SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (SNN) — January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month and, according to the Sarasota-based anti-human trafficking organization Selah Freedom, Florida ranks third in the U.S. for human trafficking cases.
SNN spoke to a sex trafficking survivor from Florida who completed Selah Freedom’s two-year program in 2019.
Triplett was trafficked for a year when she said she was rescued by Selah Freedom’s comprehensive rehabilitation program.
Grateful for the impact the organization had on her, she returned as an Awareness and Volunteer Advocate.
“After being trafficked by him for a year I was planning my escape and he found out and he shot me in the chest,” said Triplett.
She was in her 20s when she developed an addiction to heroin, leaving her homeless.
Triplett believes her trafficker used that vulnerability to his advantage.
“He approached me as somebody who was interested in me, who wanted to have a relationship with me,” she said.
After surviving a gunshot, Triplett was connected with Selah Freedom.
The organization has five programs: Awareness, Prevention, Outreach, Residential and Consulting.
“It’s incredible, you know, I have six years clean today. While I was in Selah I received my GED because I was a high school dropout. I have my associates degree, I’ve been holding a job, I own my first home, I’ve been reunified with my family. It’s such a drastic change,” said Triplett.
Triplett said her trafficker faces 25 years in prison.
She said at the time, manipulation made it difficult for her to recognize herself as a trafficking victim.
Selah Freedom Executive Director, Stacey Efaw, advises parents to monitor their child’s phone usage to prevent trafficking situations.
“Ninety percent of kids right now are being approached through technology. So, through video games, through social media, through texts,” said Efaw. “So the best thing they can do is be involved on their child’s phone, to have open communication with them, and then if they see any changes in the child’s behavior or they see them hanging out with different people, being very secretive about their phone, that might be a good thing for the parents to look into.
One-hundred percent of survivors in Selah Freedom’s residential program are pursuing their educational and career goals.
“Without Selah I wouldn’t be here today with the health and the success that I have,” said Triplett.
According to Selah Freedom, these are the top indicators of sex trafficking/exploitation:
- Signs of or history of emotional, sexual, or other physical abuse, sexually transmitted diseases
- Unexplainable appearance of expensive gifts, clothing, or other costly items
- Presence of an older boy/girlfriend
- Minor in the company of a controlling third party
- Lack of knowledge about a given community or whereabouts
- Bruising and injuries, signs of branding/tattoos
- Runaway/homeless
- Lying about age, giving false ID and/or no ID
- Well-rehearsed and/or inconsistent stories
Visit https://selahfreedom.com/stats-and-resources/ for more statistics and resources.