REST | Real Escape from the Sex Trade

Your Gift Matched!

Thanks to an anonymous donor, every gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $30,000.

Our Mission

Founded in 2009, REST exists to expand pathways to freedom, safety, and hope in order to end sex trafficking. We believe that everyone is worthy of love and deserves a life without exploitation. 

Our services are designed to be individualized, trauma-informed, and centered around survivors’ needs and goals. Close to 650 individuals engaged with REST last year, and more than 300 enrolled in one or more of our services.

***

The Need

Sex trafficking happens here. 

REST estimates there are 2,000–3,000 individuals experiencing sex trafficking on any given night in the greater Seattle and King County area, and over half of them are homeless or in unstable housing. In 2023, close to 650 individuals reached out to REST for services, hoping to find their path out of sex trafficking.

The brutality of sex trafficking leads to extreme and persistent trauma.

Though every experience of sexual exploitation is unique, one thing is common: trauma. In fact, the rate of PTSD in survivors of sexual exploitation is higher than in combat veterans. At REST, we understand that trauma affects the whole person, and therefore we seek to honor and care for the whole person: mind, body, and spirit, in a holistic and individualized way.

***

Our Services

REST offers holistic, survivor-centered services, seeking to walk alongside survivors of sex trafficking no matter where they are in their healing journey. Through this, we aim to offer support for survivors to identify and accomplish goals that transition them from entry to stabilization to independence.

Our Programs

Most survivors learn about REST through word of mouth, street or text outreach, or referrals from other agencies. They regularly call our 24/7 hotline for information and emotional support and drop in for enrichment services, which offer support groups, art therapy, and life skills workshops. Ninety percent (90%) of survivors have experienced homelessness; in such cases, they can stay at our emergency shelter.

All survivors have experienced trauma and can engage with mental health and substance use services. Many need assistance with employment and can access our Employment Services, which have been trained to supervise in a trauma-informed manner. To reach self-efficacy, transitional and permanent housing services are available.

After providing direct services for almost 15 years, REST receives regular requests for training nationwide, and this upcoming year will officially launch training and consultation.

***

How You Can Help

Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of survivors of sex trafficking. Every dollar brings us one step closer to a world where everyone has the opportunity to heal, recover, and thrive.

• With a monthly contribution of $25, you can start a survivor's path to healing, unlocking doors to freedom and a brighter future.

• A donation of $50 gives one survivor access to resources that empowers them to build a foundation for lasting economic independence.

• A generous gift of $100 provides one survivor access to safety and shelter, a crucial step in their journey to escape their trafficker.