Op-Ed: A Community Call to End Human Trafficking
Thistle Farms CEO Tasha Kennard shares in this opinion piece that our message this month is simple and unwavering: No one heals alone.
Every January, we observe Human Trafficking Awareness Month — a time to confront a painful truth that affects families, neighborhoods, and communities across the world. Human trafficking is not a faraway crisis. It happens in cities and small towns, in hotels and homes, in workplaces and online. And often, it happens quietly, unnoticed, right beside us.
At Thistle Farms, we know that the path into trafficking is complex — but the path out is even more so. Survivors are often left with trauma, addiction, criminal records not of their choosing, and years of exploitation that leave deep wounds. Women exiting trafficking frequently face homelessness, stigma, and a lack of safe support networks. Rebuilding a life after exploitation takes time, stability, and community.
Healing from trafficking is not something any person should be expected to do in isolation. Survivors need long-term housing, mental health resources, stable employment, and compassionate community. They need people willing to sit with them in their grief, walk with them in their recovery, and celebrate with them in their resilience. They need places that do not judge their past, but believe in their future.
Since joining Thistle Farms in 2022, I’ve witnessed first-hand the magic that happens when survivors are given that kind of support. I’ve seen women reunite with their families, regain their health, start businesses, and step into leadership roles. I’ve seen them break cycles of exploitation that once felt impossible to escape. I’ve seen lives transformed — not through punishment or shame — but through safety, dignity, and love.
This month, we are asking the community to join us in making sure no one heals alone. Human trafficking is a community problem, and it demands a community response. Awareness is the first step, but action is the one that truly changes lives.
Here is how you can make a difference today:
Learn the signs of human trafficking.
Many victims are hidden in plain sight. Knowing what to look for — sudden changes in behavior, restricted communication, signs of physical abuse, or someone being controlled by another person — can empower you to speak up.
Share information and resources.
Post hotline numbers, share educational materials, and talk to others. Awareness spreads farther than you think.
Support survivor-led and survivor-focused programs.
Organizations like Thistle Farms depend on the generosity of people who believe that healing is possible. Funding supports housing, therapy, workforce development, and emergency needs.
Advocate for policies that support survivors.
From safe housing to record expungement, public policy plays a critical role in ensuring survivors can rebuild their lives.
Show compassion.
The simplest action — a moment of kindness, a willingness to learn, a refusal to judge — can change someone’s life. You may not know who is carrying the weight of exploitation, but your compassion helps lift it.
This January, as we honor Human Trafficking Awareness Month, let us refuse to look away. Let us commit to being a community that sees survivors, believes them, and stands with them. Let us build a world where exploitation is confronted with justice, and healing is met with unwavering support.
Because the truth is clear: No one heals alone. And no survivor should ever have to.
We invite you to join Thistle Farms in taking action — learn, share, support, donate, and speak up. Visit us, partner with us, or walk alongside us. Together, we can build a community where healing is possible for every survivor.
This is the full, unedited-for-word-count version of the January 2026 Op-Ed by Thistle Farms CEO Tasha Kennard, published in The Tennessean on January 8, 2026.
