We’re about halfway through my month of wearing a bow tie as part of the Dressember style challenge. It’s all to raise awareness and funds to fight human trafficking. So far I’m more than halfway to my goal of $10,000. That’s incredible—thank you!
So what does all this money actually accomplish? So far we’ve raised over $6,000. Let’s see how far $6,000 can go in the fight against human trafficking.
Donations at Work
Your donations support advocacy, intervention, prevention, and survivor empowerment programs through Dressember’s partner organizations.
Here are some of the specific impacts your donation can have:
- $25 – One month of virtual classroom support for vulnerable youth in non-traditional school.
- $45 – One hour of individual therapy for a survivor of cybersex trafficking.
- $100 – Help one youth pay for emergency medical care.
- $105 – Trial fees for one court case to defend a child who experienced sexual abuse.
- $125 – One month of employment support for a trafficking survivor.
- $250 – Establish a school club in a rural community to prevent children from being labor trafficked.
- $300 – Awareness training for foster youth at risk of trafficking.
- $500 – Legal representation to help a survivor clear all eligible criminal records.
- $520 – A month of home visits for over 90 at-risk children in Thailand.
- $750 – Cover the utilities for a safe home for survivors in the Philippines.
- $1,000 – Provide a computer for a survivor training to become an ecommerce manager.
- $1,000 – Year-long education scholarship for a trafficking survivor in Uganda.
- $1,700 – Create a path to healing and independence for a survivors of sex trafficking through long-term economic empowerment services.
- $6,420 total
Making an Impact One Bow Tie at a Time
It’s incredible to think about the impact wearing a bow tie can have in someone’s life.
Imagine being in a vulnerable situation—maybe you’re a foster kid fresh out of the system and you have no family support. You’re living paycheck to paycheck and no one has taught you to save for emergencies. A few of those pile up—your car breaks down, credit card is maxed out, and then you get hurt. How do you pay that medical bill? Now you’re desperate, a ripe target for traffickers.
Someone paying that medical bill could mean the difference between being trapped in human trafficking and being free. Follow that financial assistance with some mentoring about career goals and financial education and that foster kid on the brink of disaster is well on their way to success.
Or imagine being a victim. Maybe you were caught up in sex trafficking and there are some truly horrific stories in your past. You’re finally free of all that—but now what? Your sleep is plagued by nightmares and just walking down the street to the bus stop triggers your trauma. It’s hard to get a job thanks to your criminal record—the police saw you as a prostitute and not a victim. Keeping that job is just as hard while living paycheck to paycheck, teetering on the edge waiting for an emergency to knock you down again.
Having access to a therapist to help you through the trauma, a lawyer to clear your criminal record, and a teacher to help you learn new skills and get a better job all make freedom as sweet as it should be.
That’s the work your donation can do. Please consider donating to my campaign and supporting the vital work of Dressember and their partner organizations.