Transitional Housing Opening for Sex Trafficked Teens
Teenage girls trying to escape from the horror of sex trafficking in Alameda County have a new place to go, thanks to a partnership announced last week between the District Attorney and a non-profit in Castro Valley providing sanctuary for battered women.
Last week, DA Nancy O’Malley helped cut the ribbon on “Nancy’s House,” which has been named after her in honor of her fight against human trafficking for more than 30 years. The emergency and transitional housing at an undisclosed address in Hayward will officially open in March to serve youth ages 13-17 who have been sex trafficked. The site will be operated by Ruby’s Place; a non-profit organization that has been working to end domestic violence and human trafficking since 1971.
“I am so honored to have a part in this much-needed facility that will serve as transitional youth housing. Young survivors of sex trafficking need a place to heal, and to know that services and care are available for them,” said DA O’Malley. “It is fitting that the opening of this facility is during January, Human Trafficking Awareness Month. It’s a reminder that our fight against human trafficking is not over and continues every single day.”
When it opens, the home will initially host seven girls for up to 90 days. Later this year, the number is expected to increase to 14 girls. The goal is to extend services for up to 18 months, depending on each girl’s situation.
“We are so proud of our newest youth residential supportive services home,” said Helen Ayala, Youth Programs Manager for Ruby’s Place. “This home for teens took less than a year to launch—from the idea to this ribbon cutting. We are grateful that DA O’Malley believed and shared the vision of extending services to youth in our community.”
The Ruby’s Place organization operates three other shelters: Betty’s Village for battered women; Casa de Ruby for men who are victims of human trafficking; and House of Acceptance for transgender women. Ayala said after interviewing the women coming to their shelters for several years, it was apparent that providing a safe place for teens was the next logical step.
“Many of the adult women would tell us that they had also been victims of sex trafficking back when they were younger and if they had someplace to go when they were in middle school or high school, that they would have avoided coming to us in their 20s and 30s,” Ayala said.
She added that the first goal is to get the teens to safety and keep them off the streets. Most come in with just the clothes on their backs and in crisis mode.
“It can be very difficult for them to reach out because, unlike adults, minors often do not come forward because they don’t realize they are being taken advantage of,” Ayala said. “That’s why our staff meets them where they are.”
Bay Area a Hub for Trafficking
Human trafficking stats are difficult to obtain in Alameda County because they may appear to be domestic violence, or other crimes, DA O’Malley’s office said. However, more than 80 percent of victims in Alameda County were born in the US. There are more cases of human trafficking reported in California than in any other state.
“One of the things that shock me the most is that people are shocked when we tell them that human trafficking is happening here,” Ayala said. “The Bay Area is the hub of human trafficking in the United States. Many people we talk with have the idea that this issue happens overseas rather than being an issue here. But labor trafficking and sex trafficking happens here, in Silicon Valley, and in the Salinas Valley.”
Human trafficking is estimated to be more than a $150 billion industry worldwide, according to an International Labour Organization (ILO) report. Two-thirds of that total—$99 billion—came from commercial sexual exploitation, while another $51 billion resulted from forced economic exploitation, including domestic work, agriculture, and other economic activities.
Most of the teens looking to escape trafficking in Alameda County are Black, Ayala said, adding there has been an uptick in the number of women and girls with indigenous backgrounds from Honduras and Nicaragua who are seeking help. But after her eight years of working with Ruby’s Place clients, she has seen all ethnic groups represented.
“Oftentimes our first contact with our clients comes as referrals from hospitals and law enforcement,” Ayala said. “We are also working with local school districts. Our crisis line also allows for direct contact or through a social worker or probation officer.”
If you or someone you know is trying to escape human trafficking or domestic violence, you can call the Ruby’s Place crisis hotline at (888) 339-7233 and para Español at (510) 786-1246.