Psychological Perspectives on Human Trafficking

Laura Dryjanska is a global psychologist whose work in higher education spans across Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She obtained an international joint PhD in Social Representations and Communication in 2012 from the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Raising awareness and engaging in research and teaching about human trafficking and modern slavery has been on her heart since 2009, when she served on the Shadow Children Committee in Italy, first as a Rotaractor of the Rotary Club Roma Cassia, then as a member of the Rotary Club Roma Centenario. In 2013, Laura joined the Rotarian Action Group Against Slavery as a lifetime member. She is Past President of the Rotary Club Roma Centenario in Italy and of the Rotary Club of Whittier in California. Currently, she is a member of the Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking. Laura has conducted research on psychological aspects of human trafficking, authoring over twenty scientific articles in academic journals and chapters in books, most notably her co-edited volume Psychological Perspectives on Human Trafficking, published by the American Psychological Association in 2023. She has also developed and implemented university courses and study programs on the topic of human trafficking on undergraduate and graduate levels. Currently, she is the director of a minor in Human Trafficking Studies at Asbury University. Laura also represents the University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski as a member of the working group dedicated to human trafficking under the EU-funded COST Action Blue Rights.