Volunteer Opportunities: Yes
History
RIA, Inc. (founded in 2014) is a women-led non-profit organization based in Massachusetts that provides recovery services to adult women survivors of the commercial sex trade.
Women who have experienced trafficking are living right here in our local communities. All too often they are hidden in plain sight, stigmatized, and blamed for their circumstances. But for most, abuse began as children or teenagers, and lasted for years into adulthood. Facing an ongoing barrage racial, gender, economic, and health inequities, they faced few chances at breaking an unforgiving cycle of poverty, abuse, exploitation, and instability.
RIA fills a critical gap in services and addresses health and social inequities for a neglected population in our community. We collaborate closely with law enforcement, legal agencies, medical centers, universities, and other service providers to improve our local response to the sex trade. RIA provides trauma-informed peer mentorship led by survivors, clinical therapy to help manage trauma, case management, and financial assistance to survivors.
Mission
Our mission is to stand with and support people with experience in the commercial sex trade, and its associated exploitation, trafficking and prostitution, by providing a range of community-based services.
Vision
Our vision is a world where people's bodies are not victimized, exploited, bought or sold for the sexual gratification of another person.
Emmanuel Jal is a former child soldier who has turned to rap as a way to heal his trauma and to keep other Sudanese children from being trafficked. Get inspired by the story of this remarkable survivor and activist.
