Rescue Update: Fall 2023
Director of Trauma Therapy
Since our last rescue update, we have received eight women into our program with seven of them continuing to heal with us! The most common way that The WellHouse receives a survivor of human trafficking is through our amazing partnerships with other organizations, but anyone can make a referral by calling our intake phone number or sending the rescue department an email.
It’s important to understand the many different ways someone can end up in an exploitive situation. Exploitation is often covert and easily dismissed if you are unaware of what to look for. Other times exploitation is more overt in nature, but because of the growing normalization of pornography and sexualization (mostly of girls and women) society is more comfortable viewing exploitation as “sexual liberation” rather than abuse.
Various types of exploitation include:
Sex Tourism (i.e., Jeffrey Epstein)
Abuse Networks or Structures – think about the Larry Nassar case. This is the perfect example of someone using their power and abilities to sexually exploit hundreds of college athletes.
Escorting – many people do not see escorting as exploitation. Sentiments such as “she’s doing this to herself” are common. However, the escorting company is controlling the woman (or man) and essentially becomes the pimp. If you would like to learn more on this topic, I recommend reading Paid For by Rachel Moran.
Sugaring – This is rampant on college campuses. Society and social media are selling having a “sugar daddy” as empowering. Girls are made to believe that exchanging sex for monetary gifts is being a “girl boss.”
Strip Clubs and House Parties – Again, a woman’s sexuality is seen as a “party favor” or as entertainment.
There are other types or categories of sexual exploitation, but these seem to be the most common in society these days. In the words of Dan Allender, “Sex is God’s idea…” and any perversion of God’s original design for sex is an attack from the enemy. The enemy uses fear, shame, embarrassment, disgust, and avoidance as tools to keep women trapped in the cycle of exploitation. Therefore, a call to our intake department is more than just a phone call; it’s the first step in releasing these women from that cycle!