Thank you for coming to my fundraising page for RIA, Inc. and taking the time out to read about why I care so much. What drew me to RIA is its simple yet steadfast vision:

A world where people's bodies are not victimized, exploited, bought or sold for the gratification of another.

This shouldn't be controversial, but sadly, it is. Typically, this truth makes the headlines because of famous perpetrators, like Jeffrey Epstein and Sean "Diddy" Combs. What rarely gets airtime are the survivors, people in every community. They are traumatized, with experiences that haunt them for the rest of their lives. They are a population that's often ignored and vilified, when really they are the ones who need protection and help. You may think it's easy for a survivor to leave her pimp, but her reality is not that simple. In fact, she may face coercion, manipulation, threats, abuse (physical and/or emotional), or extreme dependence for basic survival.

Did you know?

• Research indicates that the average age of entry into prostitution is ~14 years old. At such a vulnerable age, informed and voluntary consent is highly questionable. Think of the decisions you made when you were that age.
• Many don’t recognize what’s happening. In fact, "people in sex trafficking situations almost always know and even trust or love their traffickers." Traffickers target vulnerable people without material support so they can fill a void - give them a place to live, clothes, get rich quick, or be a "trusted" adult. Because of these dynamics, a survivor doesn't even realized she's being groomed, and because of the psychological control of the trafficker, she may even believe that she chose her situation. These emotional ties can be as strong as physical restraints. 
• A survivor shared: “I stopped blaming myself for believing the lie that I chose to be exploited and learned all about psychological coercion—the method traffickers use to exploit 78% of their victims.”

I pledged to raise $10,000 to help RIA because I share their vision of physical and emotional autonomy, of independence. RIA is women-led and survivor-informed. They meet women where they are and walk alongside them on their journeys towards healing and freedom.

A donation of any amount will have a direct impact on the life of a survivor. Consider this:

• $1015 can provide emergency housing for one survivor for one month
• $500 can provide a survivor family with essential food for one month
• $150 can cover essential medical fees for one month.
• $50 can pay for transportation costs so that a survivor can attend one critical support meeting.

Will you join me? 

Thank you!

Manleen