Opioid Task Force event explores intersection of addiction, human trafficking

Dr. Abigail Judge spoke to dozens of community members, nonprofit leaders and residents about the intersection of substance use disorder and commercial sexual exploitation during a presentation organized by the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region on Jan. 30.

Dr. Abigail Judge spoke to dozens of community members, nonprofit leaders and residents about the intersection of substance use disorder and commercial sexual exploitation during a presentation organized by the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region on Jan. 30. SCREENSHOT

By CHRIS LARABEE

Staff Writer

Published: 02-03-2025 2:53 PM

To mark the end Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which is observed annually each January, the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region welcomed a Boston-based expert to talk about the intersection of opioid use disorders and human trafficking.

Dr. Abigail Judge, founder of Boston HEAT (Human Exploitation and Advocacy Team), spoke to dozens of Franklin County and North Quabbin residents, nonprofit leaders and law enforcement representatives Jan. 30, where she highlighted the multi-organizational work being done in Boston and shared insight into how opioid use disorders can compound the already difficult work of combating human trafficking.

Boston HEAT, Judge explained, is a partnership model dedicated to supporting women at the intersection of opioid use disorder and the commercial sex trade. It is made up of peer advocates and partners from Massachusetts General Hospital, the Boston Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit, the women’s services program from the Suffolk County House of Correction and a nighttime drop-in space for women.

This sort of collaboration between human services organizations, medical centers and law enforcement is the key to ensuring women get the help they need, Judge said. In Franklin County, the Opioid Task Force works with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and numerous community organizations like the Salasin Project and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin.

“This is a team sport. This is teamwork and it’s very hard to build a team that is trusting, durable and not competitive,” Judge said. “I think you need pieces of all of these to do this work effectively and collaboratively.”

While collaboration between organizations is key, Judge said the on-the-ground work is even more important because helping women deal with sexual exploitation, as well as opioid use disorder, is challenging due to the complex situations these women are in, as well as the stigma associated with substance use and sex trafficking/sex work.

When substance use disorder and commercial sexual exploitation co-occur, Judge explained, it can affect the course of the illness, cause people to go back to using drugs and make the treatment longer or more complex. She noted that “most of our services don’t address trauma and [substance use disorder] in a unified way” and that there is still a lot of work “to do in this space.”

In working with these folks in difficult situations, Judge said it is important for service providers to build a connection with the person they’re working with, while also sharing resources, when appropriate.

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“This is hard to talk about. They are ashamed, they know what the world thinks of it,” Judge said. “The relationship-building is how disclosure happens. … People talk more when they’re safe.”

For more information about the Opioid Task Force and its efforts, as well as resources for substance use disorder, visit opioidtaskforce.org.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.