Episode 4: Taking Back Control

In Episode 4, we consider how the financial sector can empower survivors of modern slavery. The episode first looks at why a lack of access to financial services can lead to greater vulnerability to modern slavery and human trafficking, how traffickers exploit victims financially through fraudulent financial identities, and the lasting impacts that this can have.

The episode then turns to ask what can be done to try to solve or mitigate these issues, discussing the importance of having financial independence and what economic empowerment can look like for survivors. The episode concludes with a discussion of the FAST Survivor Inclusion Initiative, how it works, and the resources it provides to its members.

This episode is hosted by Alexandra Cerquone, External Relations Manager at FAST and guests include Sara Crowe, Director of the Strategic Initiative on Financial Systems at Polaris; Timea Nagy, survivor leader, author and global anti-trafficking activist; Martina Vandenberg, Founder and President of the Human Trafficking Legal Center; Larissa Maxwell, Director of Illuminate, a project by the Salvation Army, Canada; Sarah Byrne, Attorney at Moore & van Allen; Megan Lundstrom, Founder of the Avery Center; Professor Barry Koch, Professor of Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and independent consultant in the field of anti-money laundering compliance and risk management; and Professor James Cockayne, Head of the FAST Secretariat.

For more information on this topic, please visit:

FAST Survivor Inclusion Initiative

The Survivor Alliance

Toolkit for Building Survivor-Informed Organizations