Meet Our Community Client, Skylar*💛

Skylar* did not know she was a victim of human trafficking. 

At age 25, Skylar* was working a job, trying to provide for her children, and waiting for her boyfriend to be released from prison. She went to work in the morning, folded the laundry, and hung out with her friends. In addition, she had experienced years of sexual exploitation, not knowing that various individuals she considered friends were actually traffickers. This was just her life. 

Everything changed when law enforcement knocked on her door and asked if they could talk.

After warily welcoming them into her home, Skylar sat across from an officer and was met by the gentle presence of an individual who listened to her story with compassion. He looked her in the eye, asked thoughtful questions, and offered a truth about her situation. 

"I think you were taken advantage of," he gently told her. "I think you were exploited."

This was the first time anyone had ever helped Skylar see her experiences through that lens. The first time she had ever considered that she might be a victim. The first time anyone had ever sat with her and talked with her about her situation in a kind, non-judgmental, trauma-informed way. The first time she had shared her story and not been called “crazy”. This was the beginning of her healing journey, and it started with someone who understood trafficking and wanted to listen. 

Skylar* went on to share that she wanted support in her sobriety, someone to help her navigate the legal system, and to be connected with a community of people who understood what she had experienced.

So he called us. What began as a conversation with a compassionate officer became the beginning of a network of support, connecting her to a team ready to walk alongside her for the long haul.

Skylar's Story Continues...

"I didn't know things like this existed."

Those were some of the first words Skylar shared with our team as she sat in our office for the first time.

After being connected to Red Oak Hope through local law enforcement, Skylar and our team spent several weeks engaging through phone calls and text messages before she was ready to meet. This first in-person meeting would be a critical opportunity to build trust and better understand what support she wanted moving forward.

From the moment we first began communicating with Skylar to when she walked through our doors, we wanted her to know one thing:

She had a choice.

After years of having decisions made for her and living in circumstances where control had been taken away, we wanted to create a space for her to explore what she wants, needs, and hopes for. She gets to choose what happens next, what level of support she wants, and what that support will look like. 

In that first meeting, we learned more about what her life was like right now, what her immediate needs were, and what goals felt most important to her. She shared that she wanted to connect with other women who understood her experiences, help her navigate childcare benefits and SNAP, and support her as she worked toward greater stability for herself and her children. As they continued to meet, this is what they focused on together. 

Skylar was no longer on her own. She had a team around her to support, encourage, and walk alongside her. People who would reach out, show up, and follow through. 

A few weeks after meeting regularly with Emily, our case manager, at a coffee shop, Skylar continued to schedule times to meet but stopped showing up. Eventually, communication stopped altogether. For survivors of abuse, exploitation, and trafficking, healing is a winding journey. Circumstances change, trust takes time to develop, doubts or fears creep in, and they may step away for weeks, months, or longer.

Our team understands this, so after days of not hearing from her, Emily sent her a final message:

"I want you to know my hope is simply to support you in whatever you want to do. You don't owe me anything, and I don't want you to feel ashamed for missing our meetings. Whenever you're ready, the door is always open."

Months passed, the holidays came and went, and as we settled into the rhythm of a new year, Emily got a call. It was Skylar. She explained that her boyfriend had been released from prison and was once again exploiting her.

In the hours and days that followed, our team walked alongside her, providing crisis support and safety planning. Over the phone, Emily helped her explore immediate safe shelter options, arranged emergency hotel accommodations, and sought resources she could access where she was currently located.

The circumstances that led Skylar to make that phone call were heartbreaking. But the fact that she knew she wasn't alone was significant. She knew where to turn because months earlier, someone had taken the time to listen, build trust, take the first steps in accomplishing her goals, and remind her that support would always be there.

Today is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, a day to raise awareness about human trafficking and reaffirm the dignity and rights of every survivor. While awareness is an important first step, lasting change happens when survivors have access to compassionate, consistent support long after the initial crisis has passed.

Skylar's story is a reminder that healing rarely follows a straight path. It takes trusted relationships, community partnerships, and people who are willing to keep showing up, whether that means answering a late-night phone call, helping someone create a safety plan, connecting them with housing or recovery resources, or simply reminding them that they are not alone.

Every day, individuals across our community are reaching out for help. Some are ready to take the next step immediately. Others may not be ready until weeks or even months later. Because of supporters like you, our community-based services can remain ready to respond whenever that moment comes.

Skylar's Journey is Far From Over🤍

After reconnecting with Skylar and working side by side with her to provide immediate crisis support, our team continued to stay in touch.

For a time, Skylar was staying in a temporary home in a different city. Through our network of community partners, we were able to connect her with a stabilization center near where she was. Emily worked collaboratively with this partner to ensure they understood Skylar’s situation and could provide her the support she needed. As time went on, communication slowed until we stopped hearing from Skylar again.

Again, Emily sent her a simple message letting her know there was no shame in stepping away and that, whenever she was ready or if she ever needed it, the door would remain open, and we would be here to support her.

Skylar’s journey is typical of what many survivors experience. Progress often looks like someone moving toward safety, trying something new, experiencing setbacks, and then finding the courage to reach out again for help and move just a little bit closer to safety and stability. Each time they reach back out, they carry with them the experiences of healing and resilience they’ve discovered along the way. And we can feel confident that each touchpoint we have brings them one step closer to a life free from exploitation.

While her journey is far from over, Skylar carries with her the knowledge that, through the long and complex healing journey, we will continue to show up, offer support, and leave the door open whenever someone is ready to walk through it.

*To protect confidentiality, all names have been changed, and stock photos may be used.