GenerateHope

GenerateHope provides a safe place for victims of sex trafficking to be restored through long-term housing, healing, and education. Since recovery from sexual exploitation is a long-term process, GenerateHope provides individualized support to work through past trauma. This support is extended until the women reach the ability to live independently and become a positive influence on their communities and future generations.

Our History

GenerateHope was founded in 2009, by Susan Munsey and members of Harbor City Church. Born from a desire to provide trauma care services to a very underserved local population, the founding members of GenerateHope soon came to realize there is a great need for comprehensive healing for women who have survived the horrors of being trafficked and sold for sex. San Diego needed to address this American epidemic with a personal, local impact.

In 2010, GenerateHope moved to its current location in San Diego, where we serve female trafficking survivors over the age of 18. Our current Recovery Program property consists of a large safe house, therapy offices, and a home transformed into our Learning Center and offices. GenerateHope’s dedicated team of care professionals and volunteers helps each woman to find hope and healing while discovering a new path for a purposeful life. Our safe house living is designed as a caring family environment, critical for building trust and healing, with individual bedrooms for 6 survivors and 2 live-in “Resident Guides.” In 2016, with gifts from the homeowner, donors, and private foundations, GenerateHope purchased this property, creating a solid, debt-free place to live for survivors to heal.

With the continued success of the survivors in GenerateHope’s care and recovery program, GenerateHope has embarked on a strategic growth plan to serve more survivors. The need for growth is urgent, as 30 to 40 victims are turned away per month.

In September 2018, GenerateHope opened its Transition Program in Coronado, CA, thanks to a generous benefactor who gifted the organization a long-term, extremely low-cost lease and exclusive use of the large property. This facility provides up to 5 additional bedrooms for trafficking survivors who have graduated from the Recovery Program. This Transition Program provides ongoing support through therapy, case management, collaborative weekly meetings with the treatment team, and continued educational and vocational support in this guided independence phase of their healing journey.

GenerateHope opened the doors of a second Recovery Home to survivors in Colorado in July 2022. A second Recovery facility allows GenerateHope to expand its existing capacity to serve up to six additional women in Colorado. Other than GenerateHope, in the Boulder/Denver Area there are no residential recovery shelters available for human trafficking victims.

What We Do

Since its founding, GenerateHope has been a refuge for over 150 women, providing resources to break the tragic cycle of vulnerability. GenerateHope employs 20 staff across three programs, including: an executive director, licensed clinical supervisors, therapists, case managers, a credentialed educator, live-in housing staff, and program and operations support. Over 200 volunteers provide a range of administrative, adjunct therapies, program support, maintenance, and advocacy event support.

GenerateHope’s programs for adult female survivors of sex trafficking are built on the pillars of Safe Housing, Healing, and Education. Long-term housing (up to two years) is provided in a caring and compassionate environment, with 24/7 care provided by residential staff that live in community alongside survivors. Each resident has her own room at GenerateHope, and is living in a family-style environment where each survivor can receive the individual support they need.

In an onsite learning center, GED and college support, tutoring, critical thinking, and career prep are all provided in both a classroom setting and individually. Each survivor receives education support according to their own needs and pace. Areas of study range from writing skills, literature, math and finance, resume building, college preparation, job skills, and more.

Individual and group therapy is provided by licensed psychotherapists, and adjunct therapies support healing from the extreme trauma of the sex trade. Residents receive trauma-informed therapy that is relative to their experiences so that they can heal and move forward from their history of trafficking.

Case Management provides access to social, medical, and community support services. GenerateHope’s care team helps each survivor achieve their goals through community partners so that they can be healthy and successful as they move toward independence.

GenerateHope residents show a marked increase in levels of self esteem based on periodic assessments. Within 6 months, women experience a 29% decrease in levels of both PTSD and depression. Women in our programs achieve an array of accomplishments such as: completing High School GED, entering college, entering the workforce, achieving and maintaining their sobriety, moving into their own apartments, getting their driver’s licenses, and becoming healthy individuals. Three out of four women leave the life of the sex trade for good with the assistance provided at GenerateHope.

GenerateHope approaches the restoration of the survivors of sex trafficking with a long-term, individualized care strategy. We recognize the specific journey and needs of each survivor. Our team works with her to create a plan that will help her discover and achieve her God-given dreams and goals. GenerateHope acknowledges that the healing process takes time and is committed to the long-term care for each woman on this journey.

 

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