Creating a Safe Space for Victims and Survivors of Human Trafficking

The love and peace are palpable in the Kristy Love Foundation’s home on Date Street, just south of Louisville’s Russell neighborhood. A recent survivor of human trafficking sits on the couch in the living area, sorting through clothing that was given to her by the foundation. Angela R., the foundress of the life-changing organization, rapidly lists positive things the young woman should be thankful for, pleading with her to show gratitude and asking for a five-page paper on the topic. “I’m thankful that I have bagels and cream cheese for breakfast,” Angela begins, going on to say, “I’m thankful for new clothes, I’m thankful that I have a place to stay, that I have cable, that I am out of prison, that I can see the grass, that I get to celebrate Christmas…,” and the list continues. I am baffled that Angela can so easily list what someone else should be thankful for, but after hearing her story, it is clear how easily she can put herself in a survivor’s shoes.

Angela, or Kristy Love as she was called by the man who profited from her body, was first sexually assaulted at the age of three and was first trafficked for sex when she was nine years old. After she was forced to abandon school in the sixth grade, Angela went on to be arrested four times, racking up fifty-seven charges against her. At age twenty-eight, Angela was finally freed from human trafficking in what she describes as “a bright light out of the darkness." Though she is tearful when she discusses her experiences, she does not seem to regret her time in prison, saying that it is what led to the formation of the Kristy Love Foundation.

“Whoever gets out first takes care of the others,” Angela told me with tears in her eyes. As it turns out, she was the first woman in her group of inmates to be released from prison and was eager to start her mission to “take care of the others.” Purchasing an abandoned, dilapidated house located behind a liquor store, Angela collected four homeless women off the streets and provided them with a place to live, unofficially founding what would become the Kristy Love Foundation. Recalling her tragic life experiences, Angela says her mission to help other survivors was inspired by her own suffering, saying, “I wish somebody gave me somewhere to stay…that someone had stopped to say, ‘can I help?’” Even today, Angela is awaiting the arrival of several new young women at the house and is bursting with excitement at the idea of taking care of them, saying, “it can be difficult, but it’s worth it.” The job does, in fact, seem extremely difficult, stressful, and time-consuming. The Kristy Love Foundation receives no state or federal funding, and the organization runs entirely on donations whether monetary or in the form of toiletries, clothing, appliances, etc. “I wear a lot of hats,” Angela says, describing how she not only plays mother, counselor, and leader to the young women she houses, but also raises money for her foundation and opens new homes to help more survivors begin their paths to healing.

While the foundation is not based in a particular religion or faith, Angela says, “God’s influence on this organization is tremendous,” going on to explain that, “at first we didn’t understand God’s power affecting us.” However, over time Angela began to see how God was affecting her mission. When she was just a child and experienced her first sexual assault, she was nearly smothered to death under a pillow. However, she miraculously survived, something she attributes to God’s power, saying, “God said, ‘I’m going to let you live so you can continue your mission.’” And Angela did just that. Despite experiencing over a decade of assault following that incident, Angela says, “the trauma didn’t rob my vision.” Her vision thrives today, with seven Kristy Love locations, and one more opening in Dayton, Ohio in January 2019. Through these homes, Angela has truly continued her mission, touching the lives of numerous human trafficking survivors and providing them with a safe space to heal and rebuild.

“The trauma didn’t rob my vision.” -Angela R.

Angela wants to help her survivors of human trafficking “find the solution through the trauma.” Her foundation does not ignore the suffering these women have experienced, but rather offers “a listening ear to a silent heart.” The women are encouraged to use their experiences to aid in their recovery, opening their hearts to a willing listener. While, according to Angela, their reintegration into society can be hindered by “shame, guilt, and remorse” for what they have experienced, the Kristy Love Foundation aims to repurpose those experiences to give the women hope. Angela believes her foundation is truly a safe and rehabilitative place because it is “survivor-led,” meaning she is “always” available at the home and allows the women to “take their pain out” on her. In addition to being survivor-led and founded, Angela says “love” is something else that makes the Kristy Love Foundation special, identifying her type of love as “the constructive motherly love of decency and order.” She knows that she “stays on” the girls sometimes, often steering them in the direction of success despite their protests, but she also knows that she does this out of love and because she wants the girls to succeed on their path of healing.

Angela is aware of the ways in which survivors of human trafficking are pushed firmly to the margins of society, explaining through tears that “society doesn’t think of us as normal people. They don’t understand why we couldn’t get out sooner. They think it was our choice.” Because she is a survivor herself, Angela's foundation promotes solidarity rather than superiority. She does not degrade survivors of human trafficking as society does, wondering how they could not have escaped sooner. Rather, Angela wants to help the women who have overcome human trafficking to see themselves as survivors capable of reintegrating into society. Angela's belief in the women she cares for is the means by which she can make them realize they possess inherent human rights. However, because society has deeply-rooted negative connotations associated with those who have experienced forced prostitution and human trafficking, many continue to see themselves as superior to victims and survivors. While this problem of superiority is deeply entrenched in society and, therefore, difficult to eradicate completely, much of the power to solve the problem is held by religious communities that have a history of excluding women who have experienced rape or human trafficking.

Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are gendered issues that do not receive an adequate amount of attention. Without awareness of human trafficking, women will continue to suffer as their cries for help are ignored. Furthermore, survivors of human trafficking who are attempting to rebuild their lives are met with resistance from members of their community who see them as abnormal. In order for victims and survivors of human trafficking to take the necessary steps towards freedom and security, the stigma surrounding them must be eradicated. Survivors should no longer be viewed as inferior to non-victims but viewed as equals who have experienced unfathomable levels of trauma. Anyone can raise awareness of human trafficking and make survivors feel safe and welcome in any community through ordinary and relatively simple actions. In order for communities to be inclusive of human trafficking survivors, they must value their experiences and welcome them into the conversation. By helping to erase the stigma surrounding survivors and being inclusive of their experiences, communities can encourage a positive response to social injustice and inspire others to be more accepting and welcoming of their neighbors.

If you believe you are a victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-8888 or text 233733. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.