Hard Steps Toward the Light: Meet Bonnie Gatchell [Interview]

Hard Steps Towards the Light: Meet Rev. Bonnie Gatchell [Interview]

Welcome to EGC's Leader Profiles, where you can get to know the unique stories of Boston area Christian leaders. Our vision is for a surprisingly well-connected Christian community across cultural, generational, and denominational lines throughout the city.

Rev. Bonnie Gatchell is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the Director of EGC’s Route One Ministry. Route One ministers to women exploited in the sex industry in Massachusetts.

Rev. Gatchell also raises awareness among Massachusetts churches about the realities and systems of sex trafficking, exploitation, and abuse, and where the Church can intervene. 

TEDx Wellesley

Interview

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your family.

My parents just celebrated 48 years of marriage. They live in Michigan, that’s where I grew up. My brother is my only sibling, and I’m the oldest. 

Tell me a little bit about your spiritual journey and relationship with Jesus now.

I think, “constant.”  I’m thankful, grateful, that He is constant with me. Constantly shows up, constantly forgives, constantly meets with me despite my own flawed-ness, my own wanting to be distant from Him, forgetting about Him.  So there’s this constant peace in me now of just being more honest about where I messed up the day before with Jesus. This is different than a couple years ago.

What’s a food you can’t live without?

I’ll give you two. M&Ms have always been my Achilles’ heel. Health-wise, anything avocado. I could eat it raw, I could just crack it open and sprinkle a little salt on it, make it into guacamole, mix it with some tomato, and make a salad. 

What’s your most treasured possession?

My grandmother’s journals. When I open them I read of events that happened before me, like commentary on family members and things, which is funny. Most of the people in the journals have passed away. The journals connect me to my family's past in a powerful way.

Tell me about your work in Route One Ministry.  What is your role in that?

I started the ministry. But my role now, 8 years later, is training the trainers and facilitating conversation around, What is trafficking? How are women in strip clubs trafficked? What is exploitation, what does that look like?  What would freedom look like for women who are currently working in strip clubs?

What would you say is your passion?

I think my passion is the Church. In particular, for women to have more of a voice within the Church, and more of a voice more often.

What would you say is your greatest joy in ministry?

When a light bulb comes on – and that may be in a church leader, or a volunteer, or a woman in the strip club.  It’s just this moment where you can almost watch the person’s face shift. Also, any time a woman in the club asks for any type of connection with us, like “Can you come to my daughter’s birthday party?” “Instead of you coming here, can we meet at my house for prayer?”  “Am I allowed to go to church and still work here?”

“He held me together and He whispered in my ear, “Not yet. Don’t give up yet.” And so we move on.”

What do you find challenging?

Helping the church understand that women who work in clubs are victims of exploitation—not perpetrators, not offenders—is challenging.  Getting the Church to come behind us financially can also be slow. I first have to get Christians to understand who strippers really are, and then to understand why we need their support.

What’s been the greatest lesson for you in this ministry so far?

I’m learning about longsuffering. There were so many points where I’ve wanted to throw in the towel. So many points where I thought, What are we doing again?  So many points where I thought, I’m not the right person to lead this team, or, I don’t have anything more in me to give. And yet, He held me together and He whispered in my ear, Not yet. Don’t give up yet. And so we move on. 

What’s your prayer for the people amongst who you work?

My prayer for women who are sexually exploited is that they would find healing.  I pray that they would not walk around with shame, or a jaded perspective of themselves, but that they would be able to take steps to a place of healing, self-confidence, a place of hope, light, fresh air.  

I also pray that women wouldn't suffer silently with the abuse that's happened to them, but that they’d be able to find safety—in the Church and Christian counselors—to start digging that up and handing it over to Christ.

“I pray that they would not walk around with shame, or a jaded perspective of themselves.”

My prayer for the Church would be for a shift in posture in how they understand and see women who are sexually abused and exploited and trafficked, and women experiencing domestic violence.  Sometimes we can be stingy with love, and stingy with forgiveness, and stingy with listening. But in Christ we have this endless bucket of resources. My prayer is that we draw on Christ better to bring people to healing and life.

