Advocacy & Education Archives

April 17, 2025June 2, 2025 smedia

The Overlap Between Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking

Sexual assault and human trafficking are deeply interconnected crimes—both rooted in power, control, and the exploitation of vulnerability. At The Landing, we regularly work with survivors who have experienced both sexual violence and trafficking, often beginning in adolescence or even childhood.

Raising awareness of this overlap is essential—not just for service providers and advocates, but for anyone working to support survivors or prevent exploitation. By understanding how these issues intersect, we can better support healing and build systems that truly protect.

Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking: How They Connect

1. Both Are About Power and Control

At their core, both sexual assault and human trafficking are not about sex—they’re about dominance, coercion, and stripping someone of their autonomy. In trafficking situations, survivors are often repeatedly assaulted as a means of control, fear, and profit.

2. Sexual Assault Is Often a Tactic Used by Traffickers

Traffickers use sexual violence to:

Break down a person’s sense of self-worth
Force compliance through fear or trauma bonds
Punish or “train” victims for future exploitation

For many survivors, rape is not a one-time event—it’s ongoing and used as a tool of manipulation.

3. Survivors Often Don’t Use the Word ‘Trafficked’

Because of how trauma works, survivors might only identify with the experience of sexual assault or abuse, not realizing or naming that they were trafficked—especially if the trafficker was someone they knew or trusted.

The Statistics Speak Loudly

9 in 10 survivors of trafficking report being sexually assaulted while being trafficked.*
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, up to 90% of trafficked youth experience repeated sexual violence.*
In Texas, where The Landing is based, youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth face higher risks of both trafficking and sexual assault.*

These numbers highlight that you can’t talk about trafficking without also talking about sexual violence.

* “Sexual Assault Awareness Month: How Does Human Trafficking Fit In?” Polaris, 2023, https://polarisproject.org/blog/2023/04/sexual-assault-awareness-month-how-does-human-trafficking-fit-in/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

* “Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics.” Bureau of Justice Statistics, July 2000, https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/sexual-assault-young-children-reported-law-enforcement-victim-incident-and. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

* “Sexual Violence Statistics.” Fairfax County Department of Family Services, https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/familyservices/domestic-sexual-violence/sexual-violence/statistics. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

How The Landing Supports Survivors of Both

At The Landing, we recognize that healing is not linear—and that each survivor carries layers of trauma. That’s why our programs are designed to be:

Trauma-informed: We create safety, build trust, and prioritize survivor choice at every step.
Survivor-centered: Each person guides their own path to healing—we’re simply there to walk alongside them.
Long-term focused: We don’t place limits on care. Survivors can return to our Drop-In Center or advocacy programs when they’re ready.

Whether someone comes to us identifying as a trafficking survivor, a sexual assault survivor, or both—we meet them where they are, with compassion and dignity.

What You Can Do

Learn the signs of both trafficking and sexual assault
Support trauma-informed organizations like The Landing
Speak up against victim-blaming and myths around trafficking
Donate or volunteer to help us continue this vital work

👉 Support our mission here

We Can’t End Trafficking Without Addressing Sexual Violence

Both trafficking and sexual assault thrive in silence and stigma. By shedding light on the connection between the two, we take one step closer to ending both.

Together, we can create a world where survivors are believed, supported, and empowered—and where no one has to suffer in the shadows.

April 10, 2025June 2, 2025 smedia

Centering Cultural Competency in Survivor Care

At The Landing, we know that healing is not one-size-fits-all. Survivors of human trafficking come from diverse racial, cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds—and their care should reflect that reality.

Cultural competency is more than just awareness. It’s about creating spaces where every survivor feels safe, respected, and understood—no matter their identity, language, or lived experience. It’s about seeing the whole person and honoring what makes them unique.

Why Cultural Competency Matters in Survivor Care

Survivors often face multiple layers of trauma—not only from their exploitation but from systemic barriers, discrimination, and cultural misunderstandings.

For survivors of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ youth, and those with limited English proficiency, these barriers can intensify the fear of seeking help or worsen feelings of isolation and shame.

Without culturally competent care, survivors may:

Be misunderstood or misdiagnosed
Avoid asking for help altogether
Be retraumatized by language or assumptions
Feel like services “aren’t for people like me”

That’s why cultural competency isn’t optional. It’s essential to trauma-informed, survivor-centered care.

How The Landing Puts Cultural Competency Into Practice

At The Landing, we’re intentional about creating an environment where every survivor can feel seen and safe. Here’s how we do that:

1. Representation on Our Team

We know that survivors are more likely to engage in services when they see people who reflect their culture, language, and background. We actively work to hire and retain diverse staff and advocates who bring lived experience, cultural knowledge, and language skills to their roles.

