One of the biggest struggles survivors face after escaping the oppression of sex trafficking is earning a livable wage. Getting an education and landing a good job aren’t at the top of the list of priorities when you’re fighting every day just to survive. Often times survivors become adults with minimal education and no stable work history. Struggling to make ends meet puts additional stress on top of the hard work required to mentally and emotionally heal from the trauma a survivor has faced. The Marie McClanahan Education & Empowerment program opens doors for survivors and gives them the opportunity to turn their dreams of a career into reality. Whether it be web design, cosmetology, real estate or accounting, recipients of the program receive financial aid to pursue a degree or professional certification.

When a survivor is in a crisis, we give them a hand by providing limited financial assistance, such as paying a utility bill or providing grocery gift cards.

Although people are becoming more aware of the issue of sex trafficking in our country, there are still so many that have no idea of its magnitude and impact. Rescuing Hope provides a much-needed Reality Check to bring the issue front and center, address the myths, and reveal the real dangers to audiences across all walks of life. We partner with schools, houses of worship and community groups to arm students, parents and the general public with the information they need to protect themselves and those around them from falling victim to a trafficker. We teach them: • What sex trafficking is and how it works. • Who traffickers target, where and how. • The dangers that social media and technology can pose and ways to address them. • What to do if they suspect someone is being trafficking.

Sex traffickers don’t discriminate; race, gender and socio-economic status are irrelevant when looking for a victim. Instead, traffickers target potential victims that are vulnerable, because this can make them easy to manipulate and control. The biggest population of vulnerable people are children. Rescuing Hope teaches middle and high school students how to Play It Safe by sharing age-appropriate facts, stories and actionable tips that can help them avoid dangerous situations and empower them to protect themselves and those around them from falling victim to a trafficker. We teach them: • What sex trafficking is and how it works. • Who traffickers target, where and how. • The dangers that social media and technology can pose and ways to address them. • What to do if they suspect someone is being trafficking.

According to Georgia Cares*, 90% of the victims they serve were attending school when first approached by a trafficker. So why didn’t the teachers or counselors report this? Why didn’t they embrace the child and protect them? The problem isn’t that educators don’t care, it’s that they aren’t equipped to identify the problem and act. Educators need to be educated. Sex Trafficking 101 is a training program specifically designed to provide the knowledge and tools needed by teachers, counselors, administrators, resource officers and IT staff. They learn: • What sex trafficking is and how it works. • Why victims may not ask for help. • How to recognize and interact with a potential victim. • What protocols to put in place to report suspicions and seek assistance for students.

A 2014 study on the health consequences of sex trafficking revealed that 88% of victims came into contact with medical personnel while they were being trafficked, without identifying as a victim or being recognized as one*. How could this happen? Rarely will a victim proactively report they are being trafficked and they won’t always look or act like a victim, based on the perceptions of an untrained eye. With properly trained medical professionals, this presents a huge opportunity to provide a gateway to freedom for victims. Diagnosis: Trafficked trains medical professionals on how to recognize a sex trafficking victim and what to do next. They learn: • What sex trafficking is and how it operates. • How to detect the indicators of a trafficking victim. • Established protocols to report suspicions. • How to interact with a victim in a non-threatening manner.

As you can imagine, law enforcement plays a key role in the fight against sex trafficking. Task Forces and coordinated operations work to arrest traffickers and shut down their businesses. It’s encouraging to see more stories of successful busts and victims escape in the news. But there are still huge opportunities for law enforcement to identify and assist victims of sex trafficking, one victim at a time, with the proper awareness. Beneath the Surface trains law enforcement personnel how to recognize victims during routine operations, such as traffic stops and disorderly conduct complaints, and how to assist them in obtaining much needed services. They learn: • What sex trafficking is and how it operates. • How to detect the indicators of a trafficking victim. • Established protocols for assisting victims. • How to interact with a victim in a non-threatening manner. • The myths and stereotypes that can result in a missed opportunity to assist a victim.

The effects of sex trafficking are far-reaching and can even impact the bottom line of a typical business. The buyer of sex with trafficked victims could very well be your employee. Your employee could be using a company-owned computer, on the company’s network, to find and pay for sex; and it could be happening during office hours. A Seattle study in 2014 revealed that the peak time for procuring sex online was 2:00 in the afternoon*. And what about those expenses for customer entertainment? A night out at a “gentlemen’s club” is not harmless fun. Dancers are increasingly controlled by traffickers and gangs. So, what are the implications for your business? Rescuing Hope explains the dangers that can happen On Your Watch and provides insights on: • What sex trafficking is and how it operates. • Typical buyer activities. • Established protocols to report suspicions.

There are some in the hospitality industry who are blatantly involved in the sex trafficking industry, who profit from turning a blind eye to the victimization happening in their hotel. But there are so many more who are unknowingly contributing to the success of the trafficker’s business. This happens when employees don’t know what to look for and how to report it. In 2012 an organization in Seattle conducted awareness training with several hotels. Prior to the training only 8% of hotel staff had identified between 1 and 5 victims, but after the training, that jumped to 44%*. 36% more victims were recognized simply because the hotel employees knew what to look for. Rescuing Hope provides training for those in the hospitality industry so that they can see what is In Plain Sight. They learn: • What sex trafficking is and how it operates. • Which employees are likely to see signs of trafficking without being aware of it. • How to detect the indicators of a trafficking victim. • Established protocols to report suspicions.

Rescuing Hope supports an amazing group of sex trafficking survivors by meeting them where they are and maintaining a long-term relationship, with the goal to watch them grow from Survive to Thrive. This includes several subprograms, such as: • Elevate – a Case Worker assists the survivor in establishing an Action Plan which includes: o Goal setting o Referrals to appropriate community resources o Support with finding employment and housing o Life skills around:  A household budget  Healthy boundaries  Good communication  Conflict resolution  Solid parenting techniques  Recognizing a healthy, committed relationship • Connect – brings survivors together for support and encouragement in activities such as monthly support dinners, conferences and retreats. • Heal – brings survivors together for support and healing in therapist-led group counseling sessions. This is an interactive, survivor-centered therapeutic time.

When people first hear about the issue of sex trafficking in our country, they often experience several emotions…shock, confusion, anger, outrage, etc. Then they want to do something. Rescuing Hope provides opportunities to Be the Key and make a difference in this fight. • Speaker Support – travel with a Rescuing Hope staff member to events to run the information table, collect contact information from those who want to learn more and help answer questions. • Outreach Promotion – network in the community to secure speaking events to raise awareness of sex trafficking. • Prep Team – assist with the assembly of training materials, organize survivor resources in the Professional Clothing Closet, and other activities around the office. This is a great opportunity for students to earn public service hours!