Talyssa Wins a Battle Against Her Trafficker

It may surprise to hear that Human Trafficking has everything to do with love. Anyone can be trafficked, but we know that people who need love are among the most vulnerable. Some studies have shown that over half of sex trafficking survivors ran way from home to escape broken or abusive homes. Young, rural women are often targeted, as are single mothers. And we know that traffickers deceive these women through promises of love through tactics like the Lover-Boy Method.

Talyssa thought she had found true love when she married her husband. He treated her like a queen at first. He was an influential lawyer. They had two beautiful children. Then, after years of marriage, Talyssa’s life became a nightmare. Her husband began to sell her for sexual exploitation out of their own home. He threatened that he would hurt her and the children if she spoke up.

Then, love stepped in. A neighbor noticed that Talyssa had bruises on her arms and neck. She saw that Talyssa’s demeanor had been changing, and that she saw the kids out less and less. This neighbor refused to stay silent and notified our team. She passed information to Talyssa about how to get in touch with us to plan an escape. Soon, we were able to get Talyssa and her two precious children to safety!

That was back in August. Talyssa has been on a journey of experiencing genuine love and care ever since. In October, after months of healing she told our team, “You have been with me when I thought I was alone. My heart was broken and my spirit was crushed. Then, you came along and cared for me. That is why I will not give up.”

Love has given her strength. She took her husband to court, our team at her side. Thanks to her resilience and newfound courage, she was able to celebrate a major victory just last week. She secured full custody of her children, and a judge has said that she will get to stay in her home - not her husband!

At Uncaged, we want every survivor to experience transformational love like Talyssa has. That love looks like wraparound support, trauma-informed care, and access to an army of freedom fighters who can stand by her side.

Your support is key to making sure that survivors experience this kind of love. Will you consider joining this fight and ensuring that survivors can know what true love is?

We have seen time and time again that it is the most powerful force for healing in the world.

Kim Westfall Featured on Unforgettable Conversations

Our founder Kim Westfall was recently featured on the podcast Unforgettable Conversations with Sandi Mckenna. Unforgettable Conversations introduces listeners to people from all walks of life, from experts in their fields to ordinary people who lead extraordinary lives. In each episode, host Mckenna takes a “deep dive” into real, raw, life-changing conversations. We were honored to hear Kim Westfall and the work of Uncaged featured!

Together they explore the realities of human trafficking, the incredible circumstances that birthed Uncaged, and how each person can take action in the fight against trafficking.

"It's a beautiful model we're seeing work with survivors of sex trafficking," says Kim in the conversation. "We see women being restored. The most incredible thing is that survivors are often so resilient. Many go through the program and go on to open businesses and lead incredibly successful lives. It's exciting to watch that."

Click here to listen to the full interview.

2 Anti-Trafficking Tools are Ready!

“My dream is to be restored. Then, I want to do everything I can to prevent other people from being trapped like I was.” - Tatiana, 23

After going free, many survivors say their goal is to protect others and find survivors. Survivors like Tatiana understand that we must locate people who are enslaved AND prevent others from being trafficked at the same time. This is how we eradicate human trafficking in our lifetime.

We are one step closer to launching this multi-pronged approach. We are thrilled to share that we have successfully translated 2 world-class anti-trafficking curricula into Romanian! Soon, we will use these to blanket Romania and beyond in trafficking prevention.

These are the 2 materials that will soon reach thousands of people:

1) S.P.E.A.K. Up - a curriculum designed specifically for school-age children and educators. It teaches kids how to keep themselves safe from traffickers. Educators learn how to keep children safe by spotting signs of trafficking. Up to 50% of trafficking survivors in Romania are minors. This tool could protect countless children. We have already begun educating students, and we are eager to add insights of S.P.E.A.K. Up across Romania and beyond.

2) Training for Healthcare Workers - you may recall we were selected to pilot a program equipping healthcare workers to spot trafficking survivors. Hospitals encounter millions of survivors. Up to 88% of survivors will seek medical care at some point. We have identified 2 strategic Eastern European countries where we can implement this model.

Soon, we will be able to establish anti-trafficking task forces within hospital systems!

These key programs will impact hundreds, even thousands, of lives as soon as we can roll them out. Together, they will keep children from being trafficked AND identify survivors so we can bring them to safety.

This is how we open the door to a world without slavery. We bring together the best resources in the world and take them to the epicenter of trafficking. Your support is what makes it possible.

Let’s swing the door to freedom wide!