Human trafficking is a serious crime that involves the exploitation of people through force, coercion, or deceit for various purposes, such as forced labor, sexual exploitation, or even organ harvesting. Victims of human trafficking are often vulnerable individuals who are deceived or coerced into situations where their freedom and dignity are taken away. It is a global issue that affects millions of men, women, and children, regardless of age, gender, or nationality. Efforts are being made worldwide to combat human trafficking, raise awareness, and support victims in their journey towards recovery and justice.
Our Call to Action
The On The Call Podcast has highlighted the issue of human trafficking in episode (On The Call S7 E11) MONIQUE FERGUSON- RILEY. They focused on victims who were trafficked as children and young adults. The organization highlighted is the Freedom Youth Family Justice Center, whose founder was a guest on On The Call. Below is a summary of the organization and its founder. We ask that anyone who wants to get involved read below and contact this organization for further information on how you can help victims of trafficking.
About Freedom Youth Family Justice Center Inc.
Monique Ferguson-Riley, a mother of five, founded Freedom Youth Family Justice Center Inc. In the Fall of 2021, Monique Ferguson received the esteemed Alumna of the Year Award where she was recognized By Bethel University in the state of Minnesota for the work that she has done in the lives of at-risk youth and her fight against human trafficking. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for several years, focusing on victim services as it applies to youth, adults, and families.
In 2019 she founded Freedom Youth Family Justice Center Inc. a 501c3 Nonprofit, that empowers, strengthens, and stabilizes survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, & domestic violence who reside within New York City and Westchester County by providing holistic comprehensive supportive services, housing, and financial resources for the survivor and their immediate family members.
Monique herself is a sex trafficking survivor, after having been coerced into trafficking, by a friend at the age of 12. Since then, Monique has trained over a thousand youth, parents, teachers, and professionals through various organizations and has assisted victims, survivors, and their immediate family members. Also, she has given teens a platform to speak out on many of the social and health issues they are faced with such as bullying, teen pregnancy, depression, belonging, and abandonment, while empowering youth to stand up and use their voices.
Monique spearheaded the Vulnerable People Project working closely with elected officials, NYPD, and department of homeland security as it pertains to the recovery of young people and promoting awareness and safety in the community. She has worked with various colleges and universities to assist in community efforts and provided jobs and internships for college students and poor youth. Wanting to gauge the community in various neighborhoods of New York City, she created surveys to explore what people knew about human trafficking and discovered that only 27 percent of the people surveyed knew what human trafficking was and how children were lured in the lifestyle.
January 23. 2023 Freedom Youth Family Justice Center has reached another plateau by opening up its first Safe Home in New York for girls between the ages of 12-17 years old, via Young Adult Discovery (YAD) program.
If you are being trafficked or suspect trafficking activity in your area, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or Text “Be Free” to 233733. https://www.freedomyouthnyc.com/ or email: info@freedomyouthnyc.com
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