Twenty Years of Fighting for Freedom

by Titus Benton | Jan 16, 2025 | Uncategorized

A lot can happen in twenty years.

Two decades ago this month, George W. Bush was inagurated into his second term as President of the United States. The iPhone hadn’t been released yet. No one had ever heard of Spotify, TikTok, or Hulu. Netflix still mailed DVDs so you could watch your favorite movies.

Yes, a lot can happend in twenty years.

The Beginning: A Collaborative Response

In January of 2005, United Against Human Trafficking did not exist.

Awareness about the issue of human trafficking was only beginning to emerge. It was named a federal crime in 2000, with Texas introducing a state statute against it in 2003. As the necessity for awareness and prevention programs as well as survivor services came to the forefront locally, a handful of passionate people gathered in April 2005 to discuss the urgent need for a coordinated, collaborative response to the issue of human trafficking in Houston, Texas.

Out of that meeting, the Houston Rescue & Restore Coalition was born. This initial discussion was the culmination of multiple stakeholders recognizing a need and feeling a strong desire to address it. Rather than tackle such a complex problem independently, they decided to lock arms and launch an effort together.

Evolution Into United Against Human Trafficking

Over the years, that coalition evolved into what we now know as United Against Human Trafficking. In addition to our original work around coalition building, we have led the way for two decades in education, awareness, prevention, and client services.

But the heart of our work remains the same: collaboration. We join forces with other passionate organizations, businesses, and individuals so that all may live free.

A Mission That Has Not Changed

One thing has not changed in twenty years:

We still fight so all may live free.

And we all fight so all may live free. Over the years, hundreds of people and agencies have joined us in this fight. New organizations were launched. The coalition grew and expanded in advocacy, survivor services, policy, and economic empowerment.

UAHT not only grew as a coalition builder but as an independent agency as well.

Reflecting on Our Journey & Shaping the Future

As we reach this milestone anniversary, it is the perfect time to reflect on how far we have come and the impact we have made together. Over the years, our dedication to collaboration and innovation has driven us to achieve incredible results.

Milestones of Our 20-Year Journey

In the past twenty years, we are proud to have achieved the following milestones:

Grown from a couple of volunteer leaders to an agency with a staff of over 20 people in two states.
Launched and led the Houston Coalition, helped lead our local law enforcement task force summit, and worked to forge new coordinated responses in Fort Bend County.
Redoubled the focus and importance of survivor-centered, trauma-informed, culturally competent programming across the anti-trafficking movement.
Begun operations in Southwest Louisiana, including establishing the Southwest Louisiana Coalition and launching programs in the region.
Purchased a client services building in Houston’s East End and started a housing program for foreign national survivors of trafficking.
Assumed operation of A 2nd Cup, a beloved coffee shop that was a trusted partner in the fight against human trafficking.

And we did all this together.

Reflecting on the Past, Embracing the Future

As we celebrate our 20th year as an agency, we know we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. In the year ahead, while celebrating the work that has been done, we are also looking forward to the future.

How can the movement continue to grow and evolve?

We know that what brought us here won’t get us there. In our 20th year, we seek not only to reflect but to envision a bright future for the anti-trafficking movement in greater Houston, Southwest Louisiana, and new regions where we will seek to add value and make an impact.

A lot can change in twenty years. But one thing will never change.

As we have for two decades, we will position ourselves to bring people together so that all may live free.

Task Forces v. Coalitions

by Simon Ellankiyil | Sep 9, 2024 | Uncategorized

Understanding the Roles of Human Trafficking Task Forces & Human Trafficking Coalitions

Human trafficking is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. Across the U.S., various organizations and entities have combined resources and skills to reach every area and aspect of human trafficking. Two of the most common human trafficking organizations and entities are task forces and coalitions. Both aim to tackle human trafficking; however, their structures, functions, and resource utilization differ significantly. This article explores these differences to provide a comprehensive understanding of each.

Human Trafficking Task Forces

Structurally, human trafficking task forces are law enforcement-centric and are an extension of the state or federal government. As such, often they are funded through tax dollars and/or other government funding. These task forces include a combination of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and other governmental agencies. Task forces typically also involve non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and survivor service providers in order to ensure seamlessness of services to and protection of human trafficking survivors. However, their primary focus remains on law enforcement and legal proceedings.

