Exciting Changes For U.S. Hope for Justice Team
US Director, Stacia Freeman, is transitioning into a new role as the Director of Prevention and Outreach (US) at Hope for Justice in Nashville, Tennessee. Stepping into the US Director role will be Dave Rogers, who recently retired from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after serving as a federal criminal investigator for more than 23 years.
“Stacia’s leadership and dedication have been outstanding which is why we’re delighted she’s spearheading our work with at-risk groups and survivors”, says Ben Cooley, Hope for Justice’s Chief Executive Officer. “For the past nine years, she has been critical here in the U.S. and internationally too. The work she has done has changed lives around the world and I’m confident she’ll continue to impact individuals in her new role”.
A very high percentage of victims served in the U.S. have had high risk indicators early on in their childhood that lead to victimization. These risks include unstable families, sexual abuse, and poverty, among other potential indicators. Stacia is leading the U.S. team in developing programs to help identify risks and address potential trauma by connecting youth to resources that will reduce their likelihood of becoming victims.
“We’ll have a greater impact in the fight against modern-day slavery by developing strategies to decrease the number of victims needing long-term care services. If we can keep a child from becoming a victim in the first place, we’re increasing their likelihood of leading healthy, hope-filled lives. I am honored to be a part of an organization committed to developing programs that address long-term change not just short-term solutions.”
– Stacia Freeman, US Director of Prevention and Outreach.
Stepping into the US Director role will be Dave Rogers, who recently retired from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after serving as a federal criminal investigator for more than 23 years. During the last four years of Dave’s career he oversaw the FBI’s Human Trafficking program within the Civil Rights Unit. While leading the unit, Rogers collaborated with federal anti-trafficking stakeholders, including the White House and the Departments of State, Justice, Homeland Security, Labor, and Health and Human Services.
“I’m delighted about this opportunity to continue serving victims of human trafficking across the United States. Hope for Justice is committed to helping our nation identify more victims, to seeking justice on their behalf and to assisting in their recovery. This is something I have been passionate about for many years and I count it a privilege to get a chance to lead this team through an exciting period of program development and expansion.”
– Dave Rogers, U.S. Director
Our programs in the U.S.
Earlier this year, Hope for Justice launched a Nashville-based program to educate girls at high-risk of exploitation or trafficking. The curriculum focuses on helping at-risk girls protect themselves from potential predators. This Girls Advocacy Program (GAP) works in collaboration with the juvenile court system and other agencies involved with at-risk youth in the Middle Tennessee area.
Hope for Justice recognizes that awareness and education have a critical role to play in combating the hidden crime of human trafficking. A recent study documented that almost 88% of victims of domestic sex trafficking in the U.S. encounter a healthcare professional while being trafficked.(i) Since 2012, Hope for Justice has trained more than 6,000 healthcare professionals in the U.S. to be able to identify victims of trafficking and develop protocols for reporting to local authorities.
