Manual for Training Police on Anti Human Trafficking

<strong>Manual</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Training</strong> <strong>Police</strong> on Anti Human Trafficking 74
Deciding on the content of the sessions is the most significant part of the planning <strong>for</strong> training.
Following sources of in<strong>for</strong>mation can be used to finalize the inputs of a specific training session:
Learning needs analysis findings
Review and evaluation reports relating to AHT issues in the context of the organization and its work
Sex disaggregated data relating to the organization and its work
AHT research relevant to the participants’ area of work
International, national, sectoral and/or organizational AHT policies relevant to the organization’s
work
Planning/policy documents produced by the organization and/or by course participants
Evaluation reports of past training courses
Others
The participants will be practicing police personnel who are all adults. It will there<strong>for</strong>e be helpful to
keep the following in mind while designing the sessions and also during the actual training sessions.
Principles of Adult Learning
Please bear in mind that adults have different responses to training as compared to children. Adult
learners may show the following characteristics:
Adult learners enter into a learning situation with anxiety and fear that they will make fools of
themselves; they are more likely to be inhibited and hesitant to act or speak, whereas with
children it is usually vice versa.
They believe that learning new skills/adopting new attitudes are <strong>for</strong> children and that they are
already mature/developed.
Adults have pre-determined ideas and may present extreme resistance to change as they are more
‘set in their ways’.
Adult learners need an environment free of ridicule and an atmosphere of mutual and constructive
criticism.
When seen in the context of training on anti-human trafficking, you must remember that participants
might exhibit:
- Anxiety and fear at being judged <strong>for</strong> not being aware about the issue of human trafficking - You
must assuage this fear by highlighting the serious nature of the issue and how relevant the role of
the police becomes. So, this will act as a catalyst in bringing about a sense of urgency to learn new
things and apply the same.
- A notion of feeling too old/mature to be learning anything new, even if it is about a current issue
like trafficking – remind them that learning is a life-long process which does not stop at a certain
age, or with a certain maturity.
- Resistance to change their mindsets – The mindset that trafficking and prostitution are one and
the same aspect is a prevalent but misguided view. Since many of the participants will have
‘learned’ that through mainstream/patriarchal society/socialization, it is your duty, as the facilitator,
to undo such learning. You must be able to persuade them through relevant illustrations how
damaging such resistance can prove <strong>for</strong> a victim/survivor who considers the police officer as her/
his sole source of support. As such, it is crucial to police interventions that the belief that
prostitution and trafficking are synonymous is ‘unlearned’. You must impress upon the participant
that they are to represent the delivery of justice to the victim/survivors of trafficking.
- Feelings of inferiority and disdain that hold back their learning - You must be able to convey your
points in a most non-threatening, non-demeaning manner, with no element of ridicule or superiority
towards the participants.
- Resistance to ‘Outsiders’ – For example, participants may show some resistance, hesitation, or even
opposition towards other participants who are not police. An NGO trainer in a police training
college, <strong>for</strong> instance, may be regarded and treated as an ‘outsider’.