Voices of Safe Harbor: Survivor & Youth Input for Minnesota’s Model Protocol on Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Youth

The voices of victims/survivors in the public conversation surrounding sexual exploitation have often been overlooked. Few victims/survivors are available for public comment for a variety of reasons, including confidentiality, fears of stigmatization or retaliation by perpetrators, and the simple desire to move on with one’s life. Because there are so few public voices of sexual exploitation, certain narratives have been constructed: Well-worn paths that tell a familiar story, spun by the media in repetitive iterations that focus more on sensational headlines and less on the actual daily realities for a victim/survivor.

While the public perspectives are important and educational, there are still thousands of victims whose voices will never be heard. Their stories are just as precious as those on the front pages or the nightly news. From November 2014 to April 2015, as support for Hennepin County’s No Wrong Door Initiative, participants ages 12 to 46 from a range of organizations engaged in surveys and focus groups. Some are victims/survivors; others allies for those in “the life.” The project provided an opportunity to share stories and self-reflections as well opinions about what services and supports are needed for victim/survivors.

These voices ought to be taken seriously in addressing policy change and advocacy across disciples, from prosecution to health care provisions. The respondents’ perceptions are frank, powerful, and stirring. The purpose of this document is not only to highlight people who have previously been marginalized, but also to share the participants’ astute recommendations to legislators, advocates, prosecutors, law enforcement, and the public. Change based on their lived experiences, rather than what others think is best in theory, will lead to the best outcomes for victims/survivors.