Contact / Volunteer

Contact / Volunteer

Voices of Human Trafficking [VIDEO]

Self-Care Resources for Anti-Trafficking Leaders

A. LOCATIONS FOR RETREAT:

• List from Harvard Div School: https://hds.harvard.edu/life-at-hds/religious-and-spiritual-life/retreats-and-quiet-places

• St. Joseph's Abbey, Spencer MA,

• Agape Community, Ware MA

• The Emery Guest House at SSJE, near Newburryport, MA

B. BOOKS ON BURNOUT PREVENTION AND SABBATH:

• Silent Compassion: Finding God in Contemplation, by Richard Rohr

• The Rest of God:Restoring your soul by restoring Sabbath, by Mark Buchanan

• Sabbath: finding rest, renewal and delight in our busy lives, by Wayne Muller

• Sabbath as resistance: saying no to a culture of now, by Walter Brueggemann

• Community and Growth: Jean Vanier

• Leading on Empty : Wayne Cordiero

• Trauma Stewardship: Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky

Resources For Churches about Anti-Human Trafficking

• International Justice Mission: ijm.org/churches

• Let my People Go Network: www.lmpgnetwork.org

• Greater Boston Prayer and Action Network: gbpan.wordpress.com

• Safe Church training: diomass.org/inside/learning/safe_church

• Safe Families Resources: http://www.safefamilies.org/

• Domestic Violence survivor support: Hagar’s Sisters: hagarssisters.org

• Domestic Violence Response Training: Safe Havens : interfaithpartners.org

• Response to Child Abuse in a Christian Context: www.netgrace.org

• Support for healing from sexual brokenness: Living Waters Ministry, Boston

• Sexual addiction, Men’s accountability groups: nathanproject.net

• Domestic Violence Abuser education, EMERGE: www.emergedv.com

• Confronting the Exploiters - by One Life Matters: onelifematters.org

• Fair Trade Products for Churches: Equal Exchange: shop.equalexchange.coop/organization-orders

• ENGAGE TOGETHER Church Toolkit

• Mentoring Toolkit - Elevate: taking your life to the next level By Rebecca Bender and Kathy Bryan

• Hands that Heal training - faastinternational.org/hands-that-heal

OTHER BOOKS/RESOURCES FOR LEADERS WE RECOMMEND:

• Anatomy of Peace - The Arbringer Institute

• Thanks for the Feedback - Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

• Let Justice Roll Down - John Perkins

• Traveling Mercies - Anne Lamott

• Small Victories - Anne Lamott

• The Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne

• Unlikely - Kevin Palau

• When Helping Hurts - Steve Corbett

• Helping without Hurting - Steve Corbett

• Generous Justice - by Tim Keller

• Trauma and Recovery - Judith Hermon

• The Wounded Heart - Dan Allender

• Real Sex - Lauren Winner

Resources to Learn More About Human Trafficking

A. RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Remember to order through Amazon Smile and support an organization fighting human trafficking.

• The Just Church - Jim Martin

• The Diary of Jasmine Grace - Jasmine Grace Marino

• Girls Like Us - Rachel Lloyd

• The Slave Next Door - Kevin Bales

• Blood and Earth: Modern Slavery, Ecoside and the secret to saving the earth - Kevin Bales

• Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery - Siddharth Kara

• Not For Sale - David Batstone

• A Crime So Monstrous - Ben Skinner

• The Locust Effect - Gary Haugen

• The Good News about Injustice - Gary Haugen

• Half the Sky- Nicholas Kristof

• Justice Awakening: How you and your church can help end human trafficking - Eddie Byun

• The White Umbrella: walking with survivors of sex trafficking - Mary Frances Bowley

• Roadmap to Redemption, 10 week Workbook for survivors - Rebecca Bender

• Collaborating against human trafficking - Kirsten Foot

• The Essential Abolitionist: What you need to know about human trafficking and modern slavery - John Vanek

• Undaunted: Daring to do what God calls you to do - Christine Caine

• Unstoppable: Running the race you were born to win - Christine Caine

• Unashamed: Drop the baggage, pick up your freedom, fulfill your destiny- Christine Caine

B. RECOMMENDED DOCUMENTARIES:

• Sex+Money: A National Search for Human Worth

• Playground

• Very Young Girls

• Call and Response

• Fields of Mudan

• Nefarious: Merchant of Souls

• A path appears (Episode 1 features Boston, and MLMC)

