Bringing Freedom Through the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative
FAITH. JUSTICE. FREEDOM
Human trafficking is the fastest growing organized crime in the U.S. This August, we have partnered with Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative (NOVA-HTI), a local, Christian nonprofit combatting human trafficking, as our community outreach partner. The mission of NOVA-HTI is to prevent human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, disrupt related networks, and restore those impacted. Their strategy is to network, serve, pray, and create awareness to mobilize the local Church and community to make a difference in its own neighborhoods and ultimately, eradicate human trafficking in Northern Virginia. NOVA-HTI stands on the front lines of human trafficking by connecting with the public, law enforcement, service providers, and volunteers to identify those being trafficked and provide intervention, crisis response and aftercare services. NOVA-HTI uses a trauma informed case management system requiring extensive training and re-training of their volunteers who work with victims to help them begin to trust again and who assist them in their long journey to freedom and healing and has served as a model across the nation to empower communities to recognize and eradicate trafficking.
In 2010, Congressional Representative Frank Wolf asked the local faith community to be involved in the fight against human trafficking in Northern Virginia. The Pastors Consortium, a local group of church leaders, heeded this call by forming a team call the Loudoun Human Trafficking Task Force. They decided the best way to fight human trafficking was to serve those already in the fight, such as government agencies, non-profits, and service providers, by funneling community members and resources to them and by creating awareness within the community. In early 2013, the group re-branded itself as the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative, officially becoming a 501(c)3 organization.
Please join us in supporting NOVA-HTI organization by either considering a volunteer role or by donating to the cause, and by supporting them in prayer. We are donating $1 from every haircut we do in August toward this invaluable, local nonprofit.
Human Trafficking Stats
In the U.S., trafficking is widespread in major populations such as New York, California, and Texas. The North to South highway corridors along both coasts are also extremely popular travel routes for
quick exits to and from the U.S. Almost 80 percent of human trafficking is for sex while 19 percent is to exploit labor. There are in fact more human slaves in the world now than ever before in our
history. There are estimated to be 27 million adults and 13 million children who are victims of human trafficking. A startling fact is that human trafficking can include but does not require movement. There
are examples within communities where victims are enslaved through coercive and deceptive practices into a life of involuntary servitude including forced labor and debt bondage.
Another devastating effect of COVID-19 is the recent increase in Child sexual abuse images and online exploitation surge during pandemic. World Population Review indicates that so far in 2020 in Virginia there have been a reported 198 trafficking cases or 2.3 per 100,000 population.