The following is a news release from OneVoiceHome:
OneVoiceHome, a local faith-based nonprofit organization, has recently purchased the former Girlstown U.S.A. campus from Cal Farley’s and plans to develop the property to serve as the region’s first dedicated home for minor victims of sex trafficking.
At any given time, over 79,000 children in Texas are victims of sex trafficking. With only a handful of similar homes across the state, less than 1% of the total number of estimated victims are receiving long-term therapeutic care. Additionally, Lubbock, Amarillo, and the Midland/Odessa area are seeing an ever-increasing number of victims. OneVoiceHome hopes to change these numbers and address this well-documented gap in services in Lubbock, the surrounding rural communities, and all of West Texas.
“We truly believe that the mission of OneVoiceHome is not just the mission of our founding board members, but it is the mission of this entire community,” states OneVoiceHome, Executive Director, Laura Pratt. “It is a key piece in a collaborative effort to combat domestic minor sex trafficking in our area.”
The 151-acre facility is perfectly situated at a confidential location to provide long-term safety to residents and staff. The property boasts over 20 buildings, including a covered pool, an activity center, an administrative headquarters, a chapel, an education center, and fire station. Once fully developed, the campus has the capacity to house over 50 victims and employ similar numbers in on-site staff. There is even surplus acreage included in the purchase to accommodate horses, other animals, or gardening, which can all be used in experiential therapy.
Pratt continues, “Our hope is to develop a full campus for meeting the needs of these girls, allowing them to transition from a place of initial rescue into a place of refuge, recovery, resiliency, and ultimately, complete restoration.” To learn more about OneVoiceHome please visit www.onevoicehome.org.
(News release from OneVoiceHome)