Human trafficking task forces have several functions and duties:

Investigation and Prosecution: Their primary function is to investigate and prosecute sex and labor trafficking cases. This includes identifying traffickers, extracting survivors, and dismantling trafficking networks.
Intelligence Gathering: A crucial part of task forces’ role is to collect and analyze data related to human trafficking activities. The data helps everyone involved in the movement better understand human trafficking patterns which in turn guides collaborative efforts to develop or adjust strategic plans.
Interagency Collaboration: An important aspect of task forces is to create a seamless collaboration between law enforcement agencies—city, county/parish, state, and federal. The collaboration ensures that all the agencies are communicating intelligence, pooling resources and expertise, and are unified in their operations.
Training and Education: Human trafficking intersects with gender, sex, citizenship status, race, economic status and more. As such, one of their key duties is to ensure proper training to law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and other governmental actors. This training may be provided by an NGO for survivor-informed training, established task forces for tactical training, and/or other experts in the field.
Survivor Assistance Coordination: Survivor assistance coordination is not typically task forces’ primary focus; however, in working closely with the regional coalition, the task force will connect survivors to the coalition so that the coalition can assist the survivor with access to social services.

Task forces play a vital role in our communities to eradicate human trafficking networks and assist survivors in getting out. Task forces are established in both regions UAHT services – The Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence in the greater Houston area and The Allians in Calcasieu Parish. As an NGO, at UAHT we work with both task forces on an as-needed bases and stay informed about the task forces. In summary, the essential role of human trafficking task forces is to conduct operations, gather intelligence, and prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking. They heavily rely on federal and state funding to accomplish this goal.

Human Trafficking Coalitions

The structural make-up of human trafficking coalitions differs greatly from that of task forces. Coalitions are community-based. They are made up of NGOs, social service providers, legal advocates, healthcare professionals, educators, and survivors. Coalitions will also typically have a law enforcement representative involved for seamless collaboration between the regional task force and coalition. Coalitions are generally registered as a 501(c)(3) or lead by a 501(c)(3), largely gaining their funding from donations, grants, and partnerships.

Human trafficking coalitions have several functions and duties:

1. Awareness and Education: Coalitions focus on raising awareness about human trafficking within communities. Specifically, awareness and education include demographics typically affected by human trafficking, signs of labor and sex trafficking, lived experiences, training on survivor-informed care, and community advocacy.
2. Advocacy: Often coalitions will have a policy committee in which they will advocate for policy changes to improve laws and protections for trafficking survivors on a local, state, and national level.
3. Survivor Services: One of coalitions core functions is to provide survivors with direct support. This includes offering shelter, legal assistance, counseling, healthcare, and job search assistance.
4. Community Engagement: Coalitions work to engage and mobilize community members, encouraging them to participate in efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking.
5. Collaboration and Networking: Coalitions facilitate collaboration among its members and the community with the goal of fostering a diverse approach to addressing human trafficking.

Coalitions utilize their networks and community to mobilize, provide resources, and support survivors. Coalitions typically have a broad reach in the community, allowing them to raise awareness and provide services directly to survivors at a grassroots level. As an NGO, UAHT is more involved in the coalition-side of advocacy. A huge part of our heart and efforts is to build out and grow the coalitions in Houston and Lake Charles. It is part of our mission to ensure that the coalitions are survivor-centered, have a diverse pool of members, and are inclusive of all races, ethnicities, sexual-orientations, and backgrounds.

Complementary Roles

Despite the differences between task forces and coalitions, they complement one another in the fight against human trafficking. Task forces work to dismantle trafficking operations, extract human trafficking survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable. On the other hand, coalitions offer a holistic approach to human trafficking by addressing the social aspect of human trafficking by providing essential services, education, and support to survivors.

A strong partnership between task forces and coalitions is crucial as it creates an environment in which a comprehensive strategy to combat human trafficking can be formed. Additionally, collaboration is important so that the two teams can leverage their unique strengths and resources. Here, at United Against Human Trafficking, it is our goal to work closely with and support the task forces both in Texas and Louisiana to ensure that together we are providing robust wrap-around services and education to survivors and our communities.

