MENTARI

09/04/2026

This Labor Day, let’s talk about dignity, respect, and equity for survivors of human trafficking.

Survivors should never be treated as tokens—invited into a room simply to make an organization appear inclusive, or expected to share their lived experiences without being valued and compensated fairly.

Survivors are experts.

Lived experience is expertise. The knowledge gained through surviving exploitation, navigating systems, rebuilding a life, and advocating for change cannot be measured by a diploma or degree.

When survivors are asked to speak, consult, train, advise, participate in panels, develop programs, or shape policies, they deserve to be paid as experts—and paid equally for work of equal value.

Too often, people without lived experience are compensated at higher rates while survivors are expected to contribute their expertise for little or no compensation. That needs to change.

Survivor experience is not free labor.
Our stories are not organizational decoration.
Our trauma is not a fundraising tool.
Our expertise has value.

This Labor Day, I’m calling on anti-trafficking organizations, funders, policymakers, and employers to take action:

1. Pay survivors fairly for speaking, consulting, training, advisory work, and program development.

2. Review your compensation practices and identify whether survivors are being paid less than professionals performing comparable work.

3. Stop tokenizing survivor voices. Include survivors in meaningful decision-making—not just as representatives or storytellers.

4. Create paid pathways for survivor leadership and recognize lived experience as a legitimate form of expertise.

5. Make equal pay for equal work a standard—not an exception.

If we truly believe in survivor empowerment, it must be reflected in how survivors are treated, respected, hired, and paid.

This Labor Day, let’s move beyond statements and hashtags.

Let’s change the behavior.
Let’s value survivor expertise.
Let’s pay survivors as experts.
Let’s make equity a practice—not just a promise.

Survivors deserve dignity. Survivors deserve respect. Survivors deserve equal pay.

08/29/2026

Exploring the terms:

Learning:
How to Use the Terms “Victim,” “Survivor,” or a Person’s Name in Anti‑Trafficking Work
In anti‑trafficking work, the terms “victim,” “survivor,” and a person’s name each carry different meanings and impacts. They are not interchangeable, and choosing the right term depends on the individual’s current situation, their personal preference, and the purpose of the communication. Using these terms thoughtfully protects dignity, safety, and autonomy.

When to Use “Victim”
Use victim when referring to someone who is:
Currently experiencing exploitation or trafficking, and
In need of immediate protection or removal from harm.

“Victim” is also the correct term in:
Legal proceedings
Law enforcement reports
Victim compensation processes
Official documentation where rights and protections are activated

Use with care:
Avoid using “victim” in ways that imply blame, weakness, or helplessness. The term should never be used in a way that shames or re‑traumatizes the person.

When to Use “Survivor”
Use survivor when referring to someone who:
Has exited the trafficking situation, and
Is engaged in healing, recovery, empowerment, or advocacy.

“Survivor” emphasizes:
Strength
Resilience
Agency
The person’s journey beyond harm
Many individuals prefer this term because it reflects who they are now, not only what happened to them.

Use with precision:
Avoid calling someone a “survivor” if they are still in active exploitation. It can create confusion, minimize risk, and imply they are already safe.

When to Use a Person’s Name
Use a person’s name only when:
You have explicit, informed consent, and
The individual has agreed to how, where, and why their name will be used.
If consent is given, ensure the name is used:
Only for the agreed‑upon purpose (e.g., advocacy, education, testimony)
In a way that respects their identity, culture, and safety
Without sensationalizing or exploiting their experience
In public materials, consider pseudonyms or partial identifiers unless the survivor has clearly approved full disclosure.

Best Practices
Ask individuals what term they prefer. Some embrace “survivor,” others prefer “victim,” and some reject labels entirely.

Use victim‑centered, trauma‑informed language that avoids blame, sensationalism, or stereotypes.

Protect identifying details in media, public presentations, and training unless the survivor consents.

Partner with survivors as lived‑experience experts, and compensate them fairly for their contributions.

Honor cultural context, as identity, naming, and disclosure vary widely across communities.

