"A joyous place," Non-profits helping survivors of human trafficking get a fresh start
ACTON - Two Massachusetts non-profits are working together to helps survivors of human trafficking and prostitution.
"It's a horrible way to feel when you're trying to start all over and you have nothing," said Stacy Reed, the Director of Peer Mentorship and Advocacy for Ready.Inspire.Act., also known as RIA.
RIA is a non-profit that helps people who experience commercial exploitation, human trafficking or prostitution leave that life. The other non-profit, Gifts of Hope, gives them whatever they need to start over in their new homes.
"Sometimes it feels like Christmas when people walk in. They're like 'Oh my God, can I have one of these?' and we say 'You can have anything you want'," said Gifts of Hope co-founder, Marilyn Ellsworth.
Gifts of Hope is completely volunteer run and most of the items that survivors can choose from are donated from the community.
RIA will bring their participants to Gifts of Hope in Acton to pick out whatever they want.
"It's a joyous place. It's also a place with a lot of tears and a lot of stories," Ellsworth explained. They hope that by helping people through those stories, it helps erase the fear and stigma of getting help.
"Folks often think that if a person is over the age of 18 that they're choosing such a way of life and that's not the truth," Reed said.
Reed, a peer mentor herself, says a lot of the time when people are starting over they don't have anything.
"When they're trying to exit this way of life, the phenomenon of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation it's humiliating, it's hard," she explained.
Together, the organizations try to ease that burden.
"To have a place where you can feel welcome and be respected and take your time to pick the things you need, it's an awesome feeling," Reed said. It's a feeling they hope will inspire more survivors to seek a way out.
RIA is hosting their annual gala at the end of October. The goal is to raise money to support their mission and continued advocacy work. If you are seeking assistance or more information, visit their website.
