Hope’s Door, in collaboration with the Town of Pound Ridge, Pound Ridge Police Department, Catholic Charities Community Services, and other community partners, has received a grant from the US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, to fund the collaborative “Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking” program.

As a part of the Westchester County Anti-Trafficking Task Force, committed to identifying and assisting victims and coordinating cases of human trafficking throughout Westchester, Hope’s Door and the other community partners of the multi-disciplinary team aim to enhance the services that are available for victims of human trafficking in Westchester. 

Despite over 41,000 calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline this year, human trafficking is a hidden crime that can often be misunderstood and under-recognized. In many respects similar to domestic violence, victims are being coerced and/ or manipulated into doing something for another individual’s gain. Hope’s Door Human Trafficking Advocate, Jess Beladino, believes that a major misconception people may have is that human trafficking only happens in foreign countries; however, this cannot be further from the truth. “Sex and labor trafficking is happening every day in the United States, including in Westchester County. This grant will assist us in educating the public, as well as assisting many victims.”

The “Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking” grant allows Hope’s Door to conduct human trafficking training for all staff and partners, to ensure advocates are providing quality services to victims. The role of Hope’s Door will be to utilize the National Human Trafficking Screening Tool during a Hope’s Door Hotline call. If the caller is identified as a suspected victim of human trafficking based on his or her responses to the questionnaire, the call will be transferred to a trained human trafficking advocate.

After a complete intake and safety planning, the victim of human trafficking will continue to be supported by Hope’s Door through counseling services and may also be referred to Catholic Charities Community Services in Brewster, NY, where they will receive appropriate case management for any other services needed, such as shelter, support groups or legal assistance.

Domestic violence and human trafficking have been found to intersect, as it is not uncommon for a trafficker to be a husband, boyfriend or intimate partner. Both crimes use abuse, power and control as well as manipulation to control their victims. With the help of the grant, Hope’s Door is dedicated to bringing awareness to the link between these hidden crimes and helping as many survivors as possible. 

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking or domestic violence, please call Hope’s Door at our free and confidential hotline, (888) 438-8700.