• Voices of human trafficking 2017 (short video produced by EGC Films)

• I am Jane Doe

C. INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES:

• In My Backyard

• polarisproject.org (USA)

• Enditmovement.org (USA)

• mceht.org (MA state coalition)

• slaveryfootprint.org (labor trafficking)

• betterworldshopper.org (fair trade resources)

D. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS:

• Love 146 Not a Number Prevention Curriculum

• My Life My Choice Prevention Curriculum

• CAASE Chicago toolkits: The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) provides comprehensive toolkits for teachers, writers, churches, students, doctors, etc who want to spread the word about human trafficking in their spheres.

• Learn2Impact social justice curriculum: Learn2Impact offers a free high school curriculum focused on social justice. The curriculum is planned out according to a semester long class schedule and includes units on human trafficking and fair labor.

• IJM Social Justice Curriculum for High School Students. International Justice Mission has created a complete curriculum for high school students dealing with social justice--particularly modern day slavery. Includes lesson plans, handouts, and homework assignments.

• Human Trafficking 101 for School Administrators and Staff Human Trafficking 101 Factsheets from the Blue Campaign with useful resources for trafficking awareness for schools.

• Human Trafficking Toolkit for High School Students and Educators A collection of downloadable resources about human trafficking to be used in a high school setting.

IV. Resources For Churches:

• International Justice Mission: ijm.org/churches

• Let my People Go Network: www.lmpgnetwork.org

• Greater Boston Prayer and Action Network: gbpan.wordpress.com

• Safe Church training: diomass.org/inside/learning/safe_church

• Safe Families Resources: http://www.safefamilies.org/

• Domestic Violence survivor support: Hagar’s Sisters: hagarssisters.org

• Domestic Violence Response Training: Safe Havens : interfaithpartners.org

• Response to Child Abuse in a Christian Context: www.netgrace.org

• Support for healing from sexual brokenness: Living Waters Ministry, Boston

• Sexual addiction, Men’s accountability groups: nathanproject.net

• Domestic Violence Abuser education, EMERGE: www.emergedv.com

• Confronting the Exploiters - by One Life Matters: onelifematters.org

• Fair Trade Products for Churches: Equal Exchange: shop.equalexchange.coop/organization-orders

• ENGAGE TOGETHER Church Toolkit

• Mentoring Toolkit - Elevate: taking your life to the next level By Rebecca Bender and Kathy Bryan

• Hands that Heal training - faastinternational.org/hands-that-heal

OTHER BOOKS/RESOURCES FOR LEADERS WE RECOMMEND:

• Anatomy of Peace - The Arbringer Institute

• Thanks for the Feedback - Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

• Let Justice Roll Down - John Perkins

• Traveling Mercies - Anne Lamott

• Small Victories - Anne Lamott

• The Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne

• Unlikely - Kevin Palau

• When Helping Hurts - Steve Corbett

• Helping without Hurting - Steve Corbett

• Generous Justice - by Tim Keller

• Trauma and Recovery - Judith Hermon

• The Wounded Heart - Dan Allender

• Real Sex - Lauren Winner

Organizations Working Against Human Trafficking in the Boston Area

I. Who is involved in the Abolitionist Network?

A. Churches in the Abolitionist Network:

• City Church, Brighton MA (Has an Abnet cohort)

• City on a Hill Church, Allston MA

• Church of the Advent, Boston MA

• Church of the Cross, Brighton, MA (Seeking the welfare of the city)

• Christian Fellowship of Boston, Brazilian Church in Somerville MA (live2Love movement)

• Defenders Church, Dorchester Boston MA (rose of Sharon ministry)

• Emmanuel Baptist Church, Norfolk, MA (Sanctity of Life ministry)

• Love Alliance Church, Brockton, MA

• Regeneration Church, Exeter, NH

• Reunion Church, Boston and Somerville, MA

• South Shore Baptist Church, Hingham, MA

• The River South, Quincy, MA

• United Church of Christ Norwell, Norwell, MA (South Shore coalition)

B. Churches involved in the movement against Trafficking:

• South End Neighborhood Church

• CCFC, The Harbor, and The River (Unbound.org)

