NEWS RELEASE

September 25, 2014

 

 

 

The Heartland Girls' Ranch Announces

The Opening of Hearts for Freedom, its New Safe Harbor

Transitional Housing and Supportive Services Program for

Sexually Exploited Youth

 

 

 

A Community Forum and Panel Discussion to commemorate the opening of this new home and raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual exploitation of youth in rural Minnesota will take place October 11th, 2014 from 6:00-8:30 PM at The First Evangelical Free Church building located at 900 13th St. S. Benson, MN 56215.

 

Four Minnesota agencies are collaborating under the Minnesota Department of Human Services Safe Harbor Shelter and Housing grants to provide shelter and services for the state's sexually exploited youth. As one of the collaborative agencies, Heartland Girls' Ranch will provide longer-term housing and supportive services specific to minor victims of sex trafficking through the state of Minnesota's new response: "The Safe Harbor Law/No Wrong Door to Services for Sexually Exploited Youth." Other Safe Harbor providers across the state include Breaking Free (St. Paul), The Link (Minneapolis), and Life House (Duluth).

 

CeCe Terlouw Heartland's Executive Director said, " As the largest facility designed for girls in the state, Heartland has served many at-risk and sexually exploited girls over our 20 years history. This new program will allow us to provide services more specifically designed to meet the unique needs of girls who have been sexually exploited and will provide an additional 8 dedicated beds to serve them."

 

Hearts for Freedom will officially open in October in a temporary location until a new permanent home will be built in 2015. This program will continue to serve girls referred from all over the state. In addition to the Hearts for Freedom Program,  Heartland was also awarded funding through the Minnesota Department of Health to provide a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator for the West Central Minnesota region -- a position which will respond to cases of minor sex trafficking within the 21-county region of Wilkin, Ottertail, Traverse, Grant, Douglas, Todd, Stearns, Big Stone, Stevens, Pope, Swift, Lac Qui Parle, Yellow Medicine (including the Upper Sioux Community Reservation), Chippewa, Renville, McLeod, Meeker, Kandiyohi, Benton, Sherburne and Wright counties.

 

The commercial sexual exploitation of children is drawing attention from all levels of government and our larger community. Evidence shows a significant need for supportive services for sexually exploited youth in Minnesota.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children conservatively estimates that 100,000 children are exploited each year for prostitution in the United States, and the FBI has identified Minneapolis as one of 13 cities with a large concentration of juvenile sex trafficking enterprises.  This horrific crime is also documented in many rural communities as well. [MORE]

 

 

The Safe Harbor law went into effect August 1st, and is shifting the paradigm for at-risk and sexually exploited youth -- viewing them as crime victims rather than criminals. Specifically, Safe Harbor laws are designed to exempt children from prostitution arrest and prosecution, train law enforcement and community members on how to identify and assist victims, increase penalties for traffickers, and promote the development of a statewide multidisciplinary response.

 

In the January 2013, Minnesota Department of Public Safety comprehensive No Wrong Door report, a recommendation of $13.5 million was made to the Minnesota Legislature to begin to implement Safe Harbor statewide. Of the $2.8 million that was actually approved in the 2013 budget, just $1 million was allocated for services and housing/shelter programs over two years-2014 and 2015. A total of four programs in Minnesota were selected in a highly competitive process to receive this funding.

 

Heartland Girls' Ranch and its Hearts for Freedom Program will provide a safe place for female minor victims of sexual exploitation to heal while receiving critical services specific to the complex trauma of being sex trafficked. This facility provides eight transitional living program beds (serving girls ages 12-17). Services include intensive case management, trauma-informed mental health therapy, on-site and off-site education options to get youth back in school and caught up on credits, a survivor mentorship program, health care services, therapeutic equine programming and direct connections to appropriate chemical dependency services.

 

Heartland's Executive Director states, "The passage of the Safe Harbor Law and its resulting decriminalization of minor sex trafficking victims is a huge step in the right direction for helping sexually exploited youth. Often girls that we serve have been victimized over and over again without getting the help that they need. This law and the funding for supportive services and housing will ensure that more victims are able to escape their abusers."

 

Heartland Girls' Ranch
Heartland Girls' Ranch (HGR) is a residential facility for girls ages 12-21. Located in Benson, MN since 1992, HGR serves over 50 girls each year providing housing, education, supportive services and therapeutic equine programming.

 

Funding Credits

Heartland Girls' Ranch Hearts for Freedom Program is made possible by the generous support of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Women's Foundation of Minnesota, Zonta International, the Minnesota Department of Health and many other referring counties, donors and supporters.

 

Additional Information

For more information on the Safe Harbor Law and the state's new No Wrong Door Model please go to the following link to the full report on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's website: No Wrong Door: A Comprehensive Approach to Safe Harbor for Minnesota's Sexually Exploited Youth report.

 

Media Contact:
Heather Caillier

612-644-7043

development@heartlandgirlsranch.org

More information at: www.heartlandgirlsranch.org

 

Join us for a night of education and discussion as we uncover the difficulties that at-risk and trafficked youth are facing in our state. In light of Minnesota's recent Safe Harbor Legislation, we will be focusing on the topic of sexual exploitation, human trafficking and how this crime targets vulnerable youth across rural Minnesota. The evening will include several short films, as well as a panel discussion and Q & A time with Heartland Girls' Ranch staff and local experts.

DATE & TIME: October 11th, 2014 6:00 PM 

 LOCATION: First Evangelical Free Church 

900 13th St. S. Benson, MN 56215 

Heartland Girls' Ranch (HGR) is a residential facility for girls ages 12-21. Founded in 1992 and located in Benson, MN, HGR serves over 50 girls each year providing housing, education, supportive services and therapeutic equine programming. HGR is proud to be one of only four programs in the state selected by the Minnesota Department of Human Services to provide housing and services to trafficked youth under the Safe Harbor Law and our new Hearts for Freedom Program.