Episode 39: Why Shelters for Victims Fail and How to Offer Stable and Effective Shelter Services

Stable and safe housing is the foundation upon which all effective anti-trafficking programming and successful recovery is built. Yet housing is the number one barrier to providing effective recovery services to victims. The Samaritan Women’s Institute studies the issue of housing and human trafficking victims. Their findings? There are serious gaps between the number of victims and the available beds for those that need them. They estimate there are approximately 136 programs and agencies across the U.S. whose sole mission is to provide shelter to victims of trafficking. Thirteen states have no shelter programs at all, and 10 states have an average of one program for the entire state.  The Institute for Shelter Care also identifies two main barriers to effective shelter care: (1) staffing problems, and (2) financial issues. The Institute for Shelter Care was developed to remove the barriers and provide intensive and comprehensive training to anyone that is interested in opening a shelter, or who has a shelter and wants to offer stable and effective services to survivors of trafficking. This episode is packed with critical information on housing from the foremost authority on effective housing for victims of trafficking.