WILKES-BARRE — Anastasia Joy, a survivor of sexual exploitation/human trafficking and now a fierce advocate for preventing the heinous crime, on Thursday said what happened to her a little over a decade ago still impacts her today.
“I’ve been sharing my story for the last four years, but I decided to use my experience for something good — to take something as evil and cruel as trafficking and create something powerful from it,” Joy said. “It has truly helped me blossom as a woman, mother and advocate — being the voice for those who don’t have the strength to share their experience.”
Joy brought her story and her passion to Wilkes-Barre as part of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s roundtable discussion with state leaders, local officials, victim advocates and survivors to discuss how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and strengthen collaborative efforts in the fight against exploitation.
“Many people believe, ‘human trafficking could never happen to me,’ but the reality is that it can affect anyone, anywhere,” said Kathy Buckley, director of the Office of Victims’ Services at PCCD. “Survivors’ voices are critical in shaping how we address this issue, and it requires a united effort. That’s why we’re here in Luzerne County — to hear from those impacted and learn about the collaborative approach of the NEPA Task Force Against Human Trafficking, which is uniting law enforcement, victim service providers, prosecution and community organizations to strengthen support for survivors and hold perpetrators accountable.”
The roundtable discussion, held at the Victims Resource Center in the East End Center, highlighted regional challenges and successes in addressing human trafficking while fostering the exchange of best practices and innovative strategies.
Survivors and advocacy groups were central to the conversation, sharing personal experiences and under-scoring the importance of survivor-centered approaches in policy-making and program development.
As a survivor of sexual exploitation, Joy said she thinks it’s critically important to share her experience with the public to educate and inform those who are not aware of what trafficking looks like today.
“There are many misconceptions about trafficking, and I believe it’s crucial to have survivors involved in discussions like the one we had today to provide insight and commentary on real-life experiences,” Joy said.
The discussion revealed that trafficking happens every single day, and there’s no specific target for who gets trafficked.
“Traffickers don’t see color, gender or age — they see vulnerability and opportunities,” Joy said. “They’ll go after anyone they think will be easy to exploit and profit from. That’s why I think it’s so important to be the voice, educate and raise awareness to better protect our children and youth from these heinous crimes.”
Joy said she strives to do everything she can to give hope to those who don’t have it.
“I want to show them it’s possible to get out and live a successful life, and help protect those who have never been trafficked by teaching them what signs to look out for,” Joy said.
Joy, who has a 10-year-old son, said she takes all precautions to protect her son from predatory websites that seek out victims every day. She encouraged all parents to closely monitor their children’s online activity.
The NEPA Task Force Against Human Trafficking is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary effort to establish and incorporate best practices to identify and serve victims and at-risk populations, investigate and prosecute perpetrators, increase overall awareness of exploitation and human trafficking, and assist survivors in achieving restoration and justice through member agencies and organizations.
“Traffickers thrive when systems do not work together,” said Suzanne Beck, co-chair of the NEPA Task Force Against Human Trafficking and chief executive officer of the Victim Resource Center. “The most important work of the NEPA Task Force is collaboration. Responses to human trafficking are most effective and efficient when they are multidisciplinary and collaborative in their problem solving.”
Representatives of the Shapiro-Davis Administration attended and said the state is committed to supporting all victims and survivors of crime. “Wherever there is transportation, there is the potential for trafficking,” said Kara Templeton, PennDOT’s deputy secretary of driver vehicle services. “PennDOT plays a unique role in the battle against trafficking, and the first step is hearing directly from those affected.”
Buckley said she encourages anyone who has been victimized to reach out for help.
“There are local programs that can help you with finding support and resources including therapy, counseling and much more,” Buckley said. “You deserve support, and there are people and organizations who are ready and willing to stand by your side.”
Although trafficking can affect anyone, the panel said that evidence shows that people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately impacted. Factors such as generational trauma, historic oppression, discrimination and societal inequities contribute to vulnerabilities within these communities.
People may be at higher risk of trafficking if they:
• Have an unstable living situation.
• Have experienced other forms of violence, such as sexual abuse or domestic violence.
• Have run away or are involved in the juvenile justice or child welfare system.
• Are undocumented immigrants.
• Are experiencing poverty or economic hardship.
• Have a caregiver or family member with substance use issues.
• Struggle with drug or alcohol addiction.
For information about human trafficking resources, or to report a suspected case, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” to 233733.
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