Example
Instead of:
“Cindy was a human trafficking survivor.”
Use (with consent):
“Linda, an advocate and leader, was previously trafficked.”
This centers her identity, not the exploitation.
Many ways we should explore.
Bottom Line
Use “victim” for individuals still in exploitation or when accessing justice, protection, and services.

Use “survivor” for individuals who have exited exploitation and prefer a term that reflects resilience and recovery.

Use a person’s name only with explicit, informed consent and for a purpose they have approved.

Above all, prioritize safety, dignity, autonomy, and cultural respect in every reference to a person who has experienced trafficking.

08/27/2026

Join Caroline in Being Part of the Solution

Caroline Pugh-Roberts is passionate about our campaign and has chosen to be part of the solution.

The time is critical. We need more people to pledge their support.

Please join Caroline and support this campaign so we can develop and distribute our Comic Book for Freedom to schools and community organizations. Through storytelling and art, the comic will help educate young people, raise awareness about human trafficking, and empower communities to recognize the signs and understand how they can be part of the solution.

The pledge: https://www.crowdfunder.com/p/comic-heroes-for-freedom

Every pledge brings us one step closer to getting these important stories into the hands of the people who need them.

Please pledge. Please share. Please stand with us.

Together, we can turn awareness into action—and make sure the next generation has the knowledge to protect themselves and others.

08/26/2026

Wonderful meeting with Japanese Leaders

Watch, follow, and discover more trending content.

08/25/2026

Join our campaign to end human trafficking, this campaign aims to educate children to be aware of the signs and how they can identify the tactic of the
perpetrators. Listen to Francis, our Prevention and Policy Director Join our campaign to end human trafficking, this campaign aims to educate children to be aware of the signs and how they can identify the tactic of the
perpetrators. Listen to Joycelyn Francis, our Prevention and Policy Director about the campaign. She invites you to be a part of this solution.

The link to our campaign: https://www.crowdfunder.com/p/comic-heroes-for-freedom

08/21/2026

Time is critical and crucial to prevent children from exploitation and trafficking and this project will help them learn and aware.

Join the campaign and you will be a part of the solution.

Children face daily risks from traffickers. Be the change to protect them. Your support for this project builds a safer and stronger future

08/21/2026

Let’s welcome Caroline Pugh-roberts to our prevention team and as an international prevention ambassador.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcSnNZWhxkV/?igsi=MWVzMmdyam51aXkzeQ==

08/15/2026

Join us to protect children from exploitation and trafficking! Our campaign is to publish a comic book and it will help to educate, and raise awareness and one of the best approach for school, after school and community.

Children face daily risks from traffickers. Be the change to protect them. Your support for this project builds a safer and stronger future

08/15/2026

Immigration

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Lo8o1poaM/?mibextid=wwXIfr

08/13/2026

Time is crucial — we have a short window to make this happen, and I’m reaching out from the deepest part of my heart.

Children everywhere are vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking, and this reality fuels our commitment to Mentari’s mission every single day. Mentari is an Ambassador for Prevention, most of our team members are trafficking survivors, and directly involved in developing our second comic book — a comprehensive, trauma‑informed resource that teaches children awareness and safety in a way they can truly understand.

This edition will be published in English and translated into multiple languages so it can protect children across the world.

This project is urgent. This project is bigger than our organization, and Mentari and the teams cannot do it alone.

Let's be a part of the solution and be a change maker, we're calling on each of you to be part of the solution. Any help, support, or amplification strengthens our campaign and protects more children. Whether you donate, share the link, or simply spread the message, your action matters.

This is the link to our campaign: https://www.crowdfunder.com/p/comic-heroes-for-freedom

Together, we can spark learning, inspire safety, and stop traffickers before they strike. Together, we can build safer futures for children ages 7–21 who will receive this comic book in our first 25,000‑copy distribution.

Please join us, join our team.
Please stand tall with us.
Please help protect our children.

With gratitude,
Shandra Woworuntu

Children face daily risks from traffickers. Be the change to protect them. Your support for this project builds a safer and stronger future