JOURNEY OUT

In June of 2009, the organization expanded its services to create a Harm Reduction intervention model Drop In Center for anyone who is sexually exploited but is (1) unable to enter a residential program at this time (2) referred to Journey Out by a court or welfare agency. The Drop In Center was created to increase our community-level impact and to recognize the obligation to share our singular and longstanding clinical and programmatic expertise more widely. The Drop In Center distributes safe sex supplies, personal care and hygiene products. In addition, we offer HIV education and prevention classes, referrals for HIV testing appointments and counseling, prostitution exit and support groups, safe respite space with food and clothing, and case management. Various referral services are offered free/low cost medical care, job preparation education, food assistance, rehabilitation facilities, etc. Journey Out covers the cost of all services they provide for their clients.

Working with the L.A. City Attorney, Journey Out provides a Prostitution Diversion Program (PDP) for the City of Los Angeles. When women are arrested for prostitution related offenses, they have the option of being sentenced to the Prostitution Diversion Program instead of doing jail time. The PDP is an alternative sentence with the goal of aiding women out of the world of sexual exploitation while addressing other components and barriers that make the transition out of "the life" very difficult. The Journey Out Prostitution Diversion Program was developed by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation to help women address issues specific to exiting. The groups are 8 sessions long for first offenders and 18 sessions for those with more than one offense on their record. The workshops are designed to give clients the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to exit a life of commercial sexual exploitation permanently. Groups are lead by women who are survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and who have social work backgrounds. Survivors are specifically able to provide relevant information and peer support in a meaningful, powerful way.

The Journey Out Outreach Coordinator organizes teams of volunteers to drive around the prostitution tracks of Los Angeles where commercially sexually exploited females can be found. Packets are given out to women on the track, included in the packs are condoms, a snack, a lipstick or lipgloss with our phone number attached, and information about our programs and services along with other resources that may be useful. The coordinator also posts flyers and leaflets particularly along the prostitution tracks and works with local businesses to educate them about Journey Out and our work in the area. These tireless efforts are carried out several times a month in the early morning hours as well as throughout the day so we can reach our elusive client population.

In January 2016, in collaboration with the LAPD Operation Valley Bureau we established the Sex Trafficking Advocate Response Team (START), which provides Survivors as Advocates for victims. These advocates work inside one of the LAPD San Fernando Valley locations as well as in other divisions (Hollywood, Central, etc), and our advocates are on the scene of an incident taking place involving victims of sex trafficking to respond to victims needs immediately. Our advocates assist the victims in finding shelter and provide direct referrals to agencies (government and non-governmental agencies) that can help. We also provide mentorship, court accompaniment for testifying against traffickers, case management; as well as fulfilling the basic needs of victims. The support they receive from Journey Out continues long after closure of the case.

In addition to direct services, Journey Out provides education to the public, as well as specialized training for law enforcement, public health & social service providers, clinicians, and educators. Additionally, Journey Out also maintains a network of volunteer staff and interns who are taking advantage of this opportunity to learn and serve.

We also provide an intensive California Evidence Code based, 40 hours Human Trafficking Case Manager/Advocate Certification course. Our training not only focuses on the identification of victim of trafficking, pimp profiles, the social determinants of health that serve as risk factors, and the effects of trafficking across the life term, but also on the cycle of re-victimization by law enforcement and the justice system, business owners/corporations, and those in their communities. “Victimization from human sex trafficking has no expiration date”, Is a phrase coined and trademarked by Dr. Powell, and it speaks to the fact that women exploited by human sex trafficking are indeed victims not offenders, who need varying types of social supports to help them not only escape “The Life”, but stay out of it.

Journey Out provides awareness-raising, education and prevention programs for youth, particularly high-risk youth (in foster care, the juvenile justice system, etc.). Our programs focus on prevention, diversion, knowledge, and empowerment. We also inform youth about recruitment methods that traffickers utilize.