Do you know about the SafeHouses that move around Charlotte?
“A city of activists.” Lisa Koons said the words calmly, but with the same conviction it took to create a nonprofit that aims to make Charlotte just that. End Slavery in Charlotte (ESC) is a locally based organization that combats human trafficking in a city that, according to many studies, is among the worst in the nation for this problem.
Koons (photographed above with an ESC intern, Alexis) founded ESC in 2014 after a year of researching the methods of other anti-trafficking organizations. She noticed two clear gaps in Charlotte. First, there were simply not enough volunteer activists. Secondly, there was an intense lack of short term care facilities in which people can stay immediately after their escape from trafficking.
To help remedy these issues, ESC became a volunteer clearinghouse that transforms citizens into resources. The organization also began to create SafeHouses. ESC SafeHouses aren’t just physical spaces; they’re blueprints.
“We wanted to create a model for SafeHouses that could be replicated in any city in the United States,” said Koons. “SafeHouses that are largely volunteer-driven and that… provide a place for [human trafficking survivors] to go while their case manager makes determinations on what’s the best next step for them.”
Next steps can include moving to a mid-term or long-term care facility in which they’ll receive counseling and learn to acclimate to everyday life, a government facility to work on major psychological issues or drug addiction, a transition house that features a work or study program to give them skills for future employment, or being returned to their families.
Currently, case managers are forced to make snap decisions concerning the wellbeing of survivors who are in delicate situations. ESC’s SafeHouses not only provide safety, structure and compassion-fueled resources and activities, but also equip case managers with enough time to create a thoughtful, thorough plan for each survivor.
In terms of life in the SafeHouse, Koons said, “There is no ordinary day.” Koons explained how ESC tailors each survivor’s experience to their needs, with fun being a primary tool. Playful activities such as skating, theatre and horseback riding have been touted as vital pieces to healing from trauma. ESC also transports survivors to counseling and medical appointments, as well as government sessions helping survivors re-obtain their identification papers and access government-provided social services.
The SafeHouses generally hold up to five occupants and are designed for immediate care, so individuals stay for one to 90 days. Additionally, a SafeHouse moves every 12 to 18 months to ensure the security of those living in it. ESC is currently in that transitional period, which brings a flurry of activity and decision making. Koons said, “It’s glorious, it’s sacred, it’s wonderful work, but it’s also very tedious. Locating a house that is a good fit, that fits all of our safety parameters; partnering with churches and businesses to fill the house with furniture; putting all of the safety mechanisms up in the parameter of the house, from the street to the inside to outside; training the volunteer staff; scheduling; and then finally beginning to take receipt of sex and labor trafficking survivors.”
To fight the atrocity that thrives within their city’s borders, Charlotteans are encouraged to connect with ESC on EndSlaveryInCharlotte.com. They’ll find a plethora of local organizations such as Redeeming Joy, Market Your Mind, Not Your Body and Lily Pad Haven that they can contact directly based on their interests and skill sets. Because January is Human Trafficking Awareness month, several organizations including End Slavery in Charlotte have series of impactful events in the coming weeks, all of which can be found on ESC’s events page.
Charlotteans can begin a relationship with ESC to learn about the nature and roots of human trafficking and opportunities to fight it. Koons said that social media campaigns—simply posting about human trafficking statistics and forms—are an easy way to raise much-needed awareness about this rapidly growing, intensely lucrative criminal industry. The visions of people like Koons and simple, internet-sparked actions from Charlotteans can begin to transform Charlotte into the city of activists it needs to be.
Photo: Hannah Bridges
This story was originally published December 18, 2016 at 10:00 PM with the headline "Do you know about the SafeHouses that move around Charlotte?."