Emergency shelter for sex traffic victims opens its doors

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington non-profit organization opened what they are calling the East Coast’s first emergency shelter for victims of sex trafficking. Since 2012 A Safe Place has helped 400 local victims and now they will be able to help even more.

Dozens of people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony Friday afternoon. Those in attendance included Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo, New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David, and Brunswick County District Attorney Jon David.

“We now have a place, in this region for victims of this activity, and we are here to care for them and not to prosecute them,” said Ben David.

The new shelter will provide a safe place for 12 women at a time. The victims will be able to stay in the fully furnished home for up to 90 days.

“So this allows us to do more outreach. We know trafficking is happening here in Wilmington so to go out, do outreach, identify these girls and give them shelter give them opportunities,” A Safe Place Founder, Malisa Umstead said.

The house that was turned into the emergency center was donated by N2GIVES, another non-profit working to end human trafficking.

“Two of the needs that they had when they told us about a year and a half ago was funding for a social worker, so a year and a half ago, we decided, OK, we’ll do that. And then their second need was emergency housing. So in my mind, I started thinking, OK, this is more of a long-term plan but how can we make this happen?” said Rebecca Hixon, the wife of N2GIVES CEO Duane Hixon.

The shelter is the first of its kind on the East Coast. David says it’s a huge step in the fight against sex trafficking.

“To now have a place, just like we have a domestic violence shelter and services, where people can come as a refuge, with the help of the whole advocacy community, and see these cases through in the criminal justice system and give them a safe transition back to, hopefully, a drug-free and pimp-free life,” said David.

The furniture and appliances were all donated by community members in hopes of giving women and children a fresh start.