• Park Street Church

• Arlington Baptist Church (All Hands In) Arlington, MA

• Bethel AME (Bethel Institute for Social Justice: Shatter the Silence network) Boston MA

• Highrock North Shore, Salem, MA

• Emmaus City Church, Worcester, MA

• Reality Boston Church, South End Boston, MA

• Grace Chapel, Lexington/ Wilmington, MA

• St Stephens Episcopal Church, South End Boston, MA

• The Vineyard, Hopkington, MA

• The Vineyard, Saugus MA

• CCFC, Central Square Cambridge MA

• The Well Church, East Boston, MA

• Heart Change Fellowship, Boston MA

C. Christian Ministries in the greater Boston area addressing human trafficking:

• All Hands In - We are committed to making a difference in our community by providing educational awareness and events on the issue of human trafficking in addition to seeking opportunities to assist survivors of Human Trafficking.

• Amelia’s Light - Prevention education, community awareness and vocational support for our sisters in Uganda

• Amirah - Amirah (\a-meer-ah\) is a non-profit organization located in the Boston area dedicated to providing effective, whole person aftercare for survivors of commercial exploitation.

• Art Speak (Highrock North shore)

• Bags of Hope Ministries /Jasmine Grace, at EGC

• Bethany Christian Services of Southern New England

• BLOOM by Teen Challenge New England - short term residential housing for girls 12-18 in South-Eastern MA

• Gathering For Hope, Lexington and North Shore (Grace Chapel)

• Greater Boston Prayer and Action Network

• Live2Love Worship ministry (Christian Fellowship of Boston Church)

• Rose of Sharon Ministry (Defenders Church)

• Route One Ministry, at EGC - The vision of Route One is to minister to women exploited by the sex industry

• SOBO project (see the one be the one) in Quincy MA

• Shatter the Silence and the Shatter Project

• The Bakhita House - a safehouse for women over 18 coming out of sex trafficking or labor trafficking

• The Nathan Project : support for men recovering from sex and porn addiction

• The Well Coffee House, In South Station, Boston MA (The Well Church)

• The River South Center / Arojo Cafe

• Unbound

II. Who else is fighting Human Trafficking locally? (Abnet partners)

A. Coalitions/ Networks:

• Massachusetts Coalition to End Human Trafficking

• Connecting and Equipping MA to Prevent, Identify and End Human Trafficking!

• DEMAND Abolition This site focuses on the demand side of human trafficking and how to stop this cycle. The site includes important and helpful information on why this approach could be the answer to this major problem

• CEASE Network Boston A network working to lessen the harm inherent to the illegal sex industry by reducing the demand for paid sex. Through initiatives targeting sex buyers the CEASE Network will cut the illegal sex trade by 20%, in every city it operates in, within two years.

• Not on Our Watch: Lower Roxbury Coalition, Dumas.LaFontant@wshc.org

• MA Department of Public Health task force, led by Linda Brown. Quarterly gatherings, focusing especially on labor trafficking and public health

• The High Risk Youth Network Monthly meetings and “speakers series” to connect agencies, NGOs and community leaders working with “high risk youth” in Boston.

B. Labor Trafficking / Immigration activists:

• MA Interfaith Worker Justice We are a network of people of faith that calls upon our religious values in order to educate, organize, and mobilize the religious community in the United States on issues and campaigns that will improve wages, benefits and conditions for workers, and give voice to workers, especially low-wage workers.

• MataHari: Eye of the Day This site will connect you with many different social issues that are faced on a daily basis such as “internalized and institutional racism, heterosexism, classism, xenophobia, partner and sexual violence and exploitation as it occurs within our communities of color, immigrant communities and within our social justice organizations”. They are seeking justice for the many people who are abused in our community today.

• MA coalition for Domestic Workers

• MIRA: The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. MIRA’s work encompasses policy and advocacy analysis, institutional organizing, training and leadership development, and communications.

• Boston Faith and Justice Network We believe you need to “Live gratefully, change our community, and Advocate” for the cause. Resources available such as the “Lazarus at the Gate” curriculum, looking at financial Stewardship, justice and generosity.

