Non-Profit Gears Up to Help Teen Victims of Human Traffickers

Teen Rescue Launches Fundraising Efforts

LOS ANGELES, April 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teen Rescue, a non-profit organization that works with troubled children, is stepping up its efforts to provide help to teenage victims targeted by human traffickers. Sources estimate that here in the United States, tens of thousands of children are sexually enslaved—in our cities, towns and neighborhoods. And the problem is escalating.

Human trafficking is big business. Slaveholders, ranging from individuals to cartels, can make a profit of $300,000 per year for each victim. The crime often goes unpunished because victims rarely testify against the people who rule their lives.

In response to the needs of this special population, Teen Rescue is launching a campaign to raise funds that will support the recovery and care of young victims. The non-profit is encouraging companies, religious institutions, and individuals to invest in a child's recovery.

Children like Tania M. deserve to live normal lives. After years of being physically abused by her mother, 12-year old Tania ran away from home, straight into the arms of the sex slave trade. She was sold multiple times and barely survived. When the girl was finally freed from her captors, a social services agency asked Teen Rescue to intervene. Today, Tania is learning how to let go of the past and become a child again.

"We focus on kids who are hurt and need to heal," says CEO Phil Ludwig. "These young people who have been victimized by unscrupulous slaveholders need intense care, round- the-clock supervision and attention. Most of us would characterize their experiences as horrific. They need our help—and yours."

Ludwig, a retired San Diego police officer, is the founder of Teen Rescue. The program, headquartered on a large campus in a remote area of Northern California, has been successfully caring for teens over the past 21 years. Due to privacy and security concerns, the exact location of the campus remains confidential.

Every year in the U.S., an estimated 1.2 million kids run away from home. Many of the runways are either recruited or kidnapped by slaveholders who sell them for sex. Some are moved from city to city; others are sold and transported out of the country. The few recovered by authorities are often placed in Juvenile Hall. As a result, the teens see themselves as criminals instead of victims.

"Our campus has room for some of these teens, but their care is costly because recovery is so intensive," says Ludwig. "In addition to recovery, these kids need lots of love. Most of them have been neglected, abused or abandoned by their parents. We're looking for new families—surrogate grandparents and adoptive parents who are willing to step in to offer these kids love, support and guidance when they need it most."

Kids from all over the country—from San Diego to New York—have been helped by Teen Rescue's professional staff and volunteers. Donors can sponsor a child or make a general contribution. The non-profit's mailing address is P.O. Box 2167, Chino, CA. 91708.

To learn more about Teen Rescue, please visit www.teenrescue.org or www.teenrescue.com.

SOURCE Teen Rescue