Safety Compass Responds On-Scene to Unprecedented Number of Human Trafficking Survivors in One Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Safety Compass advocates responded to multiple scenes across the Northwest Oregon region, providing in-person crisis intervention to 21 survivors across multiple counties in a single day, 19 of whom were served during one 12-hour overnight period.
Portland, Ore. | From August 6 to August 7, 2026, Safety Compass responded in person to an unprecedented number of survivors seeking support, serving 21 survivors across multiple counties, including 19 survivors whose referrals came in between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.
This marks the largest number of survivors Safety Compass has ever served in such a short period of time, requiring as many as six advocates to respond to various scenes simultaneously.
Requests for advocacy came from multiple juvenile justice, law enforcement, and social service agencies across the region. Safety Compass advocates responded to these requests for on-scene support while simultaneously maintaining 24/7 coverage of our hotline, which fields incoming calls from survivors seeking support by phone.
Multiple survivors needed immediate access to safe shelter, including emergency hotel rooms when other safe options were unavailable. Safety Compass advocates also provided emergency supplies, emotional support, safety planning, information and referrals, and individualized advocacy based on each survivor’s circumstances.
“I am proud of the difficult, life-supporting work that our organization and our collaborative partners have been able to provide over the last 24 hours. It highlights the incredible teamwork, work ethic, and cross-sector collaboration that allow Safety Compass to operate in so many spaces simultaneously.
“Having said that, this is not a record we want to break. Requests for immediate assistance for this many people demonstrate an unfathomable amount of violence present in our community. The impact of this kind of violence on each individual survivor is profound and often requires years of healing work and a multitude of resources to overcome, not to mention the impact on the broader community when organized crime groups are operating so prolifically.
“We are grateful for the determination and hard work of our partners who took heed of the signs of possible human trafficking, the community members who reported these kinds of abuses, and the investigators who have been working tirelessly on these cases. We genuinely could not do this work alone.”
— Esther Garrett, CEO, Safety Compass
The unprecedented volume of requests over the past 24 hours illustrates how quickly survivor needs can arise across multiple jurisdictions at once. A single request for advocacy may require hours of direct support, transportation, coordination with other agencies, emergency lodging, basic necessities, and continued follow-up long after the initial crisis has passed.
Safety Compass continues to respond to survivors age 25 and under and coordinate with community partners across its service area in Marion, Washington, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties.
Survivors seeking confidential support can contact the Safety Compass hotline 24/7 at 971-235-0021.
About Safety Compass
Safety Compass provides free and confidential advocacy services to survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Our team of highly trained advocates remains available 24/7 to provide confidential advocacy and navigational support to survivors. We believe no survivor should have to navigate exploitation alone, and that every person deserves a life free from fear and violence.
Media Contact:
Chelsey Passon
Manager of Communications
Safety Compass
chelseys@safetycompass.org
