Rescue:
The beginning of freedom.
We rescued 570 people.
151
231
118
31
39
Outreach looks like:
- Having a presence in red light districts.
- Providing care packages with toiletries and gifts with our Local Partners' contact information.
- Community events that build relationships between victims and our Local Partners.
Spain
In Spain, our Local Partner has a hotline that trafficking victims can call for help. They coordinate a rescue, arrange housing, and provide restorative care.
Thailand
In Thailand, one of our Local Partner specializes in rescuing women who have been trafficked from other countries. These cases require assistance with visas and repatriation. Their services are in high demand because of the number of trafficking victims.
Uganda
In Uganda, our Local Partner worked alongside the government in a raid that recovered 500 women and children who had been held captive. They responded to this emergency situation and secured housing and social services for a number of the victims.
INDIA
In India, one of our Local Partners opened an outreach center. This center provides medical care and counseling services to women and children in the heart of the red light district.
SPAIN
In Spain, our Local Partner has a hotline that trafficking victims can call for help. They coordinate a rescue, arrange housing, and provide restorative care.
Thailand
In Thailand, one of our Local Partners specializes in rescuing women who have been trafficked from other countries. These cases require assistance with visas and repatriation. Their services are in high demand because of the number of trafficking victims.
Uganda
In Uganda, our Local Partner worked alongside the government in a raid that recovered 500 women and children who had been held captive. They responded to this emergency situation and secured housing and social services for a number of the victims.
INDIA
In India, one of our Local Partners opened an outreach center. This center provides medical care and counseling services to women and children in the heart of the red light district.
Before
Freedom changes everything.
Hover over the different areas of impact to learn about life before and after slavery.
Tap the different areas of impact to learn about life before and after slavery.
Before
Mental HEALTH
Victims of sexual slavery endure emotional, sexual, and physical abuse, which results in trauma.
Economic IMpact
Victims of sexual slavery are often forced to give any money they earn to their pimps. This is one way they are controlled.
Empowerment
Living in slavery means that victims are highly controlled, moved from place to place, and isolated from people who care about them.
health
Women and children who are enslaved have to endure physical and sexual abuse. They are exposed to STDs, and often denied access to any medical care.
education
Children forced into slavery spend their days serving sex buyers instead of going to school.
Education
Children forced into slavery spend their days serving sex buyers, instead of going to school.
AFTER
Freedom changes everything.
Hover over the different areas of impact to learn about life before and after slavery.
Tap the different areas of impact to learn about life before and after slavery.
AFTER
Mental HEALTH
When people are set free, the process of healing can begin. Women and children take part in recovery programs designed specifically for people who have dealt with trauma.
Economic IMpact
Women set free from sexual slavery are given opportunities for education and vocational skills. This means they don’t have to go back to abuse and have the chance to use their education, vocation, and story to help their community thrive.
Empowerment
Being free means girls are no longer being locked away, hidden, or controlled. Being free means having the chance to make their own choices, pursue their own dreams, and be part of community.
health
Being free means no longer enduring harmful abuse, and the chance to receive the care they need.
education
Freedom gives survivors the opportunity to go back to school. An education means choices for their future, a renewed sense of confidence, and the chance to contribute to their communities.
Education
Freedom gives survivors the opportunity to go back to school. An education means choices for their future, a renewed sense of confidence, and the chance to contribute to their communities.
Some of our favorite stories from 2018:
Woman rescued in Ethiopia.
After 5 years of sexual slavery, a 25-year-old woman is now in the care of our Local Partner in Ethiopia. She dreams of being a hairstylist one day.
A 40-year-old woman set free in Thailand.
Our Local Partner connected with her through a community gathering. Her physical health has improved, and they are working through the trauma she has faced.
Sisters rescued in Mexico.
Two young survivors entered our Local Partner's care after being trafficked by their mother. Today, they are safe and well cared for.
A 47-year-old set free in Costa Rica.
One of the most common forms of exploitation today is child marriage. This woman was given up for marriage at 13, and has endured 30 years of abuse. Today, she is building a business through selling handcrafts.
A 17-year-old girl from Nepal is free and back in school.
Trafficked by a neighbor, she endured sexual slavery for over 3 years throughout Ethiopia. She was finally rescued by local law enforcement and placed into our Local Partner’s care. She is currently safe, doing well, and studying computer skills.
A 15-year-old girl from India is safe and free today.
