Recent Projects
Over the past three years, faculty from the College of Justice & Safety have been involved in several significant international capacity building initiatives:
2009 Sexual Assault of Female Border Crossers
Dr. Robin Haarr, in collaboration with Drs. William Simmons and Michelle Tellez at Arizona State University, are researching sexual violence against female border crossers along the U.S. Mexico border. Dr. Haarr has also extended this research into Kentucky, looking at the sexual violence female border crossers experience as they continue their migration journey from the U.S.-Mexico border to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
2007-2009 Human Trafficking within and from the Greater Mekong Sub-Region
For the past three years, Dr. Robin Haarr has been researching the problem of human trafficking and illegal migration of men, women and children within and from the Greater Mekong Sub-Region. She has focused her attention in particular on Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma. With funding from the College of Justice & Safety Research Council she has been able to spend several months each summer in the GMS carrying out field research and meeting with international and nongovernmental organizations working to combat human trafficking in the region. While in the GMS, she has also served as a US Speaker on Human Trafficking for the US Embassies in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
2008 Invited Speaker on Human Trafficking at Arizona State University
In October 2008, Dr. Robin Haarr was invited to Arizona State University to give a talk entitled, “Human Trafficking: Global Challenges in Research and Action” as part of the 2008 Fall Human Rights Seminar Series presented by the MA Program in Social Justice and Human Rights. This talk was open to the general public. While on the ASU West campus, she gave a second talk on bridging the gap between academia and development work for a class of graduate students enrolled in the MA Program in Social Justice and Human Rights.
2008 Human Trafficking Workshops in Vietnam
Dr. Robin Haarr led a series of workshops, lectures, and roundtable discussions on trafficking in persons with the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi on human trafficking for nongovernmental organizations and governmental officials.
2007 Human Trafficking Workshops in Laos
Dr. Robin Haarr led a series of workshops, lectures, and roundtable discussions on trafficking in persons for audiences totaling more than 150 government officials, NGO leaders, and students. The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane, in collaboration with the Secretariat to the Lao National Steering Committee on Human Trafficking, hosted the events. More info
2007 Human Trafficking Workshops in Vietnam
Dr. Robin Haarr led a series of workshops, lectures, and roundtable discussions on trafficking in persons throughout the Mekong Delta and in Hanoi. The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi hosted the events. More info
2007 Study Tour on Domestic Violence for Delegates from Tajikistan
Nine delegates (victims advocates and police officials) from Tajikistan from the Swiss-funded Project to Reduce Violence Against Women spent 12-days at EKU to learn how Kentucky’s criminal justice agencies and victim advocacy agencies coordinate to address the problem of domestic violence against women. The study tour, directed and organized by Dr. Robin Haarr, focused on capacity building. The study tour involved local community agencies, including the Lexington Police Department, Fayette and Madison County Attorney’s Offices, Bluegrass Domestic Violence Shelter, Fayette and Madison County Victim Advocate Divisions, DOCJT, the KY Domestic Violence Prevention Board, and Fayette and Madison County Circuit Courts to name a few. The study tour was co-funded by the Swiss Cooperation Office Tajikistan and EKU’s College of Justice & Safety. More info
2007 Open Dialogue Project
In Tashkent, Uzbekistan, EKU’s USAID-funded Open Dialogue Project brought together Uzbek government officials, civil society representatives, and foreign diplomats to celebrate Uzbekistan’s Constitution Day and International Human Rights Day. The goal of the project was to engage Uzbek partners in democracy initiatives and promote human rights policy reform by facilitating dialogue between civil society organizations and the Government of Uzbekistan. More info
2006 Ukraine Meetings
Dr. Kay Scarborough visited Kiev for meetings with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the International Anti-Criminal and Anti-Terrorist Committee of Ukraine. Discussions were also held with representatives from the Computer Crime Research Center based in Ukraine. The visit was hosted by Oleksiy Chistyakov, retired Police General and Deputy Minister. More info
