The Girls RISE Group is a positive intervention and trafficking prevention program.  It's specifically designed for girls who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that makes them more vulnerable and at-risk of being trafficked.

Human trafficking among teens is a serious and growing issue that often goes unnoticed until it's too late. Many teenagers fall prey to traffickers due to a combination of vulnerability, manipulation, and a lack of awareness. Traffickers often exploit their emotional needs, offering a listening ear, love, security, or a better life.  They will lure teens into dangerous situations. Social media and online platforms have made it easy for predators to target and groom adolescents, while unstable home environments and the lack of support systems pushes them to escape their current situation and seek attention elsewhere; traffickers are more than happy to fill that void. Understanding the factors that contribute to teen trafficking is essential for prevention and intervention.
 

Contributing factors that increase the risk of teen trafficking:

• History of abuse or neglect (physical, emotional, or sexual)

• Unstable home life or parental separation

• Involvement in the foster care system

• Homelessness or running away from home

• Poverty and lack of economic opportunity

• Mental health issues or substance abuse

• Lack of parental supervision or support

• Grooming via social media, popular apps or gaming platforms

• Peer pressure or influence from older individuals

• Low self-esteem or desire for affection and validation

• Limited education or awareness about trafficking tactics
   

Each session of the Girls RISE Group focuses on a specific topic and includes a hands-on activity to reinforce learning. Topics span a wide range of important issues, including but not limited to:
 

• Navigating peer pressure

• Resisting substance abuse 

• ​Domestic violence and dating violence

• Understanding family dynamics

• Establish healthy boundaries

• Developing strong decision-making skills

• Building self-respect and respect for others

• Establishing personal goals (and meeting them) 

• Promoting a strong circle of friends that will support and encourage them, as well
  as hold them accountable. 
   

The program places an emphasis on self-awareness, goal setting, accountability, and emotional resilience. Girls learn that while they can’t control others, they CAN control how they respond to others and also how they respond to various life challenges.

Through the program, participants gain a great deal of confidence and discover their self-worth.  They learn that no matter how rough life may have started, it doesn't have to remain that way; change IS possible!   

RISE girls are taught that the Lord has a beautiful and purposeful plan for their lives (see Jeremiah 29:11), and that they have the power to shape that future. It's not determined by the world, their past, or their circumstances—but by their own choices. We teach them, that with God’s guidance, they can pursue and achieve any goal they set. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions and to make any necessary adjustments to stay aligned with their goals and purpose.  ​

 

R.I.S.E. is an acronym for Resilient, Independent, Strong, and Empowered