This Month and Every Month, We Believe Survivors

For the women of Thistle Farms, this month is meaningful. Prostitution and human trafficking share a deep intersection with sexual assault, not just as an isolated act of violence, but more often as repeated violations that perpetuate the cycles of power and exploitation that make it so difficult - and dangerous - to leave.

Sexual violence is not rare. 1 in 6 women in the U.S. has survived an attempted or completed rape, with someone in the U.S. experiencing sexual assault every 68 seconds. Rape is the most underreported crime with an estimated 2 out of 3 sexual assaults never being reported to police.

This number only increases for women who are trafficked and prostituted due to an assumption of consent, despite the likelihood of them experiencing sexual assault dramatically increasing.

• 84% of trafficking survivors report being sexually assaulted while being trafficked.

• 90% of women in prostitution have experienced sexual assault.

It is important to understand that human trafficking and prostitution are both forms of commercial sexual exploitation: a cycle in which consent is often coerced, survival is mistaken for agency, and violence is routine.

Yet, society treats those experiencing this life very differently. Often when we hear “trafficking survivor,” we think of someone who is a victim; but when we hear “prostitute,” we see it as a choice someone made.

The misconception that one happens to you while the other is a choice you make is a detrimental misunderstanding of the situation. As Thistle Farms Founder, Becca Stevens, has challenged us to rethink: If we think prostitution was a choice, what were the options?

Because of this, survivors face a false dichotomy that can have devastating effects:

• Survivors of prostitution are less likely to report rape or sexual assault.

• When they do report, they are less likely to be believed.

• Their trauma is minimized or criminalized, not treated.

Healing from trauma isn’t an easy or linear process, nor does it happen in isolation. For survivors of trafficking and prostitution, nearly all of whom have experienced sexual assault of some form or another while being exploited, it is vital to ensure they are surrounded by a community where survivors are seen, heard, and honored.

In addition to that community support, our two-year Residential Program offers comprehensive approach to healing through mental health care, addiction recovery, psychoeducational classes, and access to safe, nurturing environments through our partnerships with other direct service and community organizations like Nashville's Sexual Assault Center.

Thanks to this trauma-informed approach, we get to walk alongside women who have experienced the darkest parts of our society and watch as they find and create their own light to help others.

This Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we ask that you help us break down the stigma and misconceptions surrounding sexual assault and the survivors of human trafficking and prostitution who have experienced it. There's a number of ways you can support this work:

Donate to support trauma therapy and healthcare

• By supporting the Thistle Farms Residential Program, you help to make therapy and support possible for survivors so they can begin to heal.

Read & Share survivor-centered content, and learn from organizations who support survivors

• thistlefarms.org and @thistlefarms

  • Read the stories of those with lived experience and understand how commercial sexual exploitation shows itself in all communities.

• sacenter.org and @sacenter (Sexual Assault Center – Nashville)

  • Our primary partner in providing therapy focused on sexual violence. They share local survivor stories, educational content, and so much more.

• rainn.org and @RAINN

  • A national organization providing shareable stats, survivor stories, hotline info, and prevention campaigns to combat sexual violence.

• Tncoalition.org and @tncoalition (Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence)

  • Another Tennessee-based organization providing legal advocacy, education & training, and emergency assistance for survivors

Honor survivors by believing them—and advocating for them

Sexual violence leaves deep wounds, but we believe that love heals at Thistle Farms. We’ve seen the healing power of love every time a woman walks through our doors and begins rewriting her story: One that is not defined by the violence she endured, but by the love and dignity she’s reclaiming.