Leslie Painter is the director of the Lighthouse for Women and Children.

How RMA is battling this crisis with prevention and recovery programs

For over half a century, Rescue Mission Alliance has been a beacon of hope, offering refuge to those struggling with homelessness and addiction. Now, we’re illuminating a darker corner of our community: human trafficking.

This month, we observe Human Trafficking Awareness Month; it’s an opportunity to let you, our supporters, know how Rescue Mission Alliance is facing this problem head on. Human  Trafficking, a modern-day form of slavery, is a worldwide issue, but it is also a crisis in this community.

According to Homeland Security, it’s a $150-billion industry that uses force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or sex act. Shockingly, 64% of trafficking survivors were experiencing homelessness or housing instability at the time of recruitment.

At Rescue Mission Alliance, we’re committed to being a proactive force against human  trafficking. By providing shelter, recovery programs, food, clothing, and unwavering support, we aim to protect the vulnerable before they fall prey to traffickers.

The Safe House Project reveals a stark reality: 80% of trafficking survivors are at risk of re-victimization if they don’t have somewhere safe to go. Rescue Mission Alliance is committed
to breaking this cycle.

We are an established organization that offers refuge, recovery, and restoration for those that are experiencing homelessness, addiction, domestic violence, and now, human trafficking. This is not to say that we have not had any trafficking survivors come through our shelters or
programs in the past. But now we are a comprehensive, trauma-informed, person-centered, faith-based organization that is ready to tackle this problem.

By providing essential services like shelter, counseling, case management, and community support, we empower survivors to rebuild their lives. We create safe environments where they
can heal, grow, and thrive, free from the trauma of the past.

Join us in this fight. Together, we can combat human trafficking and ensure that every survivor has a chance at a brighter future.

Blessings,
Leslie Painter
Director, Lighthouse for Women
and Children