Q&A with Human Trafficking Survivor and Expert: Bekah Charleston
We were excited to sit down with 2025 Freedom Awards Honoree, Bekah Charleston, to learn more about her work as a Survivor Advocate, what drives her to continue to do this work, and so much more.
Q: As a valued lived experience expert, what keeps you motivated to do this work? And how do you ensure that you're taking care of yourself while doing this?
A: Honestly, it is hard. This is really hard work. That is why I recently opened myself up to thinking about my future and working in different industries, and I chose real estate as one of them. At the first real estate conference that I attended, something that stood out to me was that “they didn't talk about trauma all day, or the worst parts of your life,” and I found it refreshing.
Being in this space is very hard work, but it's also really rewarding. I'm grateful for the impact that I've been able to make, for the perceptions I've been able to shift. For me, the purpose in all of it is when I can shift one law enforcement officer's perception of a person that's stuck in prostitution on the street that they see every day, or make one victim not blame themselves for the things that they were forced to do, and even just the things that they merely had to do to survive. Then, it gives it all purpose to me.
Self-care is important. And that begins with truly being able to take care of yourself, financially. A frustrating part about the anti-trafficking field is that most often survivors don't have full-time jobs, so we're out here doing this work as either sole proprietors or maybe we have LLCs, or maybe we've created our own nonprofit, but even then, it's still extremely difficult. There was a study that I read that showed that out of almost 500 survivors who participated in the study, only 6% of us were making $100,000 or more annually. I think that we could do a lot more in this field to help survivors find sustainable careers with living wages, whether they are in the anti-trafficking field or not.
Q: There have certainly been many great advances when it comes to prevention work, helping to mitigate victimization, but what do you believe are the areas where we continue to fall short? What key investments are we missing?
A: Immediately, I think about legislation that is still needed. For example, a law that I'm really passionate about is the TSRA, which is the Trafficking Survivor Relief Act. It is about to be reintroduced again, and it would provide federal vacatur. This is important because we still need legal mechanisms to help survivors that have been through the criminal justice system no longer continue to be criminalized by it when they are the victims. We also need a mechanism on the front end to prevent them from being tried in the first place because they are again the victims, and they should be treated like a victim by the court system.
Something that we are beginning to get right is survivor engagement and inclusion; but there is still room to grow in this area.
I have been lucky enough. I am the National Engagement Specialist of the Sex Trade Survivor Caucus, which just launched in 2023. The Sex Trade Survivor Caucus is essentially a coalition of survivors across the country that are passionate about making legislative changes because oftentimes we're brought in as the token, where we are expected to just come in and share our stories really quickly to a Legislator or their office aide in hopes that we make them vote our way on whatever bill, but in a meaningful way, we really weren't at the table. This is why Jay Benke and Robin Miller founded the Sex Trade Survivor Caucus, basically creating the table for us. The caucus is all survivor-run and led, and we have regional engagement specialists across the country. I think there's a need for more survivor involvement in legislation.
I think that we are living in a really scary time right now, especially when it comes to advances in technology. There has been a lot of change occurring really fast, and that is a little bit scary because there is a need for funding, particularly federal funding to support a lot of the good work that is needed to protect the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people. When that funding is cut, those services are greatly diminished. We are currently in a unique moment in time right now, where we have to make sure that we do not go backwards, to make sure that we do not lose the systems that we've created, and the responses that we've created, especially with law enforcement.
Much of my current efforts is training law enforcement. I go in and get to work with them and do hands-on operations on how to be more victim-centered and trauma-informed at the same time, which includes being able to build cases and go after traffickers even without initial victim corroboration. Because the reality is that victims often do not make outcries in the beginning, so strategies need to be in place to begin working these cases based on evidence instead of waiting for that outcry; like what is often done with homicide cases. This would allow for the victim to get to safety, and hopefully access services to begin their healing journey. There is a huge need for this change in perspective and strategy. While larger cities may be getting it right, a lot of America remains very rural, and not everybody has great human trafficking detectives at an agency. Some agencies don't have any person dedicated to this work, at all. There is always a continued need for that education piece, especially among the service professionals.
Q: You’ve served on various task forces, worked on transformative initiatives, such as the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, as well as an Executive Director of a nonprofit providing emergency housing and advocacy for exploited individuals. Then launched Bekah Speaks Out. Is the site the best way to connect with you, and can you share more about the consulting and other services that you provide?
