At the beginning of 2026, RMIT Associate Professor Dr Brianna Chesser was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award for her work combatting human trafficking.
ATN Universities spoke with Dr Chesser about her career, and her mission to end human trafficking and exploitation.
Fulbright Australia is a bi-national, non-profit organisation supported by both the Australian and United States governments. Through the Fulbright program, scholars are given the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research in the United States, promoting collaboration and cultural exchange.
With only 20 percent of applicants succeeding, Dr Brianna Chesser was awarded a scholarship and is travelling to the US this year to participate in research surrounding human trafficking and prevention.
At Northeastern University in Boston, Dr Chesser will collaborate with survivors of sexual exploitation and policy makers to better understand and recognise the harms experienced by survivors.
Her goal is to bring the issue of human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation to the forefront of academic discourse in international human rights law.
“My research project will focus on reconceptualising the harm caused by human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation by determining how we can better meet our obligations under Article 9, Section 5 of the Palermo Protocol,” she said.
“This international treaty requires signatory nations, like Australia and the United States of America, to establish measures that discourage demand for exploitation.”
“I hope to be able to create a new operational framework that better meets the needs of survivors of human trafficking.”
Dr Chesser explained that misconceptions surrounding human trafficking continue to impact prevention and policy efforts.
“Misconceptions are prevalent in community discourse about human trafficking and cause issues with reporting, the criminalisation of survivors and poorly targeted resources,” she said.
“Common myths shift focus away from effective assistance for survivors and effective policy.”
With her scholarship opportunity, Dr Chesser is eager to work alongside human trafficking survivors and key policy makers in the US to help create change in policy and legislation through a new operational framework.
As true crime continues to surge in popularity in the media through docuseries and podcasts, Dr Chesser urges us to remember that at the heart of these stories are real people.
“I would urge everyone to remember that these stories involve real people – not characters in a story – and it is the victims or survivors of these crimes and the impact that the crime has had on them and their families that is often overlooked in sensationalised criminal cases.”
