Title: Off The Streets – Cincinnati Union Bethel
Headings: Off The Streets
Off The Streets
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Content: Since its inception in 2006, our program served over 800 victims of sex trafficking. Our program manager and almost all of the staff members who provide comprehensive case management services to our clients have life experience similar to the population we serve. Their life experiences and dedication informed the development of our approach and have facilitated a welcoming, non-judgmental environment for the women we serve. Further, their image as courageous and inspiring women empowers hundreds of survivors who have come to our doors. Off the Streets has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Community Problem Oriented Policing Awards (2007, 2011), the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit of the Year Award (2007), the Mutual of America National Community Partnership Award (2008), and Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations Program Excellence Award in 2006, 2011 & 2013. Frequently Asked Questions
Who are victims of sex trafficking? According to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), a victim of sex trafficking is someone who has engaged in commercial sex acts that were “induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age.” Unfortunately, most victims of human trafficking are never identified because they are being held by force, received threats against them or their families, do not identified as victims (they have been led to believe they are responsible for their victimization), do not know where to seek help, or they fear institutions such as the police will not believe them, will not help them, or will further stigmatize them. In an effort to increase the identification of victims, Judge Paul Herbert from Franklin County Ohio partnered with a human trafficking research center and conducted assessments on more than 1,000 people charged with prostitution-related offenses. By using a comprehensive trafficking assessment tool, Judge Herbert was able to find that 92% of the women who passed through his courtroom after being charged with prostitution met the definition of human trafficking victims.