C. Academia / Research:

• Carr Center for Human Rights: programing on Human Trafficking through out the year

• Intercollegiate convention against modern slavery : network of Boston area schools coming together to end modern slavery

• Melissa Farley - Northeastern University

• Donna Hughes - University of RI

D. Aftercare for Youth:

• My Life My Choice - We empower youth to find their voice and create a positive life path: through Survivor mentoring, groups, advocacy, and community trainings.

• The SEEN Coalition - wrap around model for case management for CSEC girls

• BLOOM, by teen Challenge - short term residential housing for girls 12-18

E. System involved youth:

• Roxbury Youthworks - GIFT program

• Roxbury Youthworks - BUILD program, for boys and trans youth survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation

• Germaine Lawrence- Group home for high risk girls in Foster Care

• StreetSafe

F. Homeless youth:

• Home For Little Wanderers

• Bridge over Troubled Waters

• Y2Y shelter in Harvard Square

G. Aftercare for Adults:

• Housing and case management for survivors of human trafficking:

• RIA house Case management and survivor support groups for women over 18 who are coming out of commercial sexual exploitation

• The Eva Center Case management and housing for women over 18 who are coming out of commercial sexual exploitation. House has some capacity for women with children.

• Amirah whole-person, wrap around care and housing for women over 18, domestic, coming out of sex trafficking/ commercial sexual exploitation

• Procopio Consulting and Counseling : male survivors of commercial sexual exploitation

• Bethany Christian Services of Southern New England - case management for labor and sex trafficking

• MataHari:eye of the Day - case management for labor trafficking especially

H. Addiction recovery for adults:

• Place of Promise

• The Salvation Army

• Teen Challenge women’s home in RI

I. Domestic Violence/ Rape crisis support:

• Hagar Sisters

• Boston Area Rape Crisis Center

• Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence

J. Healthcare Resources:

• Mass General : Freedom Clinic

• Boston Medical Center Clinic for DV and human trafficking

• HEAL trafficking- National network of resources and trainings for healthcare providers on human trafficking

• Education For Health Care Services:

• Human Trafficking: Guidebook on Identification, Assessment, and Response in the Health Care Setting

• Article : responding to the needs of a human trafficking survivor

K. Law enforcement and Legal services:

• MA Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (BPD)

• Federal law enforcement task force including the FBI and DHS

• Homeland Security Blue Campaign

• Peter DiMarzio hosts Quarterly victims assistance network meetings for New England

• Attorney General’s Office, Human Trafficking Prosecutors team

• Boston University Law School, Human Trafficking Clinic

• Family Justice Center - A location housing several non-profits and police units, under the same roof to foster collaboration

III. Learn more about human trafficking:  

A. Recommended Books

Remember to order through Amazon Smile and support an organization fighting human trafficking.

• The Just Church - Jim Martin

• The Diary of Jasmine Grace - Jasmine Grace Marino

• Girls Like Us - Rachel Lloyd

• The Slave Next Door - Kevin Bales

• Blood and Earth: Modern Slavery, Ecoside and the secret to saving the earth - Kevin Bales

• Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery - Siddharth Kara

• Not For Sale - David Batstone

• A Crime So Monstrous - Ben Skinner

• The Locust Effect - Gary Haugen

• The Good News about Injustice - Gary Haugen

• Half the Sky- Nicholas Kristof

• Justice Awakening: How you and your church can help end human trafficking - Eddie Byun

• The White Umbrella: walking with survivors of sex trafficking - Mary Frances Bowley

• Roadmap to Redemption, 10 week Workbook for survivors - Rebecca Bender

• Collaborating against human trafficking - Kirsten Foot

• The Essential Abolitionist: What you need to know about human trafficking and modern slavery - John Vanek

• Undaunted: Daring to do what God calls you to do - Christine Caine

• Unstoppable: Running the race you were born to win - Christine Caine

• Unashamed: Drop the baggage, pick up your freedom, fulfill your destiny- Christine Caine

B. Recommended Documentaries:

• Sex+Money: A National Search for Human Worth

• Playground

• Very Young Girls

• Call and Response

• Fields of Mudan

• Nefarious: Merchant of Souls

• A path appears (Episode 1 features Boston, and MLMC)

• Voices of human trafficking 2017 (short video produced by EGC Films)

• I am Jane Doe

C. Informational Websites:

• In My Backyard

• polarisproject.org (USA)

• Enditmovement.org (USA)

• mceht.org (MA state coalition)

• slaveryfootprint.org (labor trafficking)

• betterworldshopper.org (fair trade resources)

D. Educational Resources For Schools:

• Love 146 Not a Number Prevention Curriculum

• My Life My Choice Prevention Curriculum

• CAASE Chicago toolkits: The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) provides comprehensive toolkits for teachers, writers, churches, students, doctors, etc who want to spread the word about human trafficking in their spheres.

