For most of us, the greatest impacts of COVID-19 are the inability to socialize like we used to, cooking more, and having to work from home. Sex trafficking victims, however, face much more grim realities. Most of them will still have the same high quotas[i] to meet to avoid a beating, sexual torture, or not being able to come home. While working, frequently out of cars or on the street, they lack access to many of the recommended safety precautions. The rapid escalation of the corona virus outbreak poses particular concerns in California, and those are even more heightened for vulnerable groups like our clients. As of today at noon, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health had identified 69 cases in Los Angeles County, and on Friday, the California Department of Public Health had reported 247 cases across the state. That number is now up to 288 cases in less than 48 hours. Given the increased vulnerability of our clients to exposure, we are acting accordingly to best protect their health.
Here are some of the measures that we are instituting at our Van Nuys Drop in Center over the next few weeks:
Our crisis emergency response team conducts regular outreach along the tracks where victims are routinely trafficked. Along with hand sanitizer, a granola bar, cosmetics, and other toiletries, each of our outreach bags will also contain disposable thermometers so that our clients can check if they have a fever.
Also now part of our outreach bags is a note to clients with further guidance on how to stay healthy.
Empowerment groups and diversion programming will be conducted online to ensure court compliance and safety of clients and staff
Clinical therapy will also be available over the phone so that our clients are able to continue getting the mental guidance, support, and structure they need without exposing them to undue risks.
While we have always had hand sanitizer readily available in our drop in centers, there are now additional bottles available in entryways and common group spaces to ensure that everyone who comes in and outside of Journey Out has an extra opportunity to protect their health. We also have disinfectant wipes available, and our staff continually wipes down surfaces.
In this time of extreme uncertainty and stress, we want to ensure that our clients know that we are still here for them. For many, we are the only family or support that they have. By limiting visits to appointments, we are able to maintain continued care while practicing social distancing and remaining in accordance with other needed precautions.
Regardless of the climate we are in, being here for our clients is our priority.
[i] Quota: a sum of money that a trafficking victim is forced to pay their trafficker. Check out our resource center for this and other key definitions governing the Life of commercial sexual exploitation.
