Gracehaven (a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit) was started in 2008 to address the issue of child sex trafficking in Ohio. We exist not only to exposure the reality of child sex trafficking in Ohio, but also to tangibly help those who have been victimized by child sex trafficking. Once open, we will add 10 beds to the total of approximately 120 beds in the United States for child sex trafficking victims when our shelter opens. Currently, there are no specialized beds for victims of child sex trafficking in Ohio. We will accept girls under the age of 18 who are victims of child sex trafficking regardless of their religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. We only ask one requirement…that they are ready to enter a rehabilitation program.

Three Areas of Focus:

Awareness:

  • Through media exposure of our work, we have exposed the problem of domestic minor sex trafficking to millions across the US and over 1 million in Ohio.
  • In 2010, our staff has spoken directly to over 7000 individuals about domestic minor sex trafficking here in Ohio.

Education & Training:

  • Two members of the Gracehaven staff serve on the Ohio Commission to Study Human Trafficking under the Ohio Attorney General’s office. In that role, they have served in the following areas:
    • Advocating for new laws on trafficking in Ohio
    • Preparation of curriculum for education on trafficking across the state
    • Assessing the need for victim services across the state of Ohio
    • Preparation of the 2010 study report on the incidence of human trafficking in Ohio
    • Gracehaven staff have actively been involved in educating front line professionals likely to encounter victims of human trafficking in the following fields:
      • Healthcare professionals
      • Children’s services workers
      • Foster Parents
      • Educational professionals

Saving Lives:

  • We have been working for the past 3 years to open a home just outside of Columbus that will serve as a rehabilitation center for girls under the age of 18 who victims of domestic minor sex trafficking. We are not yet open, but are working hard to open the home as soon as we possibly can!
  • Even though we have not yet opened the Gracehaven House, we are actively working with current and past victims through our outreach caseworker, Melissa. 

Gracehaven is a member of the Central Ohio Rescue & Restore Coalition (CORRC) and member of the Christian Trafficking Shelter Association (CTSA).