SAFE PASSAGE INC
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Mission Statement
Safe Passage was founded to support trafficked and high-risk children through Christ-centered, trauma-informed and specialized services which are relevant to trafficking recovery. Child trafficking is real and it’s happening right here. We are addressing it. When youth have been kidnapped, sold, threatened, branded, and horrendously trafficked, we step in. We provide intervention and support so today’s survivors can heal, and we provide education and awareness to prevent it from happening to another kid tomorrow. We are in this fight to end it. Safe Passage helps sexually trafficked children exit dangerous and exploitative situations, and works to prevent other children from ever falling into the trap. Our holistic approach uses school prevention programs to reach youth before traffickers do, and support services to help victims find safety and healing. This is a historic initiative. Safe Passage is the only provider in the state who is serving trafficked youth through these services. The F.B.I. has said, “Thank you for what you do, you are the only thing these kids have.”
About This Cause
THE PROBLEM Kentucky is a breeding ground for child trafficking. The state is annually investigating at least 215 cases of child trafficking in Kentucky. 94% of these victims already have a history with child welfare, which tells us our most vulnerable children are at serious risk of becoming trafficked. Youth who are homeless, runaway, poor, abused, and neglected are most at risk for the worst things in life, especially for human trafficking. We face a reality where these unfavorable (and uncontrollable) socio-economic factors tie directly into child trafficking. Unfortunately, Kentucky has some of the highest risk-factors in the nation. Kentucky is #1 for child abuse and neglect, we have over 10,000 children in the child welfare and foster care system, and we rank among the top ten worst states for opioid and drug use. All of these factors are interrelated when it comes to child trafficking, which tells us one thing; When we have spiking, record high risk factors on a national scale, you can be sure that we have a child trafficking problem. Studies from the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville have poured years and thousands of dollars into research regarding Kentucky’s response to child trafficking and related gaps in services. The studies conclude that 94% of trafficked youth have a history in the child welfare system, meaning they have been involved with courts, law-enforcement, group homes, and social workers. Although many of these children are being identified (at least 200 per year), they are being ushered through the “system” without receiving specialized support services that are appropriate for trafficked victims. Project PIVOT is a research study conducted by the University of Louisville in 2019. The study identified child welfare’s specific service-system gaps related to child trafficking. Out of three major gaps, the study reported the state entirely lacked, “targeted services available for child trafficking victims and for prevention against sex trafficking”. We launched this service directly in response to the outcry in the community, and the research that backed up the gaping need. Safe Passage is Kentucky’s leading organization that is dedicated to the issue of child trafficking. We are the first organization in the state to specialize in serving trafficked youth through long-term survivor mentorship and support services. Community partners have said, “Wow- we’ve been looking for something like this. We REALLY need you!” (Courts) and “Thank you for what you do. These kids have nothing.” (FBI) We are meeting an absolutely critical need in Kentucky, and we need your support to keep providing these services. OUR APPROACH TO END CHILD TRAFFICKING Safe Passage helps sexually trafficked children exit dangerous and exploitative situations, and works to prevent other children from ever falling into the trap. Safe Passage was founded in 2018 to support trafficked and high-risk youth through Christ-centered, trauma-informed and specialized services which are relevant to trafficking recovery. Through a comprehensive response, we help today’s victimized children while working to prevent future ones. Support services are key for ending present victimization and breaking the cycle of trauma, while prevention efforts work to reach youth before abusers do. By employing both prevention and intervention, we are working to entirely end child abuse and trafficking by getting ahead of the issue. Intervention ends today’s abuse, while prevention blocks tomorrow’s abuse. Ending future child abuse and trafficking through prevention and awareness: Youth prevention program (schools, group homes, youth agencies) Community awareness (parents and community members) Training for professionals (youth professionals and frontline workers) Ending today’s child abuse and trafficking through intervention and support: Support Services (survivor-led services for trafficked and at-risk youth, ages 11-18) SURVIVOR SUPPORT SERVICES FOR TRAFFICKED YOUTH When youth have been horrendously groomed, used, and trafficked, we step in. We provide crisis response in the short-term, and mentorship and support services over the long-term. Our services are directed by a survivor of human trafficking. Survivor-led services is a trauma-informed best practice, and so is survivor mentorship. Victimized youth are able to meet with their survivor mentor who helps them process through complex layers of trauma, make a safety plan for avoiding retaliation from their traffickers, and processing their goals so they can move forward in life and step into a hopeful future. Youth victims are supported on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, and they receive between 1-4 hours of one-on-one support per week! We are the only organization in Kentucky who is serving trafficked youth through survivor-led services and mentorship! These services provide trauma-informed support that is relevant to overcoming trafficking trauma, trauma-bonding, and re-entering “the life”. Our goal is to break the loop of trauma and fully end the cycle of victimization. One terrified mother said, “I’m at the point now where something has to give, I have to save my daughter’s life.” She had hope because she was told we could help her. One youth survivor said, "I’m so glad I have people now. I haven't smiled in forever. You guys are the only support I have, you are the only people I can call. I love you." About the survivors The survivors we serve range between 11 and 19 years old. We have youth in Louisville, Lexington, and everywhere in between. These children have been lured by traffickers in our own state, and as far as Europe. They’ve been coerced to run away from home to meet the traffickers in places like Miami, New York, and Las Vegas. They’ve been lied to, kidnapped, used, sold, traded, gang raped, burned, drowned, forced into crime, and left for dead countless times. These are real events from real stories, and from children in our community. We provide life-changing mentorship and support services to sexually trafficked and exploited youth. Trafficked or At Risk 70% of our youth were trafficked (sold for sex) 30% of our youth were abused, exploited, or groomed Demographics 60% are caucasian, 40% are people of color 95% girls, 5% boys Ages 11 - 19 Other Factors 90% of youth have a mental illness (i.e. anxiety, PTSD, depression, bipolar) 90% of youth have been raped / sexually assaulted 70% of youth have witnessed violence or murder (i.e. gang violence and murder) 50% come from a home lacking stable employment / predictable income 50% come from a single mother home Referrals 30% from the FBI 30% from parents and other partners 25% from CPS or the courts 15% from law-enforcement