The Florida Dream Center is proud to announce that we have helped build one of the first safe houses for domestic minor boys in the US. The statistics for trafficked males has risen to approximately 45% of all trafficking victims.
The Florida Dream Center has been directly involved in after-care of over 150 victims of human trafficking rescued in the past several years through our relationships with law enforcement, other agencies in the state, our homeless outreach, prison ministries and other services. We focus on immediate post-rescue aftercare and long-term aftercare. (See our page on Restored, a project to help trafficked victims learn computer and job skills)
FACTS
Florida is 3rd in the nation for human trafficking across the U.S. The Tampa Bay area, including Pinellas County, is one of the greatest problem areas in the state.
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- An estimated 21 million children, women and men are caught in the cycle of trafficking worldwide, with 80% of trafficking victims being female, and up to 50% are children
- There are between 100,000 – 300,000 sex trafficking victims under 18 in the U.S. per year.
- 12 years old – the average age of entry into the sexual exploitation industry, with some as young as 9 years old
- Total yearly profits generated by human trafficking are $32 billion – Specifically, trafficking for sexual exploitation generates $28 billion per year
- Human trafficking is the fastest growing and 3rd largest organized criminal activity, behind only drug and arms trade. By the time that you read this information, human trafficking may pass arms trade-because you sell drugs or weapons once and they're gone. A child, you can sell over and over again. Unfortunately, the life expectancy for a child taken into sex trafficking is only 7 years from the date of capture.
PARTNERS
We have previously or are currently assisting with funding with the following organizations:
- Healing Root Ministry
- Redefining Refuge
- STAAR Ministry
- U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking
Some of the partners of the Florida Dream Center in the fight against Human Trafficking include:
- Local, state, federal and international law enforcement agencies
- DCF, Lutheran Services and multiple other social service provider
The Florida Dream Center has created an employment opportunity for survivors who have also been incarcerated. For complete details on the "RESTORED" program, please click here RESTORED
The Florida Dream Center operates Floricita's Boutique (picture and story below) that is at an undisclosed location. It is open to survivors of human trafficking and victims of severe sexual abuse. The ladies get to shop for free for everything that they need from clothes to makeup to toiletries.
