Testimonials, Response, & Participant Stories
"Safety Compass has been amazing from day one. The advocates are patient, well-trained, and compassionate. I continue to be impressed with how the advocates allow the criminal justice process to work and bring their services along side of that instead of interrupting an interview or law enforcement process. The Safety Compass advocates are by far the best I have worked with during my 10 year law enforcement career."
"Cooperation with law enforcement, awareness and forward thinking regarding attempts to fight sex trafficking, excellent follow through, and proactive interaction with partners."
Testimonials and Response:
"I can call and not only get an advocate, but also just get advice if I come across a trafficking situation. They are also a great place to help connect investigative resources."
"I enjoy that after making the immediate situation safe we can pass the victim onto a caring and compassionate individual who can lead them through the recovery and safety aspect of their often traumatic incident."
"Professional, well respected and compassionate."
"They have helped me communicate with victims."
"Their availability and the level of their knowledge."
from LAW ENFORCEMENT:
"The way the Safety Compass staff works as a team allows them to provide top notch services to their clients. They build communities around their clients and they do their best to have strong relationships with community partners. They work to be knowledgeable on necessary resources. Their 24 hour call out response proves their dedication to the trafficking population and their constant support for their community partners."
"I have appreciated Safety Compass' flexibility in meeting students where they are at literally and figuratively. They have met with students at school, out in the community, and at any stage of their activity in trafficking. Students have felt supported and empowered to reach out for help from their advocates."
from COMMUNITY PARTNERS:
"In my experience, my advocate was compassionate, available, reliable, knowledgeable and supportive."
"The availability of Safety Compass whenever I need them is one of their most redeeming qualities. Safety Compass always puts aside whatever it is they're working on at the time to help me; they are always friendly and extremely professional."
"Professional, ethical, and full of integrity. Seeks strong community partnership from all partners. Provides excellent, informed, trauma-informed supports to CSEC population / at-risk population. Integrates equitable navigational support in resource connection to faith-based, nonprofit, county agency, state, federal resources.
"The Advocacy training I received from Safety Compass has transferred beautifully to our work in Indonesia. We built much of our training on what I learned in Esther’s training. It has helped me and our staff understand how to relate to and build trust with survivors: believing in their stories and recognizing their strengths, understanding the trauma bond and loving girls through the hard and good days, (and) honoring who each girl is and recognizing her worth and then walking with her through whatever she needs."
"Trauma-informed interaction with victims of human trafficking in a compassionate manner. Such an important service!"
"They look for and provide voice to young people who have historically had no voice and who need love, support and compassion. Even when they don't believe they deserve it."
"Allowing our youth to have an avenue of safe reporting and therapy."
"Safety Compass is extremely responsive, collaborative, and flexible. Their approach to advocacy is client centered and empowering."
"The fact that it is community based and supports victims in various situations."
"The partnership between non-mandatory reporters and mandatory reporters (DHS): Safety Compass can work with a youth and support them in a way that DHS cannot and visa versa. The respect that Safety Compass has for agencies that are mandatory reporters and visa versa, is, in my opinion, what makes the collaboration so strong. "
"Very easy to work with, very knowledgeable."
"Knowledge, accessibility. Clients like the advocates."
"The girls feel well connected to them."
"Trauma informed services to potential victims of trafficking. Ongoing support based on needs."
"The base of knowledge and the capacity for caring are the things that stand out to me about Safety Compass."
"Education about what to watch for regarding potential CSEC youth."
"Accessibility, easy to work with, great follow through."
"The ability to connect different organizations and resources."
"Consistency, willingness to check in with referrals quickly. Approach with the youth."
"Willingness to participate."
"EVERYTHING!"
Erin: Erin was referred to Safety Compass by the juvenile department. She was brought in as a runaway and there were concerns that she was being trafficked. Safety Compass advocates did an intake with her and began to make referrals to a number of different places including a transitional housing program to help establish safety for her. Once in transitional housing, she was able to access new copies of her birth certificate, a new government issued ID card, and other documents which enabled her to begin applying for food stamps, health insurance benefits, and enroll in college classes. With the support of advocates and the rest of her team, she was empowered in finding new independence and confidence. Erin also regularly attends our survivor leadership community nights and even brought a friend with her who she knew needed support.
Eliza: Eliza was referred to Safety Compass by a family member who knew that she was being trafficked and needed a safe place to go. Eliza had been living in another state and decided to leave her trafficker and fled the state to find safety. There was a multi-organization effort to assist her in finding resources to pay for her relocation and travel expenses. Once she arrived in Oregon, Safety Compass advocates were able to connect her to multiple programs that she is now still readily engaging in for things like counseling and parenting support. She was able to have her baby in a safe environment and has established a wide system of support to help her navigate her healing journey.
Participant Stories:
Note: The following stories do not contain personally identifying information. Names have been changed, and details have been edited to protect the identity of the survivor, allowing us to share these stories of success publicly.
Josie: Josie was referred to Safety Compass after being found by law enforcement at a human trafficking sting. She had been trafficked in Oregon from out of state. Safety Compass advocates worked with her on scene at the sting to establish a safety plan and connect her to resources. She ended up moving to Oregon and immediately called Safety Compass for support when she moved here. Safety Compass advocates helped her to connect to rental assistance, counseling, and DHS self-sufficiency to get food stamps and health insurance. She has a steady, full-time job that will allow her to independently pay rent once her rental assistance comes to an end.
Renee: Renee was referred to Safety Compass by a domestic violence organization after they recognized that she was being trafficked. She had left her trafficker and was seeking a safe place to live for herself and her 3 month old baby. Safety Compass, along with other service providers, helped her to create a safety plan to keep herself safe from her trafficker who had been actively stalking her. She was able to independently carry out and follow through with every detail of this plan and felt empowered by the support she was receiving.
Amanda: Amanda was referred to Safety Compass for services following being admitted to the hospital and needing a sexual assault exam. She was running from her pimp and needed to find safe shelter for herself and her toddler. Due to the high lethality and extreme danger of her pimp, we were able to find her safe shelter out of state. She is now receiving mental health counseling, has a new job, and is thriving after being trafficked for 10 years.
Sarah: Sarah is a participant who has engaged with us for quite some time on a semi-regular basis. She walked into a police station one day asking for help to get off the streets and find a safe place for her and her daughter. We were able to get her into an emergency shelter, find her a new phone, get her connected to DHS for self-sufficiency dollars, find mental health counseling, and get her into a rental assistance program for long term housing. Lack of access to safe housing is the number one barrier to survivors leaving “the life.”
Leah: Leah is a long time participant of ours who was released from prison about a year ago. She has been unhoused (couch surfing) and slowly working on getting away from her pimp. She had been trafficked up and down the I-5 corridor since she was 11. She found out she was pregnant and made the decision to leave her pimp. She has since gotten into transitional housing, got her GED, and delivered her beautiful baby boy. She now has a stable place to raise her son and begin working on finding a job and more longer-term housing.