18 Nov Fall newsletter (2025)
Happy Fall!
As the leaves turn and the air cools, we’re reminded how seasons bring both change and renewal. This fall, we pause to recognize the steady, year-round work of SAFE partners across Washington who create spaces of safety, healing, and hope for survivors of sexual exploitation. While the world slows down and prepares for winter, these partners remain steadfast meeting needs, building connection, and transforming lives.
Your Support Creates Victories!
Across Washington, SAFE partners are seeing real change made possible by you.
You’re helping:
PREVENT youth exploitation,
INTERVENE so victims can escape exploitation, and
RESTORE survivors with the care they need and deserve.
PREVENTION VICTORY!
Maya*, young teen in northwestern Washington, was navigating homelessness, past exploitation, and mental health struggles—vulnerabilities that made her an easy target for traffickers. When a traumatic event took place, her need for safety became even more urgent.
SAFE’s partner Cocoon House stepped in, coordinating with medical providers to ensure Maya accessed emergency physical and behavioral healthcare and secured safe shelter. This timely support offered the protection and stability she needed, preventing her from returning to environments where she could be further harmed.
Your generosity equips agencies to respond swiftly when young people need protection. Thank you!
INTERVENTION VICTORY!
Trafficking rarely begins with kidnapping.
Today, most youth are recruited online.
Anna*, a middle school girl in eastern Washington, was befriended online by a 35-year-old man who was connected to a couple of girls she knew. At first, he seemed kind, giving gifts, attention, and Anna felt special. Soon, he pressured her for more “favors,” manipulating her emotions and creating shame, confusion, and fear.
After learning about trafficking in a school presentation, Anna found the courage to report what was happening. Her mom reached out to SAFE’s partner, Mirror Ministries, and advocates quickly connected with her. Through legal guidance, support groups, art therapy, equine therapy, and even cooking, Anna is experiencing strength and healing. She still faces a long journey, but now she has freedom, support and hope for the future.
RESTORATION VICTORY!
When Latonya* learned about SAFE’s partner BEST and the Safe Jobs Collaborative, she was living in a youth shelter—an instability that often increases the risk of being trafficked. She was determined to build a safer future and dreamed of finding a job that could support her college goals.
With help from her case manager, Latonya applied to UPS, a Safe Jobs employer trained in trauma-informed practices. She was hired within a week. That job provided more than income; it offered stability, confidence, and a pathway toward independence.
Today, Latonya has transitioned out of the shelter and is building on the skills and confidence she gained through her first job. Those early experiences opened doors, gave her hope, and continue to shape her path toward a safer, more promising future.
Your support creates these turning points—moments where vulnerability becomes opportunity and a person’s future shifts toward safety and hope.
*For privacy and safety, pseudonyms are used to describe real stories.
As great as these victories are,
we know there are:
more youth who need prevention
more victims who want avenues to freedom
and more survivors who want to heal from the long-lasting effects of exploitation.
Your gift fuels a coordinated statewide strategy that moves the needle to end exploitation. We still have a gap to close—will you help us fully fund our 2025 Phase Nine Strategy?
Give today!
Fuel the fight to end exploitation