Many factors make the Dominican Republic the 3rd fastest growing country for sex tourism & human trafficking since 2015. The beautiful tourist scenery has a dark side. Not only is the island a prime destination for European & North Americans looking to take advantage of sex tourism, but international agencies have reported how steeped the judicial system is in normalization of trafficking & even childhood exploitation. Thankfully efforts are being made in judicial & law enforcement agencies to combat this & press criminal charges.

It’s a common myth that human trafficking is only by abductions & locking victims behind doors. Though this can be a reality, the much larger # of international & US victims are groomed by people they know. In the DR it’s often a family member. Victims often love and trust the exploiter/trafficker, ‘freely’ walking streets but trapped by emotional & psychological abuse or merely stay for daily survival. Helping identify healthy & unhealthy family & community relationships is a large part of our aftercare & prevention.

Many Lilies feel their lives are slipping away from them by the time we meet them. Trafficking, exploitation & prostitution are almost always results of earlier problems. The island’s women, young girls & young boys fall prey to traffickers because of poverty, lack of education, lack of documentation, early rampant childhood sexual abuse, lack of resources of mental health & more. Some victims are lured with as little as a cell phone, gift or new job. Preventative outreach is so important to change these realities!