Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, yet it is severely underreported, and victims go unseen every day. In fact, Virginia ranked 15th in the United States for the most reported cases of human trafficking in 2016. The use of fraud, coercion and force often are used toward victims to entrap them in either forced labor or sexual exploitation. Anyone can be a victim, but the majority are women and young children.
However, the work of several nonprofits focused on ending human trafficking and helping survivors remains evermore present. Here are five Virginia-based nonprofits that are fighting to educate, aid survivors and end human trafficking.
freekind
A program formed by the combined efforts of the Richmond Justice Initiative and the Virginia Beach Justice Initiative, freekind is a faith-based nonprofit that aids in prevention, awareness and survivor support. Its national, award-winning curriculum, The Prevention Project™ Program, provides survivor-informed preventative education that is suitable for youth service members, middle school and high school disrupts the trafficking before it starts.
The organization also provides a program called Off Ramps, which offers jail-based classes to help identify victims, provide court support to advocate for alternative sentencing, reentry planning and transitional support as survivors reestablish themselves in the community.
If you’d like to support freekind, donations are accepted here. To get involved, visit here.
ImPACT Virginia
ImPACT Virginia hopes to raise public awareness about human trafficking with small- and large-scale trainings that are easily accessible online for free. ImPACT conducts trainings for healthcare providers and in workplace settings, some of which are led by survivors themselves. It also provides school prevention programs geared toward educating students.
The organization believes lives can be saved if everyone knows the signs of a life in danger.
You can support the number of programs ImPACT has to offer with a donation here. Need some training or resources? Check out its resources.
Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking
In the spring of 2011, the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking (VCAHT) sprang into action to address the issue from a policy and legislation standpoint. Since then, it passed the first standalone sex trafficking statue in Virginia and passed legislation HB2133 – a law allowing for certain charges against the victim to be removed if they were being trafficked at the time – and HB2234[AC1] – a law allowing for the victim to have affirmative court representation (for certain offenses) if they were being charged with any kind of prostitution offenses while also being trafficked at the time.
VCAHT’s goal is to remove any barrier that prevents human trafficking survivors from gaining a full and healthy life. Through campaigns, policy reform and creating survivor-centered legislation, its focus is permanent change through lawmakers. One of VCAHT’s bigger goals is to expand HB2133 and HB2234 to include protection of individuals who had to partake in sexual or illegal activities for survival.
If you’d like to join the fight against human trafficking, you can volunteer or donate to its cause. To join as a member, click here.
Survivor Ventures
Survivor Ventures was founded in 2018 to fill the economic gap for survivors of human trafficking. Operating out of Virginia and Delaware, Survivor Ventures aims to help break the cycle of poverty, incarceration and vulnerability.
The organization offers multiple support programs including rental assistance, trauma-informed employment, vocational and educational training. Its most popular program, Survivors to Entrepreneurs, secures stable housing for victims, along with 12 months of rental assistance, financial literacy training, bank ready assistance and more. At a glance, Survivor Ventures help survivors take their life back one step at a time.
Learn more about its various programs here. Donations are accepted here.
Samaritan House
Samaritan House (Virginia Beach) provides emergency and permanent housing, support services and community outreach to victims of violence, homelessness and human trafficking. It owns and operates about 14 safe houses and emergency shelters for families and individuals who may be at risk.
For victims of human trafficking, supportive services include access to medical care and vocational training. Samaritan House’s Task Force is focused on training, outreach and improving the prevention of human trafficking in Virginia.
If you’d like to donate to Samaritan House, please do so here. It is also seeking part-time and full-time employees to carry out its mission.
