What You Can Do
Get Involved! The following organizations offer education about human trafficking as well as services to victims
PAATH 15: This organization works to draw attention and bring awareness to the trafficking that happens along Route 15, which is one of the highest trafficked corridors in the nation. They provide direct services to victims including but not limited to crisis intervention and response, emergency shelter, case management and legal services. Their Facebook page describes more about the organization and the aid and education services that they have.Transitions of PA: This organization was founded in the 1970's by a group of women in the Lewisburg/Selinsgrove/Sunbury area and is meant to act as a support network for victims of domestic abuse and recognizes that victims need not only legal advice and emotional support, but physical safety as well. It is a crisis center that "advocacy, empowerment, and education to victims, survivors, families, and communities to end patterns of violence and abuse". Their Facebook page describes more about the organization and the aid that they have.
YWCA of Greater Harrisburg: This organization has many different purposes, but they do have a branch for human trafficking. Their services for victims include crisis response and intervention, intensive case management, emergency shelter, and legal/medical accompaniment. Their website lists additional services they provide as well as the wide variety of initiatives they help support.
Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR): This organization acts mainly, as the title indicates, a crisis center for rape victims. However, they have an initiative called Project Traffic Stop that works to raise awareness about sex trafficking and offers various services to victims. They provide intensive case management, life skill classes, and trauma and group therapy. Their goals are to help a victim heal from the abuse endured under their trafficker/exploiter as well as help them become independent. Their website includes more information about their organization and the services they provide.
Polaris: The Polaris Project is one of the leading organizations in the country that combats human trafficking. They are the main provider of most of the human trafficking statistics that are reported in the US and referenced to by government organizations. Their organization is focused on the country-wide issues of human trafficking and raising awareness and collecting data about it. When contacted, they put the victim in contact with organizations near them that will be of aid as well as offer legal advice. Their website includes more information about their goals and the actions that they take to combat this issue of modern slavery.
Indicators of Trafficking to Look For:
- poor living conditions
- submissive or fearful
- living with employer
- signs of physical abuse
- paid very little
- feels they owe a debt to an employer
- not allowed to be talked to alone
- involved in prostitution while under the age of 18
