Long-term Safe House for Sex-trafficking Survivors in New York

The Somaly Mam Foundation recently awarded a grant to the New York-based organization Restore NYC (Restore), which will be used to help expand Restore’s services to include a transitional housing unit, or safe house, for survivors of sex-trafficking. 

Restore NYC provides holistic after-care services to international survivors of sex-trafficking in New York, with a special focus on a long-term solution to the problem. Restore began its work caring for survivors in 2006, with two employees and 25 clients. Today, the group has expanded to four employees serving 85 clients, most of whom are Korean and Chinese women. Clients are connected to Restore through the New York court system. After an arrest on prostitution charges, women who are identified as being trafficking victims are given the option of receiving care through the organization. Restore is also active in the New York City Mayor’s Office Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force.

Restore is currently expanding its services to include a safe house, which will provide a long-term, secure home for up to ten survivors at a time, where they can learn the skills they need to create healthy futures for themselves. Like SMF, Restore NYC is committed to providing survivors with the services and the time that they need to truly recover and reintegrate into society – and in keeping with this vision, Restore estimates that the average minimum stay at their safe house will be one year. This attention to long-term care, combined with Restore’s specific focus on international survivors of sex-trafficking, makes this safe house the first of its kind in the northeast region of the US. 

Restore’s services are especially needed as budget cuts in both New York City and New York state, including a recent multi-million dollar budget cut across all social services, have seriously affected domestic violence shelters. Without a secure place to call home, survivors of sex-trafficking face nearly insurmountable challenges to reclaiming their lives. At Restore’s safe house, located in Queens, survivors have the help they need to overcome those challenges: each resident will receive comprehensive case management services, including medical advocacy, immigration and legal assistance, and access to counseling, in addition to the opportunity to learn the necessary personal and professional skills to succeed.

The Somaly Mam Foundation admires and supports Restore NYC’s commitment to providing survivors with, long-term, quality care.

Please visit restorenyc.org and consider making a donation to help them provide services to more survivors.