Human trafficking is labor and sex trafficking: Force, fraud, or coercion to induce someone to make profit against their will. Sex trafficking is more than a $150 billion annual industry. At HER Resiliency Center, we understand that the battle against sex trafficking is not just a fight for justice but a mission to restore hope, dignity, and freedom to those caught in its grips. Our commitment is unwavering: to prevent the sexual exploitation of women and provide a lifeline to those seeking a way out. In a world where the shadows of exploitation loom large, we stand as a beacon of hope and empowerment for women at risk.

Prevention Through Empowerment

Our approach to preventing sex trafficking begins with empowerment. We believe that by equipping young women with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need, we can build their resilience against exploitation. Our comprehensive educational programs cover critical topics such as recognizing the signs of trafficking, understanding the tactics of traffickers, and knowing one’s rights and resources. We also provide workshops on self-esteem, financial literacy, and career development to strengthen women’s independence and decision-making power.

Street Outreach

Sex trafficking is significantly under-reported, and one of the reasons is because so many women don’t know that they’re being sex trafficked. What we see most often is women being groomed by men who present as their boyfriends, and then before you know it turning her out to have sex with multiple men at night and subject to emotional, psychological, and even physical manipulation.

We approach sex trafficking by helping the whole woman. What are her highest needs, what are the gaps that she’s experiencing that are keeping her trapped. So if we know that she can’t work because she doesn’t have child care, we will help her get a child care voucher so she can go to work. We want to remove what she’s getting from the dynamic of sex trafficking so that she starts to recognize what is occurring, as opposed to US telling her she’s being sex trafficked because that can create a break in her psyche where someone will have a hard time showing up in their own lives because they just realized they don’t have any power.

The women on the streets, what we do is we just start to build those relationships, ask them every day when we see them, make eye contact, ask how are you doing today. A sign of someone being sex trafficked is that they won’t make eye contact and that’s part of the conditioning of the culture in sex trafficking. We though continue to show up, we continue to talk. You can read more about our street outreach here. When someone eventually says that they are ready for something different, we’re ready to go.

Support for Survivors

For women seeking a way out of sex trafficking, HER Resiliency Center offers a sanctuary and a starting point for a new chapter in life. Our support services are designed with the understanding that escaping trafficking is just the beginning of a long journey to recovery. We provide:

• Safe Housing: Access to secure and supportive living environments where women can start to rebuild their lives in safety.
• Counseling and Mental Health Support: Professional therapy and support groups to help survivors heal from trauma and reclaim their mental health.
• Legal Assistance: Guidance and support through legal processes, including obtaining restraining orders, pressing charges against traffickers, and navigating immigration issues.
• Education and Job Training: Opportunities for survivors to continue their education, acquire new skills, and receive job placement assistance to secure stable, fulfilling employment.

Community Engagement and Advocacy

Awareness and advocacy are critical components of our fight against sex trafficking. HER Resiliency Center actively engages with the community through outreach programs, awareness campaigns, and collaborations with local organizations and law enforcement. By raising public awareness about the realities of sex trafficking and advocating for policies that protect survivors and hold traffickers accountable, we work to create a society that does not tolerate exploitation.

Join Us in the Fight Against Sex Trafficking

The battle against sex trafficking is one that we can only win together. Whether you’re a survivor looking for support, a volunteer eager to lend your skills, or a donor who shares our vision, your involvement is crucial to our mission. Together, we can empower women to lead lives free from exploitation and build a future where sex trafficking is a thing of the past.