How has the involvement of survivors/lived experience experts evolved and strengthened over the years in the fight against human trafficking? Give some examples of how Survivor Leaders have Risen Up and amplified both the individual and collective voices of survivors.
In 1985 I was trafficked to Japan as an adult by a woman I met in the Bay Area when I was trying to escape a domestic violence situation. This was before the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Years later in 2009, I came out publicly as a survivor because I wanted to speak out against the wall of misinformation about human trafficking. At the time, I committed myself to dispelling the societal stigma against victims and survivors of human trafficking, and against those who suffer from substance use disorder, PTSD, homelessness, and intimate partner violence. I began speaking out as often as possible: at the California State Legislature and at universities, churches, and conferences. I also served on the Indiana Attorney General’s anti-trafficking task force.
Across the nation, other survivors were doing similar work becoming Survivor Leaders. We began to reach out to each other and to organize efforts to be recognized for our lived experience expertise. With the help of legislators, we advocated for and passed the historic Human Trafficking Survivor Empowerment Act in 2015, which established the US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking comprised of 11 Survivor Leaders who provide recommendations to the President’s Interagency Task Force. We also established a legal requirement at the federal level for survivors to be compensated for their experiential expertise at the standard hourly rate for any expert professional.
Who are some other survivor leaders you admire and respect, whose wisdom inspires us all?
The people I admire are those who have experienced extreme trauma and adversity, yet through the power of the human spirit, and a dedication to freedom, they have emerged and now refuse to let their past define them or hold them back as they work toward a more positive life.
I am currently serving as President of Mentari Human Trafficking Survivor Empowerment Program, Inc., a nonprofit based in NYC and Indonesia. I admire the Mentari founders, my colleagues Shandra Woworuntu and Ima Matul who are both Survivor Leaders. Shandra and Ima served on the first United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking during the Obama Administration. At Mentari, Shandra and Ima welcome, support, and empower survivors regardless of gender, immigration status, or the type of exploitation they experienced. Mentari also serves members of the LGBT+ community and assists survivors at every step along the way as they build their future by providing job training via a Culinary Academy, as well as referrals to programs for other careers.