For 2 years, she was trafficked by her aunt. Each week, she was sold to different people. Thankfully, she had another aunt who wanted to help her. The aunt brought her to our Local Partner for safety and protection.
Mother and child set free in Romania.
A 27-year-old woman and her son were rescued in Romania. She was given a contact card by one of our Local Partners, memorized their phone number, and reached out. Within 2 hours, our Local Partner rescued her. She has returned to her home city to recover.
A 4-year-old girl rescued in the red light district in India.
She and her mother shared one small room where her mother was prostituted. Now, she is able to live in a safe home, while maintaining a relationship with her mother.
A 26-year-old in the U.S. rescued through online outreach.
Our Local Partner found her online ad and began texting her. She is finally free after 4 years of exploitation.
Restoration:
Confronting the past and facing the future with courage.
After survivors are rescued, they enter into restorative care. This is where they can begin to heal from the trauma they have experienced. Restorative care looks like:
- Housing
- Counseling
- Medical care
- Legal services (VISAs, passports, advisement, etc.)
- Recovery programs
- Case management
- Education
- Emotional and spiritual care
- Vocational training
Some people need a safe place to live after they are rescued, so we provide them with housing and care through a restoration home.We helped 479 people through 37 restoration homes in 2018.
Other people have a safe place to live, and can receive restorative care during the day at a restoration center. We helped 1,074 people through 22 restoration centers in 2018.
Whether survivors come to a restoration home or a restoration center, they are receiving holistic care that allows them to begin a new chapter.
myanmar
Our Local Partner in Myanmar offers both residential and non-residential restorative care. Women who have been trafficked, experienced sexual exploitation, or forced into marriages can receive counseling, creative therapy, life skills, vocational training, English classes, jewelry making, and employment opportunities.
ethiopia
In Ethiopia, women take part in a rehabilitation program that includes counseling, group teaching, and addiction recovery support. During this time, women also participate in vocational training. Our Local Partner has relationships with businesses to connect women with jobs once they are ready to be in the workforce.
cambodia
Women in Cambodia, who have been a part of the nightlife entertainment industry, can receive counseling, vocational training courses, and academic scholarships through our restoration center.
myanmar
Our Local Partner in Myanmar offers both residential and non-residential restorative care. Women who have been trafficked, experienced sexual exploitation, or forced into marriages can receive counseling, creative therapy, life skills, vocational training, English classes, jewelry making, and employment opportunities.
ethiopia
In Ethiopia, women take part in a rehabilitation program that includes counseling, group teaching, and addiction recovery support. During this time, women also participate in vocational training. Our Local Partner has relationships with businesses to connect women with jobs once they are ready to be in the workforce.
cambodia
Women in Cambodia, who have been a part of the nightlife entertainment industry, can receive counseling, vocational training courses, and academic scholarships through our restoration center.
In 2018, 382 people graduated from restoration programs. This is the first chapter in a new story of freedom, marked by emotional healing and economic empowerment.
A future free from slavery.
Job skills and education empower women to earn a living without slavery.
397 people received job skills and/or vocational training.
In Ethiopia,
women are supported with counseling and group teaching, and have the opportunity to learn knitting, jewelry making, and baking.
In Bolivia,
survivors are trained in high-quality textile work and receive full-time employment, health benefits, and holistic support.
In Uganda,
women are educated on entrepreneurship and business skills. From there, they are counseled in choosing a career based on their personality and skills. Women can learn tailoring, cooking, and jewelry making.
In Spain,
survivors gain food service skills, customer service experience, and workplace readiness through our Local Partner’s coffee shop. They created the coffee shop specifically so that they would be able to train and offer women employment.
In Cambodia,
survivors have the opportunity to study cooking and cosmetology. They train for a full year before they are integrated into the workplace, and continue to be monitored and mentored as they make the transition.
In Southeast Asia,
women have the opportunity to learn cosmetology. As they train, they spend 4 days in the classroom and then open their salon to paying customers once a week and are able to earn wages. As they gain experience, they spend more time in the salon. Survivors also have the opportunity to learn jewelry making to earn an income.
582 people attended school.
We invest in education because it’s one of the most powerful antidotes to slavery.
45˚ Survivor Leadership Summit
Rescue:Freedom hosted its first ever leadership experience for survivors, bringing 12 women from across the U.S. together in Seattle.