• Learn2Impact social justice curriculum: Learn2Impact offers a free high school curriculum focused on social justice. The curriculum is planned out according to a semester long class schedule and includes units on human trafficking and fair labor.

• IJM Social Justice Curriculum for High School Students. International Justice Mission has created a complete curriculum for high school students dealing with social justice--particularly modern day slavery. Includes lesson plans, handouts, and homework assignments.

• Human Trafficking 101 for School Administrators and Staff Human Trafficking 101 Factsheets from the Blue Campaign with useful resources for trafficking awareness for schools.

• Human Trafficking Toolkit for High School Students and Educators A collection of downloadable resources about human trafficking to be used in a high school setting.

IV. Resources For Churches:

• International Justice Mission: ijm.org/churches

• Let my People Go Network: www.lmpgnetwork.org

• Greater Boston Prayer and Action Network: gbpan.wordpress.com

• Safe Church training: diomass.org/inside/learning/safe_church

• Safe Families Resources: http://www.safefamilies.org/

• Domestic Violence survivor support: Hagar’s Sisters: hagarssisters.org

• Domestic Violence Response Training: Safe Havens : interfaithpartners.org

• Response to Child Abuse in a Christian Context: www.netgrace.org

• Support for healing from sexual brokenness: Living Waters Ministry, Boston

• Sexual addiction, Men’s accountability groups: nathanproject.net

• Domestic Violence Abuser education, EMERGE: www.emergedv.com

• Confronting the Exploiters - by One Life Matters: onelifematters.org

• Fair Trade Products for Churches: Equal Exchange: shop.equalexchange.coop/organization-orders

• ENGAGE TOGETHER Church Toolkit

• Mentoring Toolkit - Elevate: taking your life to the next level By Rebecca Bender and Kathy Bryan

• Hands that Heal training - faastinternational.org/hands-that-heal

Other books/resources for leaders we recommend:

• Anatomy of Peace - The Arbringer Institute

• Thanks for the Feedback - Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

• Let Justice Roll Down - John Perkins

• Traveling Mercies - Anne Lamott

• Small Victories - Anne Lamott

• The Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne

• Unlikely - Kevin Palau

• When Helping Hurts - Steve Corbett

• Helping without Hurting - Steve Corbett

• Generous Justice - by Tim Keller

• Trauma and Recovery - Judith Hermon

• The Wounded Heart - Dan Allender

• Real Sex - Lauren Winner

V. Self Care Resources for Leaders:

A. Locations for retreat:

• List from Harvard Div School: https://hds.harvard.edu/life-at-hds/religious-and-spiritual-life/retreats-and-quiet-places

• St. Joseph's Abbey, Spencer MA,

• Agape Community, Ware MA

• The Emery Guest House at SSJE, near Newburryport, MA

B. Books on burnout prevention and sabbath:

• Silent Compassion: Finding God in Contemplation, by Richard Rohr

• The Rest of God:Restoring your soul by restoring Sabbath, by Mark Buchanan

• Sabbath: finding rest, renewal and delight in our busy lives, by Wayne Muller

• Sabbath as resistance: saying no to a culture of now, by Walter Brueggemann

• Community and Growth: Jean Vanier

• Leading on Empty : Wayne Cordiero

• Trauma Stewardship: Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky

Who Is Involved in the Abolitionist Network?

