandon	Activity + Discussion
0:52–1:00	Labor Trafficking	Class + Video
1:00–1:16	Vulnerability Factors, Grooming & Recruitment, Indicators & Reporting	Class Segment
1:16–1:18	Part 2: Sextortion Section Divider + Digital Natives	Transition + Class
1:18–1:28	Cultural Influences + Interactive: “Can You Spot the Hidden Dangers?”	Class + Activity
1:28–1:38	Definitions, Key Differences, Scale of the Crisis	Class + Discussion
1:38–1:50	The Exploiters & 3-Phase Sextortion Playbook	Class Segment
1:50–2:00	AI/Deepfakes + Pornography + Break Transition	Class + Discussion
2:00–2:10	BREAK (10 minutes)	—

2:10–2:25	Case Studies: Jordan DeMay, Gavin Guffey, James Woods, Braden Markus	Class Segment
2:25–2:33	Interactive: Pause & Reflect	Activity
2:33–2:48	Platform Dynamics, Demographics, Psychological Impact, Red Flags	Class Segment
2:48–2:59	Interactive: “What Would You Do?” Scenario	Activity
2:59–3:18	Response & Prevention	Class Segment
3:18–3:26	Interactive: Action Planning	Activity
3:26–3:42	Resource Toolkit Walkthrough (13 slides)	Class Segment
3:42–3:50	Bibliography, Q&A, and Closing	Class + Discussion

This presentation is open to:

Behavior Analysts
Social Workers
Professional Counselors
Therapists
Psychologists
Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services

This online class is offered at an introductory level, and is beneficial for a beginner level clinician:

New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Additional information

Refunds: Registrants who are unable to attend a CeYou! Plus! seminar or live webinars may ask for, and will receive, a credit or refund (your choice). Refund requests will be processed within 3 business days. When an attendee knows in advance that they are unable to attend we ask that they inform CeYou! Plus! ahead of time by emailing [email protected] or by calling or texting 607-249-4585 this allows us to free up the spot in the training in the event that a training is at or near capacity.
Disability Access: If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification.
Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly.
The grievance policy for trainings provided by CeYou! Plus! is available here
Satisfactory Completion: Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion in your account or by clicking here
Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
System Requirements: Any device (such as a computer, tablet, or phone), Dual-Core 2 GHz or higher processor, and at least 4 GB of RAM capable of running a Zoom session, along with a stable internet connection.
Although early registration is recommended for this class in order to ensure the best experience, attendees may register and join until the start of the program