Safe House Project To Grant $500k To Support Trafficking Survivors Through Safe Housing

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Safe House Project, a leading anti-trafficking non-profit combating domestic sex trafficking, announced that it will invest half a million dollars in 2022 into anti-trafficking organizations providing safe housing and holistic care to trafficking survivors in the United States.

"Without a safe place to go and heal upon escape, 80% of trafficking victims will end up back in traffickers' hands," said Kristi Wells, Safe House Project Chief Executive Officer. "Trafficking survivors are in need of services to help them heal and begin their lives free of victimization. We are committed to funding our partners in the anti-trafficking space who seek to meet that need by launching new restorative care services or expanding programs to support more survivors on their path to healing."

According to Brittany Dunn, Safe House Project's Chief Operating Officer, "decreasing barriers to care, along with increasing capacity of services is vital to provide equitable and inclusive services to trafficking survivors throughout the United States. Safe House Project's comprehensive assessment of the national landscape allows us to identify gaps and invest in scalable and sustainable solutions to deliver quality residential care to survivors."

Since 2018, Safe House Project has awarded grants to support the launch of 272 new beds in safe houses across 18 states providing support to survivors through each step of the healing process, including emergency, long term, and transitional programs. These beds in residential restorative care provide survivors access to safety, medical and therapeutic services that allow them to heal from the trauma they have endured.

"For many survivors, opportunities to receive the care and support they deserve are few and far between," said Alia Dewees, Safe House Project's Director of Aftercare Development and Survivor Leader. "This lack of supportive services or the barriers to receiving care re-enforces the traffickers' narrative which tells victims that there is no place to go for help. We are excited to fund organizations who bring these opportunities of hope to the most underserved trafficking survivors in our country, ensuring that every single one has a place where they are sure to be seen, heard, and loved."

Bill Woolf, former Director of Human Trafficking Programs, US Department of Justice shared the value he finds in this support. "During my time with the DOJ, we struggled to provide sufficient housing to meet the needs of victims exiting their trafficking situation. Safe House Project is solving that problem by growing and elevating the national landscape of restorative housing through their grant funding and certification. Safe House Certification establishes national standards of care and certifies programs providing residential care to trafficking survivors. This dual approach helps ensure a national increase in high-quality restorative care that allows survivors to heal, grow, and regain their autonomy."

About Safe House Project
Safe House Project is a registered 501(c)3. The organization focuses on increasing victim identification above one percent through survivor-informed training, supporting victims in their escape, and increasing the number of restorative care opportunities for child trafficking victims. Since 2017, the organization has provided training to more than 200k individuals, leading to marked increase in victim identification, provided escape and emergency services to more than 220 victims, and increased restorative care opportunities by funding 272 new beds across America. To learn more about Safe House Project visit www.safehouseproject.org.

Media Contact:
Kristi Wells
202-596-2073
[email protected] 

SOURCE Safe House Project