I. Who is involved in the Abolitionist Network?

A. CHURCHES IN THE ABOLITIONIST NETWORK:

• City Church, Brighton MA (Has an Abnet cohort)

• City on a Hill Church, Allston MA

• Church of the Advent, Boston MA

• Church of the Cross, Brighton, MA (Seeking the welfare of the city)

• Christian Fellowship of Boston, Brazilian Church in Somerville MA (live2Love movement)

• Defenders Church, Dorchester Boston MA (rose of Sharon ministry)

• Emmanuel Baptist Church, Norfolk, MA (Sanctity of Life ministry)

• Love Alliance Church, Brockton, MA

• Regeneration Church, Exeter, NH

• Reunion Church, Boston and Somerville, MA

• South Shore Baptist Church, Hingham, MA

• The River South, Quincy, MA

• United Church of Christ Norwell, Norwell, MA (South Shore coalition)

B. CHURCHES INVOLVED IN THE MOVEMENT AGAINST TRAFFICKING:

• South End Neighborhood Church

• CCFC, The Harbor, and The River (Unbound.org)

• Park Street Church

• Arlington Baptist Church (All Hands In) Arlington, MA

• Bethel AME (Bethel Institute for Social Justice: Shatter the Silence network) Boston MA

• Highrock North Shore, Salem, MA

• Emmaus City Church, Worcester, MA

• Reality Boston Church, South End Boston, MA

• Grace Chapel, Lexington/ Wilmington, MA

• St Stephens Episcopal Church, South End Boston, MA

• The Vineyard, Hopkington, MA

• The Vineyard, Saugus MA

• CCFC, Central Square Cambridge MA

• The Well Church, East Boston, MA

• Heart Change Fellowship, Boston MA

C. CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES IN THE GREATER BOSTON AREA ADDRESSING HUMAN TRAFFICKING:

• All Hands In - We are committed to making a difference in our community by providing educational awareness and events on the issue of human trafficking in addition to seeking opportunities to assist survivors of Human Trafficking.

• Amelia’s Light - Prevention education, community awareness and vocational support for our sisters in Uganda

• Amirah - Amirah (\a-meer-ah\) is a non-profit organization located in the Boston area dedicated to providing effective, whole person aftercare for survivors of commercial exploitation.

• Art Speak (Highrock North shore)

• Bags of Hope Ministries /Jasmine Grace, at EGC

• Bethany Christian Services of Southern New England

• BLOOM by Teen Challenge New England - short term residential housing for girls 12-18 in South-Eastern MA

• Gathering For Hope, Lexington and North Shore (Grace Chapel)

• Greater Boston Prayer and Action Network

• Live2Love Worship ministry (Christian Fellowship of Boston Church)

• Rose of Sharon Ministry (Defenders Church)

• Route One Ministry, at EGC - The vision of Route One is to minister to women exploited by the sex industry

• SOBO project (see the one be the one) in Quincy MA

• Shatter the Silence and the Shatter Project

• The Bakhita House - a safehouse for women over 18 coming out of sex trafficking or labor trafficking

• The Nathan Project : support for men recovering from sex and porn addiction

• The Well Coffee House, In South Station, Boston MA (The Well Church)

• The River South Center / Arojo Cafe

• Unbound

Who else is fighting Human Trafficking locally?

Who else is fighting Human Trafficking locally? (Abnet partners)

A. COALITIONS/ NETWORKS:

• Massachusetts Coalition to End Human Trafficking

• Connecting and Equipping MA to Prevent, Identify and End Human Trafficking!

• DEMAND Abolition This site focuses on the demand side of human trafficking and how to stop this cycle. The site includes important and helpful information on why this approach could be the answer to this major problem

• CEASE Network Boston A network working to lessen the harm inherent to the illegal sex industry by reducing the demand for paid sex. Through initiatives targeting sex buyers the CEASE Network will cut the illegal sex trade by 20%, in every city it operates in, within two years.

• Not on Our Watch: Lower Roxbury Coalition, Dumas.LaFontant@wshc.org

• MA Department of Public Health task force, led by Linda Brown. Quarterly gatherings, focusing especially on labor trafficking and public health

• The High Risk Youth Network Monthly meetings and “speakers series” to connect agencies, NGOs and community leaders working with “high risk youth” in Boston.

B. LABOR TRAFFICKING / IMMIGRATION ACTIVISTS:

• MA Interfaith Worker Justice We are a network of people of faith that calls upon our religious values in order to educate, organize, and mobilize the religious community in the United States on issues and campaigns that will improve wages, benefits and conditions for workers, and give voice to workers, especially low-wage workers.