These women have demonstrated natural leadership abilities within their own industries and communities. This event was developed to invest in these women and help them reach their maximum potential. In physics, 45 degrees is the optimal trajectory for launch to achieve the furthest potential distance. Over 3 days, these women had the chance to interact with and learn from senior level business leaders from Starbucks, Amazon, Purpose Boutique, newlife Church, and Caffè Lusso. They were able to learn about leadership strategy, cultivating company culture, overcoming obstacles, and exploring their faith in leadership.
Prevention:
Every person we prevent from being enslaved is one less person who needs rescue.
We reached 6,386 people through prevention programs.
Adults:
3,534
Teens:
2,279
Children:
573
Prevention programs help populations of people who aren’t currently exploited, but are considered at risk because of poverty, abuse, lack of education, or other factors. Prevention looks like:
- Providing safe places for children, who are vulnerable to trafficking, to play and learn, away from dangerous people and circumstances.
- Training on how to identify potential traffickers and false job offers used to coerce victims into trafficking, and how to get help.
- Providing English classes to people in impoverished areas. Fluency in English opens up opportunities that otherwise wouldn't exist, particularly in the tourism industry, entrepreneurship, and continuing education.
Prevention means that someone was cared for, equipped, and empowered without the trauma of slavery.
Here are some prevention programs you made possible in 2018:
Cambodia
Our Local Partner provides education to girls from very poor families in 5 different communities. The girls receive support outside of the classroom as well, things like life skills education, mentorship, and empowerment clubs. They also teach what human trafficking looks like, how to migrate safely, and what healthy relationships look like. By providing girls with education so they can earn an income without slavery and supporting their development, this Local Partner is helping create a future without slavery.
Philippines
Our Local Partner has rolled out a prevention curriculum in schools, churches, and local villages. This program focuses on cultivating self-worth, decision-making, and creating healthy boundaries.
Colombia
Our Local Partner provides kindergarten programs to children of women in the red light district. These kindergartens provide free early childhood education and meals. This Partner also provides 24-hour childcare. For children in the red light district, having access to education can be life-changing.
CAMBODIA
Philippines
Colombia
Our favorite stories are the ones where slavery never happened.
Equip & Engage:
Everyday people taking action to end slavery.
When people are equipped with knowledge on how to identify and respond to victims of slavery, our network of abolitionists grows.
Some people have specialized skills, like police officers or nurses. Other people are citizens who want to make a difference. Either way, we can all take action to stop the cycle of slavery.
Equip & Engage looks like:
- Education on what trafficking is and how it happens.
- Learning how to identify victims and how to respond.
- Understanding demand and the patterns and behaviors of sex buyers.
- Understanding the connections between pornography and trafficking.
- Trauma care or counseling for staff, social workers, health care workers, police, or other people who respond to needs in human trafficking situations.
“The information we received pushed us to understand that we are professionally and personally responsible to pay attention to this crime and do everything in our power to combat it.”
- Police officer trained in Mexico City
- 80,030 people educated and equipped through digital resources.
- 1,318 police and law enforcement trained.
- 582 doctors and first responders trained.
- 2,663 government workers trained.
- 769 NGO workers trained.
- 137,049 students, teachers, and citizens trained.
“It’s a privilege to provide practical and understandable trauma training to our Partners on how to help victims of sexual exploitation on their path to healing. Survivors are experiencing healing throughout the world, and it's such a privilege to witness."
- Dr. Becca Johnson, Psychologist
Local Partners:
Slavery is a global problem, and it must be met with a global solution.
Our Local Partners are experts at fighting slavery within their own communities, and by connecting them with other Partners, we can have global impact. The more connected our Local Partners are, the stronger we become.
Meet some of our Local Partners:
We work in 18 different countries through 25 Local Partners:
In 2018, we added 6 new countries where we’re fighting slavery:
COLOMBIA
MYANMAR
Uganda
CAMBODIA
SOUTHEAST ASIA
MEXICO
Your support provides:
Spain
Our Local Partner opened a coffee shop that provides vocational training for survivors, support for their restorative programs, and a space to educate the community on human trafficking.
Thailand
This Local Partner was able to build an additional room onto their restoration home in order to house 10 more girls. The result? Ten new rescues and survivors in their care.
Central Asia
In Central Asia, our Partner was able to complete the renovation of a second kitchen in their café space. This kitchen provides dignified work and living wages for survivors. The café also serves as a place to sell goods made by survivors.