A: Bekah Speaks Out was born out of necessity. In 2013, I kinda fell into a speaking engagement, and since that time, I really realized that this is an area that I have a knack for: training, using my own story, and parts of my own story as a case study, as well as the different experience that I've gained over the last 12 years in the field. I provide training, most often through public speaking, whether it be at conferences, galas or other very specific events — for example, those where I train all of a school's counselors or medical professionals.
I have a variety of audiences, but then I also do consulting with organizations — both nonprofit and private sector. I am invited to come to review programming or maybe assist with launching a program. I’m also asked to come into organizations to speak to clients that they are serving.
Some of my favorite trainings that I get to provide today are with a co-presenter, Dr. Chris Wilson. Dr. Wilson and I do a training on the neurobiology of trafficking and how coercion can feel like choice, over an eight hour span of time. We discuss the brain science from his psychology background and perspective paired up with real life experience, and really illustrate brain science in very easily digestible ways for audiences.
I also continue to consult with various law enforcement agencies, both state and federal, work with local police departments, as well do hands-on operations. An example of this is where they bring me in to train their officers as part of a larger training. I'll have a session at that training and then also be there available for hands-on application the next day. This is of importance because it's one thing for someone to learn something in one day, but even the most well-meaning person might learn how to be trauma-informed, for example. And then they go in the next day and the cameras are rolling and there's 50 officers at this operation and every officer is looking at you. Well, what are you going to default back to? You're going to default back to your training, right? No matter what head knowledge you just learned yesterday that you wanted to apply. Sometimes, it just doesn't immediately get applied.
This is why we include hands-on operation in training. It allows for learning in real time and having survivor leaders like myself there in the room. I think it's encouraging because I've seen a willingness and an openness by many agencies that are willing to bring me in and let me go “hey, you're doing that wrong. And hey, this is how you could do it better.” There's a willingness to learn, which gives me hope for the future.
Q: What would you say to someone who may want to join the fight to address human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children, but are not sure of where to start, or what they can do to contribute?
A: I think the best place to start if you feel a desire or maybe a passion being sparked inside of you to get involved about this issue is to get educated. Educate yourself, listen to the many podcasts that are out there. There have also been documentaries that have been made. There's organizations like PACT that are providing resources and services in the very place that you live most likely, or at least in the next big city, if not in your city. Educate yourself and then reach out and inquire about volunteering at those organizations. Most organizations will provide volunteer training that will educate you about the topic.
Whether or not you decide to get further into this work, we all have time, talent, or treasure. So, you can provide one of those things. You can give your time, if you don’t have the talent or the treasure, or maybe you have the talent. For example, you could provide free tax services to survivors of human trafficking. You could partner with a local nonprofit if that is your talent and business. And then obviously if you have treasure, financial means, you can donate and financially support these efforts.
Before you do any of these things, get educated, and then begin having these conversations within your own circle, to educate the people that are in your life, who also may not understand the issue.
Q: Please share any initial reactions to the notification that you were nominated for the 2025 Freedom Award?
A: It is actually making me tear up right now thinking about it. It was such a shock. Lori (PACT’s CEO) and I have collaborated on some work over the years and it was a shock to get a text from her out of the blue. We do not communicate on a regular basis, just as needed on projects, and to have that news come at a time when it's been hard, as we talked about.
It has been really hard to continue to stay in this work and try to remain healthy. So, I received the notification when I was on the back end of feeling pretty burnt out, to be honest. Lori's text meant so much more to me because of the timing. Just to feel seen, and to be honored by an amazing organization that’s really been a part of the fabric of this field is just such a pleasure. I'm excited to be able to come to New York.
Q: Outside of just being presented the Freedom Award this June, what do you look forward most to about attending the benefit event this year and just being in a space with others who are just as passionate about this work?
A: I'm also really excited just about being able to come together in celebration, because this work is hard. It is really hard and it takes a lot out of you. So, being able to have a night that you get to actually look back and look at the impact that you've been able to make over the year, and to be part of the celebration, that is going to be something that's really special.
Q: Do you have any final thoughts on anything we discussed or something that we haven't even brought up just yet that you would love to share.
A: The next four years will be difficult. Let's come together. Let's celebrate and let's dig in and fight. Let's join arms and fight in a way that we haven't had to fight before, because we are losing resources that we used to take for granted. Resources that we used to think would continue to be there. So, we need everybody now more than ever.