This Nonprofit Fights Human Trafficking in Austin
Austin Activism Amplified: Allies Against Slavery
Words by Christopher Ferguson, AIA Photos by Jake Rutherford
Established in 2010 from a small, grassroots movement made up of “ordinary abolitionists,” this local nonprofit now supports communities statewide by leveraging the power of technology, data, and a coalition of partnerships to eradicate human trafficking.
It may come as a surprise that there are more people in slavery today than at any other time in human history. Trafficking can take the form of labor exploitation that affects nearly all industries, yet also includes the sexual exploitation of vulnerable communities through coercion and force.
Understanding that this complex web of issues originates locally, Allies Against Slavery has spent the past decade resolutely developing its reach and resources to stop the problem at its origin, starting with Austin.
John Nehme, president and CEO of the organization since its inception as a nonprofit in 2014, explains the group’s origins. “A group of 25 volunteers who gathered regularly in a library off Webberville to study and promote awareness of the issue eventually realized that it was increasingly challenging to know exactly how to mobilize people, stemming from an inability to know exactly who and how many people were vulnerable. It became apparent that we needed to become proficient in data analytics.”
“The early and critical work isn’t always on the front lines. It starts with asking how to support members of the community that may be on the margins by leveraging your own skills.”
John Nehme, President & CEO
Recognizing this need, the group partnered with the University of Texas at Austin that same year, eventually publishing an extensive study in early 2017 that aimed to capture the scope of the issue in Texas. The numbers were grave. Of an estimated 313,000 victims of human trafficking within the state, 79,000 minors and youth were identified as victims of sex trafficking, while 234,000 workers were
exploited for their labor. In economic terms, this represents over $600 million of lost wages, while minor and youth sex trafficking has cost the state approximately $6.6 billion.
The shocking study helped inform the organization’s next step, to developing a scalable screening software called “Lighthouse” that helps identify and connect victims to care within their local communities.
The platform provides organizations with a suite of tools to identify and document vulnerable individuals who are falling through the cracks in shelters, hospitals, clinics, juvenile justice facilities, foster care homes, and more. While deploying this technology is critical, proactive engagement that prevents trafficking starts at the community level. Engaging local schools, religious groups, and professional organizations is often the best point of entry for those looking to help. John explains, “Trafficking is a symptom of many other things and can be only the tip of an iceberg. Look below the surface and you can often find issues of substance abuse, poverty, etc. Sometimes the solution is as simple as reclaiming communities and making them flourish.”
On a personal level, the solution can be as simple as monitoring your child’s online behavior. John continues, “Traffickers used to be limited to an offline or analog approach, but that has, of course, changed. Parents should be smart about their kids’ digital lives and online presence.”
Did You Know? The Central Texas Coalition Against Human Trafficking (CTCAHT) includes a network of partner organizations that support social services for victims and survivors of trafficking.
Get Involved: More opportunities to get involved and ideas about how to leverage your own personal and professional skillsets within your immediate community can be found at alliesagainstslavery.org.
Contact:
alliesagainstslavery.org
IG: @alliesagainstslavery
twitter: @alliesatx
FB: @allies.atx