• MataHari: Eye of the Day This site will connect you with many different social issues that are faced on a daily basis such as “internalized and institutional racism, heterosexism, classism, xenophobia, partner and sexual violence and exploitation as it occurs within our communities of color, immigrant communities and within our social justice organizations”. They are seeking justice for the many people who are abused in our community today.

• MA coalition for Domestic Workers

• MIRA: The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. MIRA’s work encompasses policy and advocacy analysis, institutional organizing, training and leadership development, and communications.

• Boston Faith and Justice Network We believe you need to “Live gratefully, change our community, and Advocate” for the cause. Resources available such as the “Lazarus at the Gate” curriculum, looking at financial Stewardship, justice and generosity.

C. ACADEMIA / RESEARCH:

• Carr Center for Human Rights: programing on Human Trafficking through out the year

• Intercollegiate convention against modern slavery : network of Boston area schools coming together to end modern slavery

• Melissa Farley - Northeastern University

• Donna Hughes - University of RI

D. AFTERCARE FOR YOUTH:

• My Life My Choice - We empower youth to find their voice and create a positive life path: through Survivor mentoring, groups, advocacy, and community trainings.

• The SEEN Coalition - wrap around model for case management for CSEC girls

• BLOOM, by teen Challenge - short term residential housing for girls 12-18

E. SYSTEM INVOLVED YOUTH:

• Roxbury Youthworks - GIFT program

• Roxbury Youthworks - BUILD program, for boys and trans youth survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation

• Germaine Lawrence- Group home for high risk girls in Foster Care

• StreetSafe

F. HOMELESS YOUTH:

• Home For Little Wanderers

• Bridge over Troubled Waters

• Y2Y shelter in Harvard Square

G. AFTERCARE FOR ADULTS:

• Housing and case management for survivors of human trafficking:

• RIA house Case management and survivor support groups for women over 18 who are coming out of commercial sexual exploitation

• The Eva Center Case management and housing for women over 18 who are coming out of commercial sexual exploitation. House has some capacity for women with children.

• Amirah whole-person, wrap around care and housing for women over 18, domestic, coming out of sex trafficking/ commercial sexual exploitation

• Procopio Consulting and Counseling : male survivors of commercial sexual exploitation

• Bethany Christian Services of Southern New England - case management for labor and sex trafficking

• MataHari:eye of the Day - case management for labor trafficking especially

H. ADDICTION RECOVERY FOR ADULTS:

• Place of Promise

• The Salvation Army

• Teen Challenge women’s home in RI

I. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/ RAPE CRISIS SUPPORT:

• Hagar Sisters

• Boston Area Rape Crisis Center

• Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence

J. HEALTHCARE RESOURCES:

• Mass General : Freedom Clinic

• Boston Medical Center Clinic for DV and human trafficking

• HEAL trafficking- National network of resources and trainings for healthcare providers on human trafficking

• Education For Health Care Services:

• Human Trafficking: Guidebook on Identification, Assessment, and Response in the Health Care Setting

• Article : responding to the needs of a human trafficking survivor

K. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LEGAL SERVICES:

• MA Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (BPD)

• Federal law enforcement task force including the FBI and DHS

• Homeland Security Blue Campaign

• Peter DiMarzio hosts Quarterly victims assistance network meetings for New England

• Attorney General’s Office, Human Trafficking Prosecutors team

• Boston University Law School, Human Trafficking Clinic

• Family Justice Center - A location housing several non-profits and police units, under the same roof to foster collaboration

Exploitation Response Sheet for Spanish Speakers

Hoja de Recursos/Respuestas de Explotación

Qué es explotación/Tráfico Humano? "Tráfico Humano es la adquisición de la personas pormedios impropios, tales como la fuerza, el fraude, o la coacción, con el objetivo de explotarlos." United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/human­trafficking/

Si alguien se identifica a sí mismo como una víctima de la trata de personas, o sospecha quealguien está en riesgo o involucrados con la trata de personas y la explotación, aquí están los recursos para la respuesta

Exploitation Response Resource Sheet Quincy, MA

If someone self-identifies as a victim of human trafficking, or you suspect someone is at risk or involved with human trafficking and exploitation, here are resources for response.