By Kelly Vates | Executive Director
Happy New Year!
January starts off with a bang as Human Trafficking Awareness Month is nationally recognized! I wrapped Aspen in a teal-blue scarf and we headed to the office to support survivors & staff as Fair Haven RCC's Anti-trafficking Coordinator headed to the state house to represent surviors and advocate for change.
Trafficking is built on the economic principles of supply and demand. Byers who are willing to pay for commercial sex acts make the market profitable. Traffickers will seek to capitalize on this market by manipulating and luring victims into trafficking to meet the demand of the byers. Commonly traffickers will build a relationship with a victim in efforts to understand their desires and vulnerabilities and foster emotional attachment. The trafficker may use these desires and vulnerabilities to manipulate the victim, isolate them from friends and family and use force, violence, threats, or intimidation to control the victim. Historically, because victims faced negative public stigma and often risked criminalization for the crime committed against them, assistance escaping the life seemed unattainable, further marginalizing them and committing them to a life of abuse and exploitation.
Fair Haven RCC's team of dedicated and committed advocates strive to "interrupt" this process by attacking the problem from all sides. First, Prevention/Education. Fair Haven provides primary prevention/education programming in schools FREE of Charge. We have age appropriate curricular for grades K-12 that educates on LURES and fosters problem solving. Second, we are here to walk side by side with survivors along the entire journey. From disclosure, through the judicial system and through out the recovery process. Even Aspen has attended Federal Court to support a survivor during trail. She loves leaning against a survivor to support them through the difficult times. Third, we advocate against trafficking by speaking up and speaking out about the facts/myths of trafficking here in Indiana and throughout our nation.
We are so very grateful for your continued support of Aspen and our Therapy Dog services. We are only able to provide this valuable service due to your overwhelming generosity as this program is 100% community funded.
From all of us at Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center, we wish you a safe, healthy and peaceful New Year!
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