Abolitionist Spotlight | Bhumika Patel

This month's featured anti-trafficking abolitionist is Bhumika Patel! Patel received her Bachelor of Arts in Women's Studies from Agnes Scott College in 2012, and then her Master of Arts in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Cincinnati in 2014. After completing her Master's degree, she knew she wanted to enter a role in which she could somehow support others who were oppressed or marginalized. So, Bhumika applied for a position with AmeriCorps and was then placed with the Salvation Army. She became the first Regional Coalition Specialist of the same coalition that helped bring Timbelo into the anti-human trafficking space! In 2018, she moved to Columbus and joined the Public Children's Services Associate of Ohio (PCSAO) as the Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator. In this position, Patel worked on a statewide initiative to improve outcomes for child and youth victims of human trafficking involved in child welfare and juvenile justice; in this role, she facilitated trainings with any system that touches children, from law enforcement to foster parents. Today, she is the Ohio START Coordinator at PCSAO. Ohio START is an evidence-informed intervention program that provides resources and support to families struggling with problems like substance use disorders and allegations of child maltreatment. Outside of her role at PCSAO, she is using her expertise to continue educating others through various training opportunities. Check out her website learn more!

Bhumika's advice to brand new advocates is pretty simple: slow down. When people first hear about this issue, it gets them fired up. Who wouldn't want to jump headfirst into saving others, right? Unfortunately, that mentality can often cause more harm than good. Instead, she urges people to look at the root causes of human trafficking and offer support in those spaces. "This is how you stop human trafficking," she says. "By being engaged in your community and supporting people around you."