Tampa Bay Crisis Center
Laura called 211 looking for help with escaping human trafficking. She had been trafficked for the past six years but was experiencing health issues that impacted how much money she was bringing in for her traffickers. The previous night, she had been taken to a dangerous motel where she was beaten and told they’d start trafficking her daughter to make up the lost revenue. Laura knew it was time to reach out for help.
The Human Trafficking Care Coordinator at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay connected with Laura and together they developed a plan to get her to a safe location. The care coordinator worked with United Way to secure a one-week stay at a local hotel. The coordinator also worked with the Sexual Assault Services team to schedule an Uber to pick up Laura and her daughter and safely transport them to the hotel. While escaping, Laura fought with her traffickers, injuring her hand in the process and forcing her to leave her belongings behind.
Once safely at the hotel, the coordinator provided Laura and her daughter with clothing, hygiene items and gift cards to purchase food and other basic necessities. The next step would be getting Laura scheduled for counseling services. She is very excited to start her new life and knows she will never go back to her old one.
