LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A first-of-its kind home in Louisville will provide a safe haven for survivors of human trafficking.
That’s what Cindy Crawford envisions for the new home.
“They’ll take a shower, sleep in a warm bed, they’ll have love and all the food they need,” Crawford said.
Crawford is the founder and executive director of Sycamore Farm, an organization that provides sexually exploited women with an opportunity to heal and gives them resources to get back to a normal life.
According to the Attorney General’s office, Kentucky received 344 reports of human trafficking involving nearly 400 child victims in 2022.
“Traffickers are predators,” Crawford said. “Period. And they use the same kind of tactics that any other predator would use. They’re going to find the kind of victim that they want. They’re going to do what they can to get close to them and they’re going to do what they can to groom them.”
Right now, Crawford said, it takes 3-4 days before survivors can get to a safe place.
The home will be staffed with someone 24/7 and will allow women to have a warm home to go to within hours.
“The only thing to do is to get a hotel room, possibly help them find a homeless shelter which homeless shelters are full, especially in the winter time,” said Crawford. “It’s really hard to find placement.”
In Kentucky, the FBI, along with state police and Homeland Security, are al involved in human trafficking cases.
The FBI said it can happen during big events like the Kentucky Derby, but Crawford said it happens closer than you think.
“We have to be more mindful of who we let around our kids,” she said. “We have to be more thoughtful about who they’re talking to online. Talk to your kids. Talk to them often about the relationships that they have.”
For more information, including how to donate to Sycamore Farms, click here.
WDRB News will not be sharing the location or show the exterior of the home for safety reasons.
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