Survivor Ventures
Innovative subsidized wage program helps small businesses grow and Survivor Ventures participants thrive. | Survivor Ventures, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing resources and support to survivors of human trafficking in Hampton Roads. Human trafficking is modern day slavery and Virginia ranks 15th in the US for this crime. Each quarter there is an average of 10-20 confirmed victims of human trafficking identified right here in Hampton Roads. We all have a responsibility and a part to play in helping these survivors become contributing members of our society. In Hampton Roads, survivors are often jailed for their role as victim in the trafficking situation. Upon release they have nowhere to go. Without safe shelter, survivors are unable to sustain employment, cycling through stages of homelessness, victimization, addiction and jail, eventually ending in death. The average lifespan for a survivor upon initial victimization is seven years due to the amount of physical, emotional and mental trauma waged upon them each night. Survivor Ventures believes economic empowerment is key to breaking this cycle. Barriers to employment and safe shelter result in many survivors returning to the trafficking situation where at least they have food and a roof over their head. Survivor Ventures partners with small business owners to create unique employment opportunities. Partners are carefully vetted and selected based on a criteria developed to ensure a trauma-informed environment. This program involves on-site case management and intensive community treatment. Survivor Ventures employment program participants can obtain additional training in business and retail operations, equipping them to open their own business or store. Through this program participants create a vetted business plan and are connected to local entrepreneurial resources to gain access to co-working spaces, business grants and loans. From Survivor Ventures