A world where every person has an equal opportunity to live a fulfilling life.
The Shared Future Fund is a first-of-its-kind model in Southern Nevada that seeks to uplift the region’s most vulnerable women and children by addressing three of the most pressing social issues that prevent them from realizing their potential and leading healthy and fulfilling lives: human trafficking, homelessness, and immigrant integration.
Our First Focus: Human Trafficking
In 2017, Nevada ranked 10th in number of cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, up from 12th in 2016. However, if broken down to cases per 100,000 residents, Nevada ranks 2nd. Over 90% of this subset involved sex trafficking. Homeless youth are among the most vulnerable to being trafficked. The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth reports that one in three teens on the street will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home, and that Las Vegas has the 3rd highest rate of homeless youth in the United States. In a Las Vegas Review Journal article, Nevada U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich stated that the average age of sex trafficking victims in Las Vegas is 14. In 2017 156 youth were detained in Clark County for their involvement in commercial sexual exploitation; 100 were from Nevada, and 81% of them were already in the state’s child protection information system. In July 2019 a nationwide effort by the FBI resulted in more than 100 victims rescued in Las Vegas – more than any other city. These metrics point to the urgent need for increased awareness, prevention and intervention efforts in our community.
A Survivor’s Story My relationship with him did not begin with me being forced to sell my body; it did not begin with me being called useless or worthless. It began with butterflies and laughter, it began with dinner dates and nights out, it began with whispered words that made me feel safe, cherished, secure and worthy.
Read all of Jessica’s story here.
