Life After ‘The Life': Putting Families Back Together After Children are Trafficked

One in six boys in the United States has experienced sexual abuse before turning 18. With few recovery options in real life, more of them are going online for support.

In Colombia, violence against women and domestic abuse are some of the highest in the region due to prolonged conflict, distrust in police and justice system, and economic oppression. Women are helping each other survive and report abuse outside of official organizations.

Flip the Script is a program utilized on college campuses that trains women to prevent sexual assault. The program educates young women on setting their own personal boundaries, recognizing the early signs of a sexual assault, and training them to respond effectively to a dangerous situation. The program encompasses physical and verbal training and has proven so effective that Evidence-Based Programs rated it as the only program in violence prevention to date that earns a Top Tier score.

In Brooklyn, along with 2 other locations in New York, new mothers are receiving free lactation consultations, helping them to learn how to breastfeed their babies - but also building a sense of community for these mothers. While the ultimate goal of the so-called Baby Cafes is to lessen the barriers to breastfeeding, the community and support they provide are also essential to encouraging the practice.

Health providers are well-positioned to identify and help those who have experienced domestic violence. Nepal is one of several countries training medical workers to identify abused patients and refer them to in-hospital crisis support services.

The Neem Foundation brings intensive counseling and 1-on-1 therapy to survivors who escaped the horrific violence of Boko Haram, a terrorist group in northeastern Nigeria. With months of aid and tough conversations, the organization attempts to reunite women and children who fled the violence with their families, many of whom shun the Boko Haram escapees.

The Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT) works to positively impact the quality of life for medically underserved communities — particularly people of color within the LGBTQ+ community. APAIT’s primary focus is helping those with behavioral health challenges, housing insecurity, and who are at risk for HIV/AIDS, but has recently expanded its services to include helping those who are victims of sex trafficking.

The Elevate program is a free, eight-week course that helps guides couples to reconnect with each other and develop their parenting skills. The program helps between 30 and 40 couples each year, in-person and virtually. Since its start in 2021, the program has reached more than 470 couples, 96% of which have said they leave the program feeling happier with their partners.

Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club mentors local youth to nurture their social and emotional well-being, making them better equipped to handle the world around them. The Club also provides mentorships for fathers, helping them learn how to be more present in their children’s lives as research indicates the presence of positive role models can make youth more resilient when exposed to violent or negative environments. There are currently over 150 fathers who volunteer for events with the Club.

Boys Without Borders provides boys who experienced sexual abuse with a support system and educational resources to help them overcome social and mental health issues they may be facing. With the group’s 65 student volunteers, they have helped more than 2,500 boys since launching in 2020.