Catholic Charities of Louisville’s Bakhita Empowerment Initiative is helping youth across the Commonwealth learn about human trafficking and what makes young people vulnerable.
“We work to give them the tools to increase their protective factors so they can recognize if they are in danger,” said Tamar Israel, the initiative’s prevention education coordinator.
The Bakhita initiative is named for St. Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese woman who was enslaved in childhood and later served as a religious sister. She was canonized in 2000.
The initiative assists survivors of trafficking and aims to help combat it in Kentucky. Israel takes her prevention curriculum to schools and other organizations that serve young people.
She said in a recent interview that a trafficker is often someone the victim knows. Perpetrators use a variety of tactics, such as manipulation, coercion and seduction, she said. In some cases, an adult perpetrator works with another young person to lure a potential victim, she noted.
“It’s usually someone they know. Youth in residential settings, for example, are often exploited by their family or someone who pretends to be a boyfriend. There’s a lot of manipulation,” she said.
Young people are often victims of sex trafficking, but Israel said she’s aware of youth who have been trafficked for labor, as well. She has seen cases in which an undocumented youth is exploited because they need employment to help care for their families.
Israel said certain factors increase young people’s vulnerability to trafficking. A young person who doesn’t understand what a healthy relationship looks like, or doesn’t feel they belong are more vulnerable. Those who have a preconceived idea of what a trafficker might look like can also be at higher risk.
“We have to work to decrease those vulnerabilities,” she said. “Traffickers know who their victims are and they prey upon them.”
Amy Nace-DeGonda, who leads the Bakhita Empowerment Initiative, said Israel’s prevention work is crucial.
“We are doing a really good job to address the issue after it happens,” she said. “Preventative work is crucial because it’s getting to the youth before trafficking occurs.
“It connects them to resources and helps them to understand the ways they can be vulnerable and how traffickers” take advantage of that, she explained.
She said the youth are connected to such resources as suicide prevention, therapy and emergency financial assistance.
The prevention program reaches young people ages 12 to 18 in multiple languages using the following curricula:
“My Life, My Choice” is used to educate girls ages 12-18 about sex trafficking.
“Not a Number” focuses on labor trafficking and also teaches about online exploitation. This curriculum, designed for males and females, is youth-led, Israel said. “They guide the conversation. I’m most effective when I provide them the space to be themselves,” she said.
“I am Building a Healthy Identity” focuses on boys ages 12-18 in urban communities.
To learn more about the initiative, visit Bakhita Empowerment Initiative | Catholic Charities of Louisville.
