Empowering Women Survivors of Human Trafficking in the Dominican Republic
Stories of Hope in the Dominican Republic – Trades of Hope. The Dominican Republic is home to the third fastest growing sex-trafficking industry in the world. Your purchase empowers women escaping domestic abuse and human trafficking with freedom and dignity. – (Read Time: 2 min.)
Trades of Hope is partnering with an Artisan community in the D.R. that provides safe housing, education, legal services, job skills training, and dignified income opportunities for women survivors of human trafficking.
From Homebuilding to Anti-trafficking
Six years ago, the founders of this Artisan community were on a mission to build homes for families living in extreme poverty in the Dominican Republic. As they worked closely with local communities and families, they quickly realized that there was a more dire need for the local women and young girls they were trying to help.
Like most areas of extreme poverty, women and young girls in the Dominican Republic are often exploited through forced labor and sex trafficking, and often by family members they’ve trusted to protect and care for them.
When these Artisan community founders met sisters Rosaura and Erica, they realized they needed more than a roof over their heads.
They needed a safe home where they could be protected, defended, nurtured, counseled, and empowered.
So this community of home builders created an Artisan community where vulnerable women and young girls could escape human trafficking, abuse, and trauma, as they experienced healing and hope. Young girls could live in the safe home and go to school. As they matured into adulthood, they could learn job skills and earn income making jewelry. They could also be supported with legal services and trauma counseling.
Now 19 and 20 years old, Rosaura and Erica are becoming financially independent as jewelry Artisans.
Handcrafted Natural Stone Jewelry
Women survivors of human trafficking handcraft ethically made jewelry from natural stones, including rare larimar stone that’s found nowhere else on earth except the volcanic regions of the D.R.
Empowering Trafficking Survivors to Create New Lives – Stories of Hope
Yocasta’s Story of Hope in the D.R.
“My life was very bad before I became an Artisan. I was sexually abused my entire childhood by my father and was sold at 11 years old to a man I did not love.”
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