Advocacy Services
We act as a compass guiding towards hope, healing, and safety for individuals under age 25 who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation.
We offer support that reflects each individual’s goals for safety, regardless of whether they are currently involved in the industry, have exited or are contemplating.
Our Services: for survivors up to age 25
Crisis Intervention:
Emergency Response Team: culturally specific advocates available 24/7 by calling 971-235-0021. Will respond to the scene at the request of law enforcement, DHS, and juvenile intake centers.
North Star Reception Center: temporary stay secured location for survivors awaiting housing placement, staffed by advocates.
Stabilization:
Resource Referrals: We refer survivors to providers in our large network of community partners to address their needs.
Court accompaniment: Our advocates will accompany survivors to court and law enforcement interviews.
Ongoing connection: We are committed to maintaining supportive relationships with survivors as long as they want.
Community:
Long term connections: with intention and focus on resilience building and thriving.
Quarterly: support groups and opportunities to experience joy and education.
What is Commercial Sexual Exploitation?
Definition:
The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person of any age for the purpose of a commercial sex act. This is induced by force, fraud, or coercion/manipulation. For individuals under the age of 18, force, fraud, or coercion does not need to be proven to be considered sex trafficking, although those elements are often present. Sex trafficking does not just happen to young women, it happens to all genders.
What does it look like?
Being pressured into trading sex for a couch to sleep on or for rent/a meal/clothing/any necessities of life.
Someone taking photos without consent to advertise availability for sex online.
An intimate partner pressuring someone to have sex with their friends in exchange for money.
Someone forcing another to have sex in exchange for profit by threatening someone they love with physical harm.
Being under the age of 18 involved in any sex act or production of any sexualized images, for profit.
If you identify with any of the statements above, our support services are here for you.
This is not an exhaustive list of commercially sexually exploitative dynamics. If you feel that your involvement in the life was in any way harmful or abusive then our support services are for you.