April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. A month we dedicate to affirming loud and clear that children should not be for sale.
Today, I get to share the breakthrough we’re finding in youth saved from human trafficking. I am grateful to say that our prevention staff are seeing youth intercepted from the dangerous schemes of traffickers who seek to exploit them through a process called grooming.
I sat down with Sonya Brooks, our Director of Youth Prevention in North Texas, to hear firsthand what she sees daily on the ground. Providing clarity, Sonya shared that grooming involves a trafficker manipulating a child by alienating and isolating them, severing ties to support, and introducing harmful behaviors to create dependency.
Our prevention teams operate in school districts and juvenile detention centers. As Sonya said, “We go to places many consider hopeless.” She shared a powerful moment from a recent school training: a 5th grader sought her help after a presentation on abuse, leading to immediate and necessary intervention. This incident illustrates the critical role that informed and attentive adults play in the lives of these at-risk youth.
The truth is we all have the opportunity to be a safe place for the youth in our lives.
Sonya Brooks, Director of Youth Prevention in North Texas shares at the recent Unbound Now Empower Freedom Luncheon in Fort Worth, Texas.
Walking inside juvenile detention facilities, our teams hear heart-wrenching stories that reinforce the need for our empathetic presence. We begin the healing process and prevent further exploitation by creating space for youth to share their pain without judgment.
Through weekly conversation, Sonya models healthy boundaries and relationships, contrasting most of the girls’ experiences. She describes the joy of “light-bulb” moments where girls understand their value, proclaiming proudly that they are worthy of safety, love, and respect.
Since January, our proactive engagement has led to the identification of seven victims of human trafficking in North Texas. That’s seven youth attending school or receiving services in our community who were carrying immense pain they thought they would keep secret forever. Immediately, these youth were connected to a dedicated Unbound Now Survivor Advocate to walk alongside them as they received needed resources.
We are successfully building safety nets for youth in our communities, and we won’t stop until all are guaranteed a childhood of freedom. Your continued support fuels our ability to offer these crucial services.
Together, we can safeguard more lives. Thank you for being a part of this beautiful journey.
With great hope,
Brian Anderson
CEO, Unbound Now