Bulgaria
Our Partner was able to furnish their restoration home for the women and children who live there.
Colombia
In Colombia, our Local Partner was able to renovate their restoration home to help vulnerable women and children, and also have a space for non-residential support services.
India
Our Local Partner has opened a space to provide safe shelter, counseling, vocational training, and business opportunities (including pig farming) for adult survivors. They are able to offer residential and non-residential support.
Swaziland
Your support has paid for a brand new water system for our Local Partner in Swaziland. We were also able to furnish their space and pay for their electricity for an entire year.
Bolivia
After operating out of an overcrowded facility, our Local Partner was able to expand their restoration home and program offices.
Local Partner Gathering
Local Partners pour themselves out to end slavery, so we designed an event to pour back into them. For the first time ever, we brought 19 different Partners from 12 countries together. Our Partners were able to meet face to face, and be with people who understand the joys and challenges of their work.
They were able to learn from one another and share their knowledge through panels and question and answer sessions. We hosted trainings on team culture, engagement, and trauma-informed care. By growing in community, we grow in our ability to fight slavery.
- Jeremy Vallerand, CEO & Founder
Our Supporters:
The people who power the movement.
"We are so grateful for all of our supporters. For our Team Freedom members who give every month and drive our work forward in 18 countries. For Freedom Fighters that raise funds and allow us to reach more people. For churches and businesses who strive for a world without slavery. And for the select group of donors that cover our operational costs, so that 100% of public donations go directly to ending slavery. Thank you to everyone who gave in 2018. Without you joining us as an abolitionist, we simply could not have freed so many."
- DEL CHITTIM, COO
The Circle, a generous group of supporters, funded all of our operational costs, allowing 100% of public donations to go directly to ending slavery.
On Giving Tuesday, we set a goal of raising $25,000 and you gave more than 2x that amount! We raised $54,865 in one day!
More of you came to events than ever before.
Team Freedom members allowed us to expand our work into new countries because of their monthly giving.
Freedom Fighters raised the bar, yet again, with the passion and creativity they brought to fundraising campaigns.
We had the opportunity to partner with so many amazing businesses and churches, who raised funds and awareness for freedom.
Special thank you to the businesses and churches and many more who supported us in 2018:
Events:
Great things happen when we get together.
Events bring us together as a community, and bring freedom to people who need it. In 2018, we had events all across the United States, from Seattle to D.C. We are so grateful for the time we spend with you and for the impact you have on people around the world.
Finance:
From dollars and cents to
freedom and hope.
2018 was a groundbreaking year for Rescue:Freedom—it marked the start of 100% of your donations going directly to ending slavery. All of our operational costs have been covered by generous private donors. This way, you can be confident that every dollar you give is setting people free.
Total year-end net assets: $1,601,780
Total income: $2,952,115
“Rescue:Freedom believes that every dollar given must be stretched to do as much for our mission as possible. Lives are on the line, so we feel a very healthy pressure every day to be efficient, effective, and transparent with our finances. We know every donor, from the 5th grader that gives a portion of their allowance every month to the foundations that invest heavily in our work and expect the best from us, and so we strive to deliver exactly that. We voluntarily work with multiple accrediting agencies, and an auditor that specializes in non-profits, because we want to continue to raise our already high standards every year.”
- Del Chittim, COO
I believe, more than ever, that together we can push slavery into the shadows of history.
Slavery is a man-made problem, and that means we have the power to end it. We can deconstruct the systems and cultural norms that have allowed sexual exploitation to flourish. Everyday, new abolitionists, people just like you, are joining us in the fight by stepping up and asking us how they can help end slavery.
Looking to 2019, we are poised to have more impact than ever before. By making a commitment to give monthly, Team Freedom allows us to develop more effective strategies to fight slavery. Our 25 Local Partners are continuing their effective programs, while growing together as a network. Our team is increasing and finding new ways to connect with abolitionists like you. Communities and lives are changing. Freedom is reaching people who desperately need it.
There’s an ancient saying that goes something like this: “pray like it depends on God, and work like it depends on you.” I often feel like we live in the tension of that idea. This work often demands all of the faith and all of the hard work we can muster. But as long as we are living out a faith that declares freedom to the captives, justice for the oppressed, and hope for the hopeless, then I believe that history will be on our side.
The battle will be hard fought, but together, we can dismantle slavery.
-JEREMY VALLERAND,
CEO & Founder
