GET HELP NOW: National Human Trafficking Hotline - (888) 373-7888
or text HELP to 233733 For local support call 24hr hotline (800) 439-6507
Please take action to help sex trafficking victims by urging legislators to support the MA Survivors Act and expand relief for victims:
This is happening on Cape Cod.
Our Vision
Every human life is a treasure, created by God with a purpose. TLI is dedicated to promoting a culture where every life is valued. Because anyone is at risk of being trafficked, we strive to build a community to prevent the injustices of sex-trafficking
and to promote restoration to survivors.
Our Mission
We respond to the challenges of sex-trafficking and exploitation by focusing on
key areas:
Safety planning, housing, and restoration services
Survivor advocacy, independence and empowerment
Choosing Safety support group
Prevention by increasing awareness through education
Community collaborations and outreach
What We Do
We work to victoriously fight sex-trafficking through:
Awareness/Training: We provide community education and training to promote increased awareness and prevention of sex-trafficking and exploitation taking place in-person and online.
Restoration: We assist survivors with strategic exit strategies, appropriate safe shelter options, and knowledgeable service providers. We do this through emergency, short-term and long-term housing opportunities.
“Behind everything that is put on the face of a trafficking survivor, what they are really like is human. When you strip everything down, they’re not a bad person, they’re not a perpetrator, they’re not a delinquent. They are not somebody who has chosen this life. ”
-
Human trafficking victims can be of any age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality immigration status, cultural background, religion, socio-economic class and education attainment level.
What is Sex-trafficking? When someone uses force. fraud or coercion to cause a commercial sex act. These would include prostitution, pornography or sexual performance done in exchange for and item of value, money, drugs, etc.
Whoever commits the crime of trafficking of persons for sexual servitude upon a person under 18 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or any term of years, but not less than 5 years.
Each year 100,000-300,000 American children are at risk of being trafficked for commercial sex in the US. (US Dept of Justice)
In 2023 the Cyber Tipline reports increased to 29.3 Million (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) That’s 80,000 reports a day for potential child abuse.
The average age a girl enters the commercial sex trade is 12-14 years old. For boys it is 11-13 years old.(National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
Up to 95% have a history of sexual abuse. (Melissa Farley, Prostitution and Sexual Violence Psychiatric Times)
89% of women in prostitution want to escape but feel they have no other means of survival. (Scientific Journal of Trauma Practice)
In some cases children may be born into sex-trafficking or be forced into it as a toddler. Sex-trafficking of those younger than 10 years old when they entered into “the life” is perpetrated almost exclusively by family members, often a father or step-father. (Thorne.org)
To date in 2023 Childrens Cove has reported 45 cases of child sexual exploitation on Cape Cod.
Studies consistently report a high percentage of child sex-trafficking victims have been involved in the child welfare system. (Child Welfare Information Gateway)
From January-December 2020, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children experienced 97.5% increase in online enticement reports versus the same time period in 2019.
-
Adult sex-trafficking and child sex trafficking are built on the economic principle of supply and demand. Buyers who are willing to pay for commercial sex acts with children make the market profitable. Traffickers will seek to capitalize on this market by manipulating and luring youth to meet the demand of buyers. Find out the tactics these traffickers use and warning signs to look for.
General Warning Signs with Children
Mark your calendar for our second annual Benefit Auction to be held this November. Our Keynote speaker will provide some great insights on the resilience and strength of survivors, shedding light on the difficult struggles they've faced while also emphasizing hope and triumph. Funds raised through this event will go directly toward making our future safe house for survivors a reality. This vital space will offer survivors a safe and supportive environment where they can heal, regain their strength, and begin to rebuild their lives. Your contribution will help create a foundation of hope and empowerment for those who need it most.