![]() ![]() “Safe Harbor helped me to get a preliminary protective order against my abuser. I was greeted with smiles, a calming presence, and a place to heal and rebuild my life.Thank you!” “I feel so fortunate to have found a program like Safe Harbor. I know that I am not alone, and that has made me a better parent.” “Both my child and I have received counseling that has added to the quality of our life. “I learned that I am as strong as I think I am, and that I am definitely a survivor.” Since this is so prevalent in today's society it is best to have the most information possible. The coercion they (traffickers) use to manipulate them is sad and devastating."Ĭopyright © 2017 by the Catholic Health Associationįor reprint permission, contact Betty Crosby or call (314) 253-3490.Great experience and gained great amount of knowledge. "They think that person is going to take care of them. Some women come from stable backgrounds and are college students or graduates. The women are often lured into the trafficking operations by men who pretend to be their boyfriends, she said. "The traffickers keep moving them so they don't get caught." "They may come to the hospital and not even know what city they are in," said Price. Price said that about a year and a half ago Bon Secours started recording the number of trafficking victims seen in the emergency room and there were about 61 female victims from about age 14 to 23. ![]() To date, all shelter residents have been U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the shelter also is open to house federal crime victims including international victims of human trafficking. While Henrico County is the shelter's primary service territory, victims also will be referred from localities throughout the Central Virginia region, including the counties of Albemarle, Chesterfield and Hanover and the city of Richmond. In fact, the Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney's Office has prosecuted more cases involving human trafficking offenses than any other jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, according to Henrico County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Feinmel. Price said that Richmond is a central location in the route human traffickers use to bring women to the northeast from the south and Midwest. (VOCA is an acronym for the federal Victims of Crime Act of 1984.) The grant helped the agency hire staff and purchase essential equipment and supplies. Department of Criminal Justice Services VOCA New Initiative Victim Assistance Grant Program to open the shelter. Safe Harbor received a grant of $500,000 from the U.S. "It's a total package to help them move on to the next chapter of their lives." "It's not just a place to live but a place to heal," said Easter. They also have the support of Safe Harbor staff, who provide counseling and help them complete education, learn life skills, obtain employment and find their own homes. In addition to safe housing, shelter residents receive both emergency and primary medical care from Bon Secours nurses. ![]() "It went from dreaming to a reality in a very short period of time." "We kept hearing 'we need a shelter, we need a shelter, we need a shelter,' so we brought all of the players together," said Price. The eight-bed trafficking victim facility for women, based in a confidential location, grew out of talks last year between law enforcement, attorneys, forensic nurses, victim advocates and social service providers. Price said that helping the vulnerable, including victims of trafficking and sexual and domestic violence, is part of Bon Secours' mission. Department of Health and Human Services study on programs for human trafficking victims found that human trafficking victims may be best served in dedicated facilities where services are clustered and staff is specially trained to respond to victims of complex trauma. Cathy Easter, Safe Harbor's executive director, said a U.S. ![]()
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