As I sat across from the young girl who had run away hours before, a wave of relief washed over me, but it was tinged with heartbreak.
Her decision to flee wasn’t just about rebellion; it was the result of deep, complex trauma. When life becomes overwhelming, when coping seems impossible, people run—sometimes trying to escape the past, sometimes chasing a future they can’t yet see.
A bittersweet relief settled in my chest. She was safe—for now. But how many times had she tried to escape her past, running from the weight of her trauma like a shadow that threatened to consume her at every turn?
It’s a story I’ve seen too often—our advocates sitting across from these young souls week after week. When life becomes too overwhelming and the pain too unbearable, they run, searching for an escape.
Not just from their circumstances, but from the memories that refuse to let them rest.
And when they do, it’s up to all of us—law enforcement, service providers, prosecutors—to pull them back from the edge and offer them something their trauma has stolen: hope.
I found myself locking eyes with her, tears welling up in my own. I wanted to promise her that everything would be okay. But I couldn’t. I knew that promise wasn’t mine to give.
What I could promise, though, was that we would do everything in our power to keep her safe from those who had harmed her. We would fight, side by side with local law enforcement and prosecutors, to bring her the justice she deserves.
It’s why we lock arms with—law enforcement, prosecutors, service providers, and advocates—sitting around a table, trading strategies, leaning on each other’s strengths, trying every way we know to give these kids a future they’ve been robbed of.
The kids we serve aren’t distant figures in statistics—they’re from our neighborhoods, walking the same streets, going to the same schools. And it takes an entire community, working together, to wrap them in the care they need, from safety to justice to healing.
I am endlessly grateful for our partners in the many Task Forces on which Unbound Now serves and helps lead. These partners help us look kids in the eyes and tell them,
“You have a team. A team that will fight for you, protect you, and walk alongside you as you rebuild your life.”
It’s not an easy promise, but it’s one I make wholeheartedly, knowing I have a network of people ready to do the hard work to make it true.
This month, the incredible work of the Heart of Texas Human Trafficking Coalition is featured in The Wacoan, and I hope you’ll read more about how the Waco-area community is coming together to protect these children.
Together, we can ensure that the ones who come after this girl know that there’s a team standing strong, ready to protect them and give them back their future.
Better Together,
Kristi Hayes
Unbound Now, Central Texas Director