Courage to Love

by Titus Benton | Jul 13, 2023 | Uncategorized

United Against Human Trafficking proudly stands with our partners in Houston to establish justice for our clients – regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, religion, or ability. We are committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community and energized by growth in this movement to that end in recent years.

As a nonprofit leading coalition work in Houston, Texas and Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, we are on the front lines of uniting people around a shared mission. This mission is not defined by a singular perspective, but a communal vision to end human trafficking. As an independent agency doing direct client services, we also know that our focus must be what is in the best interests of the client.

In June, the Freedom Church Alliance published a communication which contrasted courage and compromise using language we felt undermined the spirit of our movement in Houston.

At UAHT, we believe compassion and love – meeting a client where they are, regardless of where they are – is always in the best interests of the client. We affirm people of all faiths joining in this work, but call on our partners to recognize that only a trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach will move the needle in a client’s life.

We believe agencies informed by a Christian-centered mission can recognize that this belief – meeting people where they are, meeting their immediate needs, interacting with empathy considering experienced trauma – is not a compromise of one’s faith, but a right, just, and valid expression of that faith. Sometimes the courage FCA called us in to in their blog is found by keeping our personal preferences personal in order to help someone else. Said differently, courage can be found in not drawing a line in the sand because we are prioritizing helping someone else rather than fulfilling our own felt need to defend a religious belief.

When we serve trans clients, gay clients, or clients that have had an abortion with no strings attached we are doing the work we are called to do – whether we’re Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, or of another/no faith. This is true because the work is work in service to our clients, not in service to one’s individual faith.

Faith makes a great motivation in serving survivors of human trafficking but falls short of being a holistic strategy. We must employ the best practices of social work, and this includes not discriminating or seeking to change a client’s beliefs or identity. Instead, we do our best work when we honor their perspectives.

United Against Human Trafficking – as an independent agency nearly two decades old, serving as coalition leaders since 2007 – will continue to urge the movement forward toward greater inclusion. This is because we feel that love and compassion — regardless of individual preferences — is not compromise, it is courage.

Indeed, it’s the most sacred work of all.

But no one comes back to the jails…

by Jenny Macahon | May 9, 2023 | Uncategorized

Absolutely, let’s delve into why individuals in jail are particularly vulnerable to the risk of human trafficking.

Incarcerated individuals are often amongst the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our society. They face a myriad of challenges and barriers that make them easy targets for human traffickers.

Firstly, a large proportion of individuals in jail come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. They may have limited access to resources, employment, or social support systems. Upon release, these individuals often struggle to secure stable housing and gainful employment due to their criminal record. This desperation and lack of resources can make them prime targets for traffickers who exploit their vulnerabilities by offering false promises of employment, housing, or financial security.

Secondly, the stigma of incarceration can lead to social isolation and marginalization. This sense of isolation can drive individuals towards individuals or groups who appear to offer acceptance and a sense of belonging, even if those groups engage in exploitative practices. Traffickers often prey on this human need for connection and acceptance, using it as a tool to manipulate and control their victims.

Thirdly, many incarcerated individuals have experienced a history of trauma, including physical or sexual abuse, drug addiction, or mental health issues. Such experiences can lead to heightened vulnerability and susceptibility to further victimization, including trafficking. Traffickers can exploit these traumas, using them as a means to control and manipulate their victims.

UAHT’s Real Talk program seeks to address these issues by providing incarcerated individuals with the information, resources, and support they need to protect themselves from trafficking. By fostering open conversations about the realities of trafficking and equipping participants with practical tools and resources, Real Talk aims to empower incarcerated individuals, reducing their vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking.

“I remember visiting the jails week after week, often in tears (even now as I recall those moments). My coworker asked me why I was crying, and I told them it was because one woman in the jail called me her ‘light.’ She said I was her light because I kept coming back. ‘No one comes back to the jails,’ she told me.”

Through the support of generous donors like you, UAHT can continue its mission of bringing hope and light to those most at risk of human trafficking. By supporting UAHT, you’re not just donating money—you’re investing in a future where fewer individuals face the risk of being trafficked.

Become a monthly donor and champion these moments of change and empowerment!