Redefining Refuge

Although the discussion of Human Trafficking is in no way regarded as a comfortable topic in any given setting, the formerly apathetic response and failure to address Human Trafficking that takes place domestically became the catalyst for Founder, Natasha Nascimento; to tackle what has evolved into a modern version of slavery head-on. With research estimating that up to 300,000 American children w

ere at risk each year to be trafficked within the borders of the United States alone, an urgent and local need to develop advocacy on behalf of children without a voice presented itself. The launch of the foundation, Redefining Refuge in 2010, has since sparked a contagious willingness from participants around the world who contribute to confronting and ultimately preventing Human Trafficking. The goal of opening a local Safe House for trafficked youth was realized in early 2013 and is the first licensed home of its kind in the Tampa Bay and surrounding areas that continue to provide a therapeutic safe haven for girls ages 12 -17 that are rescued from this depravity. Since its inception, Redefining Refuge has been featured on a WEDU Documentary highlighting the organizations advocacy efforts as well as the prevalence of S*x Trafficking in Tampa Bay (www.wedu.org/humantrafficking). We have since been invited to the State’s Capitol to present both the challenges and successes of providing Safe Housing to Minor Victims of S*x Trafficking to The Florida House of Representatives Healthy Families Subcommittee as well as the Florida Stands Against Human Trafficking Legislative Caucus; and were featured as a Resource Provider during the 2013 Statewide Human Trafficking Summit at the University of South Florida. More recently we were invited to Washington, DC to represent the State of Florida during the Shared Hope International JuST Response Congressional Briefing: Mapping State Responses to S*x Trafficked Youth.