HopeLink reaches out to human trafficking victims

After being severely beaten by the man who trafficked her for sexual slavery, the 22-year-old victim - who chose to omit her name for this story - decided she needed to escape.

After talking with the Salvation Army's human trafficking outreach program, she was referred to HopeLink of Southern Nevada, a Henderson-based nonprofit, for shelter.

"Even if you want to escape, you can't if you have no place to go," said Karen Kyger, executive director of HopeLink. "Until there is a place they can go that is safe, they can't leave."

The woman, who was abducted at age 11, was forced into prostitution and ended up in a domestic violence situation before escaping.

Because she was young when she was taken, she had a hard time adjusting to her new life as a free adult.

"Plus, she had a 5-year-old son," said Molly Puno, the director of supportive housing services for HopeLink. "She was the type that needed me to tell her what to do. She didn't even know how to boil water."

Two years after coming to HopeLink, she is now living on her own, paying her rent and taking classes.

"And she never desired to go back to her old life," Puno said.

HopeLink has been providing shelter programs for victims of domestic violence or people who recently had been released from prison. Case workers found that some of the domestic violence cases seemed to be more accurately labeled as human trafficking. Human trafficking, also known as modern-day slavery, is the illegal trade of humans for the use of labor or sexual services.

HopeLink's experiences with those cases prepared it to expand the program. In early May, HopeLink received a $100,000 grant that is being using to help survivors of human trafficking.

"It was given by an anonymous donor," Kyger said. "So we are calling it the angel grant."

The program officially starts July 1, the beginning of HopeLink's fiscal year. However, it has already met with clients looking for refuge.

HopeLink anticipates being able to work with about seven clients at the start of the program. Kyger said if the program does well this year, HopeLink might receive another $100,000 for the next two years.

"Our other shelter programs house between 35 and 40 families in a year," Kyger said. "We would like to increase up to 20 (for this program)."
After HopeLink sets up the survivor at her new place, the nonprofit will pay for the rent and utilities until the survivor is able to get back on her feet.

"As they improve, they begin paying for things," Kyger said,

Kyger said that in six, eight or 12 months, however long it might take for the survivors to get through the program, they can become self-sufficient. Kyger said it takes about $9,000 per month to sustain one person.

"We are assuming they are coming in at zero, with nothing," Kyger said.

HopeLink will set up survivors with amenities such as food stamps to help with the cost.

"As we set them up on food stamps and stuff like that, our cost goes down," Kyger said. "Then we can add another family."

HopeLink plans to put the survivors in a program that will help them with anything from developing work skills to nutrition classes. Survivors also will be integrated into HopeLink's existing programs, such as a jobs program or classes on how to set up and manage a budget. Access to counseling and substance abuse centers also will be available.

"If they need it, we will help them get their GED," Kyger said.

Kyger recognizes that what will make the program successful, and what has made past programs successful, are the people who invest into helping.

"Without support, success stories don't happen," Kyger said.

Even though HopeLink has had many success stories, officials anticipate that not everyone will be able to complete the program. While some survivors have come from abhorrent conditions, living shackled in a room with 20 other people, others came from wealthier environments.

"We will have people who decide to go back," Kyger said.

Puno and Kyger said they had thought about a program for human trafficking survivors for about 18 months. They considered partnering with other agencies that would specifically help people coming out of prostitution.

Puno also went to training sessions to learn about the potential challenges and complications they could have.

For more information or to donate, contact HopeLink at 566-0576.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.