By DOVES
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and the DOVES Program asks you to remember three words: Empower. Prevent. Protect.
Empower: Provide survivors of human trafficking with the support and resources they need to heal and rebuild their lives. This includes connecting them with organizations that offer legal, medical, and emotional support, as well as providing safe housing and helping them to access education and employment opportunities. It is also important to listen to and believe survivors and respect their choices.
Prevent: Raise awareness and educate friends, family, and neighbors about the signs of trafficking. Wear blue on January 11th to bring attention to the issue—and be prepared to help others understand the importance of supporting survivors. Contact local and state representatives to address the underlying factors that make people vulnerable to exploitation, such as poverty, discrimination, and unstable living situations. Support initiatives that address these issues and work towards creating a more equitable society for all.
Protect: Build a community that is safer and more just for everyone. This includes offering support and resources to vulnerable individuals to help prevent them from becoming victims of trafficking, as well as advocating for policies and practices that promote justice and respect for all people. It also means working to dismantle systems of oppression and inequality that contribute to the exploitation of certain groups
Human trafficking can affect anyone, but some individuals may be more vulnerable due to their needs and current and historic discrimination and inequity. This includes people living in poverty or in unstable housing situations, as well as those with a history of trauma or addiction. People of Color, immigrants, and those who identify as LGBTQ+ may also be at higher risk of exploitation.
It is not uncommon for victims of human trafficking to feel a sense of loyalty or love towards their traffickers, and they may not see themselves as victims while they are being exploited. This emotional manipulation, combined with threats of violence or harm to themselves or their loved ones, can make it difficult for survivors to leave their situations.
It's important to understand that while media stories often portray trafficking as a violent act of kidnapping, the reality is that most traffickers use psychological tactics such as tricking, defrauding, manipulating, or threatening victims into providing commercial sex or exploitative labor. By dispelling the myth that kidnapping and physical force are the primary tactics used by traffickers, we can better understand the psychological manipulation and coercion that is often at play. This understanding is vital in our efforts to prevent and combat trafficking, as it allows us to more effectively target our efforts and resources towards the root causes of exploitation.
The DOVES Program is dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking, and offers a range of empowerment-based and strengths-centered services. This includes a 24/7 helpline at 866-95-DOVES and a text line at 515-599-6620, as well as advocacy and support to help survivors access legal, medical, and emotional services. The DOVES Program believes that every survivor deserves the chance to live a safe, healthy, and fulfilling life. For more information about the DOVES Program, please visit www.DOVESProgram.com.
Source: www.polarisproject.com