2. Language Access

No one should have to navigate recovery alone—or in a language they don’t fully understand. We offer:

Bilingual staff and advocates
Access to interpretation services
Translated materials for key resources and services

This ensures that survivors can communicate their needs, ask questions, and make informed decisions in a language they trust.

3. Active Listening & Individualized Support

We don’t assume. We ask. Our team is trained to listen with empathy and curiosity—allowing survivors to define their needs, boundaries, and cultural values in their own words.

We honor things like:

Religious practices and holidays
Family dynamics and support networks
Preferred names, pronouns, and identity language
Community-specific stigma or safety concerns

4. Ongoing Training & Reflection

Cultural competency isn’t a checkbox—it’s an ongoing journey. Our staff participates in regular training and dialogue to deepen understanding, unlearn bias, and continually grow in how we serve survivors from all backgrounds.

What You Can Do to Promote Culturally Competent Care

Educate yourself about cultural humility and unconscious bias
Advocate for inclusive policies and diverse representation in your workplace or community
Support organizations like The Landing that prioritize equity and access
Listen to survivors with openness and without assumptions

👉 Learn more about our mission and how to support

Every Survivor Deserves to Be Seen, Heard, and Honored

Trauma-informed care must be culturally informed care. By centering cultural competency in everything we do, we’re helping survivors not only feel safe—but truly belong.

At The Landing, we remain committed to meeting every survivor with dignity, respect, and the individualized support they deserve. Because healing begins when people feel seen.

Advocacy & Education, Mental Health & Healing

April 2, 2025June 2, 2025 smedia

The Silent Weight: How Chronic Stress Impacts Trafficking Survivors

Survivors of human trafficking often carry invisible burdens long after their exploitation ends. One of the heaviest—and least understood—is the weight of chronic stress. At The Landing, we see firsthand how long-term trauma affects every part of a survivor’s life: their body, mind, emotions, and relationships.

In honor of Stress Awareness Month, we’re unpacking how toxic stress and PTSD affect survivors of trafficking—and how trauma-informed care can offer hope, healing, and relief.

What Is Chronic or Toxic Stress?

Chronic stress is more than feeling overwhelmed or anxious from time to time. It’s the body’s ongoing response to prolonged exposure to trauma, fear, or instability.

When someone experiences abuse, control, or neglect—especially from a young age—their body and brain can remain stuck in a state of fight, flight, or freeze. Over time, this toxic stress can cause:

Sleep disturbances and nightmares
Memory and concentration issues
Hypervigilance or emotional numbness
Depression, anxiety, and physical health problems

PTSD and the Nervous System’s Response to Trauma

For many trafficking survivors, stress isn’t just emotional—it’s neurological.

When a survivor has lived in constant fear, their brain begins to rewire itself to survive. The amygdala (which processes fear) becomes overactive, while the hippocampus (whichmanages memory) and prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision-making) may weaken. This makes daily functioning, decision-making, and self-regulation difficult—even in safe environments.

Many survivors of trafficking develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can be triggered by:

Loud noises
Certain smells or environments
Touch
Feelings of powerlessness
Even well-intentioned questions or conversations

Understanding this response is essential. Survivors aren’t being “difficult” or “resistant”—their bodies are responding in the only way they’ve learned to stay safe.

How The Landing Responds with Trauma-Informed Care

At The Landing, we don’t expect survivors to “just move on.” We recognize that healing from trauma is a complex, non-linear process—and our trauma-informed model is built around that truth.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

1. Safety First

We create physical, emotional, and relational safety at every touchpoint—from the Drop-In Center to court advocacy.

2. Empowerment Through Choice

Survivors guide their own healing journey. We never force disclosure or decisions. We listen, support, and walk alongside. All clients are given freedom of choice and the decisions are in their hands.

3. Consistency and Trust-Building

Many survivors have experienced betrayal or instability. Our advocates show up consistently and without judgment.

4. Holistic, Survivor-Centered Support

We offer case management, peer support, connection to counseling, and resources to reduce daily stressors like transportation, housing, and food insecurity.

What You Can Do to Support Survivors

Learn about toxic stress and trauma responses
Approach survivors with empathy—not assumptions
Support organizations like The Landing that offer long-term, trauma-informed care
Donate, volunteer, or share our mission to help others understand the impact of trauma

👉 Learn more about how to get involved

Healing Takes Time—and Compassion

The effects of chronic stress can last for years. But with the right support system, survivors can begin to feel safe in their bodies, regain a sense of control, and build a life beyond survival.

At The Landing, we believe in that healing—and we’re here for the long haul.