Exploring survivor-centered communication: A preliminary investigation into the communication strategies of organizations employing survivor leadership in human trafficking contexts

Risk communication scholarship on human trafficking allows us to understand the crime’s profound societal impacts amidst misinformation, sensationalized media, and the potential for widespread harm to individuals and communities. This paper explores the survivor leadership model, applying Buzzanell’s communication theory of resilience (CTR) in the human trafficking context. By thematic analyzing organizational websites, this study explores how the processes of CTR emerge as organizations communicate their support for human trafficking survivors’ resilience and communicate risks related to survivorship. Findings reveal framing techniques and narratives for communication of human trafficking, with theoretical implications for CTR and practical insights aiding the communication strategies of nonprofit organizations, policymakers, and scholars. The study also contributes to educating the public, providing a more accurate portrayal of human trafficking compared to sensationalized media depictions, thereby fostering awareness.