The Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as an act that “involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.” Because this heinous crime requires deceit, manipulation and exploitation, vulnerable people are usually a trafficker’s preferred target. And because of the lack of protections for immigrants, Latinos are more susceptible to trafficking.

People leave their countries for different reasons, but for most undocumented immigrants, the main reason is to search for a better life for themselves and their families. Unfortunately, a very broken immigration system has contributed to migrant human trafficking. Immigrants fear their traffickers and are afraid of local authorities and deportation if they speak up.

Residential facility

Since 2012, Zoe Ministries has been aiding victims of human trafficking by providing treatment to survivors of sex trafficking and sharing information to help people identify, report and fight sex trafficking. Soon, Zoe Ministries will open a residential care facility for trafficking victims in Delaware. In this program, the unique needs of survivors will be addressed. The long-term treatment facility will be operated by licensed professionals who provide services ranging from therapy to education to medical treatment exclusively for teenage girls.

“When this project started 11 years ago, there was no record of trafficking in our state. We are doing our little piece and hope our work continues expanding. A lot of different agencies are reaching out asking for training. I am hoping that we have gotten the wheel spinning enough to increase awareness and promote prevention,” said Yolanda Montgomery, executive director of Zoe Ministries in Delaware.

Equine mentorship

Zoe Ministries runs an eight-week equine mentorship. In this program, a child and an adult mentor are matched with a horse using the curriculum Power Over Predators (POP) to teach the child about boundaries, self-worth, love, healthy relationships and how to identify trafficking. Services include counseling and internet safety.

Montgomery explained how our community can support survivors in Sussex County.

“The first thing we need is awareness to protect those who have not yet been trafficked. Sex trafficking is preventable. I would much rather focus on increasing community awareness than addressing exploitation after it occurs,” she said.

Requesting support

Montgomery emphasized the need for resources and volunteers.

“We need monthly support, we need donors, we need volunteers and mentors, professionals who are willing to be trained, presenters we can train to do presentations, we need interpreters and bilingual talent.”

For more information about Zoe Ministries, https://zoe-delaware.org or contact Yolanda Montgomery, ymontgomery@zoe-delaware.org.