Sanctuary For Families – 1/16/14

On the 16th of January, my Social Justice group and I went to Sanctuary for Families, an organization that works to assist survivors and end the circle of domestic violence though shelters, counseling, financial assistance, career training and much more. We spoke with Emily, the Assistant Director, about what she knows about sexual violence and sex trafficking. We also volunteered by organizing and sorting their clothes, which have all been donated.

When we arrived we instantly started a conversation about sexual violence and sex trafficking. Emily told us about how, every time there is a case where there is a prostitute on the street, or in general the police sees a prostitute, the prostitute is always blamed and everybody tells her that it’s her fault if she’s a prostitute. The people who blame her don’t even know her story, what happened to her in the past. They just blame her basing on the fact that she’s a prostitute and she sells her body. Prostitutes are most of the times obligated by their pimps to sell themselves.

The average age of sexually exploited girls is 13. This means that girls younger that 13 are sexually exploited. Emily told us that there are girls of the age 9 that are sexually exploited.

Emily told us that the majority of the victims who are targeted by pimps are vulnerable and they don’t have enough support by their families. The pimps usually show up making the victim think that they really love them and that they care about them.
After this, the pimps start doing something for the victims that makes them feel happy and loved (like buying food, clothes…) and afterwards they start asking favors using the excuse that they did something for them and now the victims should do something for the pimps. The pimps start manipulating them saying that they have to be even.
They start abusing the victim to scare them if they leave.

After speaking with Emily we volunteered to sort clothing donations in the Butterfly Boutique. She told us that it was founded by volunteers, diners who used to drop off clothes. The Butterfly Boutique is a room, on the Sanctuary for Families floor, full of clothes, toothpaste, shoes, shampoo and basic supplies. Any victim of sexual violence, or sex trafficking can go there at anytime to get whatever they need for free. This helps the victims deal with their situation.

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