There is absolutely no good way to ease into the topic of human trafficking. Speaking from experience, it is quite impossible to gently, comfortably begin talking about something that weighs the heart down so heavily. I think that's why people love to hear stories of those who make it out of human trafficking. Hearing about even one person escaping, finding safety, and growing into a future that is entirely their own is such a stark contrast to the usual conversation surrounding modern-day slavery. It also serves as a fantastic reminder of the reason we're fighting. We're fighting for that freedom, and survivors deserve to be celebrated. One important aspect of celebrating survivors and their stories is doing so respectfully.

One way we can do this is to let survivors tell their own stories. They're the ones who lived it, and they know what would or wouldn't be triggering for them. Sometimes, recounting traumatic events can re-traumatize people, and that is the last thing we should want. Another way we can respectfully share survivor stories is by not sensationalizing the experiences people go through. The trafficking of other human beings is shocking enough without adding to it. Finally, we can respectfully share stories by maintaining survivor language instead of victim language. The people who make it out of human trafficking are tenacious fighters who deserve to be recognized as such.   

We are doing our part to share stories respectfully by sharing survivors' stories. We do this by using accounts straight from the survivors themselves and using sources with their permission to share, telling the stories without sensationalizing them, and by using empowering language.