#26 - Breaking Chains: The Battle Against Sex Trafficking in Miami with Georgia Downey

Imagine discovering a world that operates in the shadows of our sunny, bustling Miami streets, a world where exploitation and lost hope are the currency. This is the reality for many caught in the web of human trafficking, but today, we're shedding light on this darkness with our guest, Georgia Downey from Glory House of Miami. Georgia brings us an authentic look into the world of human trafficking and the beacon of hope that the Glory House represents for adult women survivors. With an unwavering dedication, she and her team work tirelessly to rescue, restore, and empower those who have been coerced into a life they never chose. Her stories are not for the faint of heart, yet they are essential to hear for the change they can inspire.

Throughout our conversation, we're taken on a journey of transformation that transcends the physical realm. Georgia's own path to leading Glory House is as compelling as the stories of the women they've aided, marked by resilience and a deep-seated belief in redemption. She opens up about the unique challenges of nurturing souls back to life and the community's role in supporting this mission. The heart of this episode lies in the powerful testimonies of survival, the hard-won battles against the invisible chains of trafficking, and the shared vision of a future where this form of modern-day slavery is abolished, not just in Miami, but across the globe. Join us to grasp the gravity of this issue and witness how faith, hope, and love are rewriting narratives, one life at a time.

Show notes

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Transcript

Heredes: 0:10

Georgia, thanks for hanging out with us.

Georgia Downey: 0:12

Thank you for having me. What an honor.

Heredes: 0:14

No, it's our blessing and you've come so highly recommended in talking to our friends, our ministry friends and nonprofit friends, and that's what we love, because when there's that trust and reputation it's so important in what we do, in the line of work we do, especially in who you're serving, who you're rescuing, who you're raising awareness and funds for. So we'll start there. I know our favorite co-host, colin, already introduced us right now, but tell us a little about Glory House of Miami. Give us a story, a mission. How did everything start?

Georgia Downey: 0:46

Yeah, thank you so much. So Glory House of Miami, we started in 2011. Our founding board member, maria Vidia. She had an actual vision from God that she was supposed to start rescuing women who have survived sex trafficking, and she was supposed to call it Glory House and God's glory would be revealed through it. And so, yep, they started in 2011. They hired the person I'm taking over, you know, betty Laura, who just did, for over 11 years, a phenomenal job, and so what we do, what Glory House does, is we reach, rescue and restore women who survivors of human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking. There's different labor trafficking and everything like that, but we focus on sex trafficking and these are adult women, and we focus on it. In one heart at a time is our motto.

Heredes: 1:45

Oh, I love that and you're in Florida and serving based out of Miami and my understanding it's one of the highest in the world. The stats, I mean it's scary. I was looking through the data on the site. Tell us a little bit more about the need in Florida.

Georgia Downey: 2:01

Definitely. Well, I mean globally, and I think you know no one can really get the exact numbers, they're just estimates, right, because this is pure evil that's happening around the world. So you know, $150 to $250 billion are being made regarding human trafficking, and that includes men, women and children. In the United States, in Florida ranks third, and so South Miami is a huge Miami in itself sorry is a huge hotspot because of, you know, we're an entertainment city, we have ports, we have all of these ways to traffic women, and one of the things that I think a lot of people don't know is that you know this isn't prostitution. This is by force, fraud or coercion. So this is against a woman's will and she is forced into this sexual exploitation.

Heredes: 3:10

And I appreciate you breaking that down, because there are some misconceptions, there's sometimes even taboo and, depending what circles you're in, it's either there's high awareness and it's talked about, and sometimes it's not. It's covered up and it's under. Tell me a little bit more, if you can help our listeners understand.

Georgia Downey: 3:27

Yeah, I think you know we're all humans, we all operate in the flesh and you know, when you're looking around at different nonprofits and different causes, you know human trafficking is the darkest of the dark and so we as human beings, we really don't want to go there, we don't want to learn, and that's natural and understandable. But the thing that really grips me is, for example, I was at a meeting a couple months ago with the state attorney's office in Homeland and they had just kind of refigured their maps of the city over Miami-Dade County, and Coral Gables is now the hotspot, the highest percentage of where traffickers are focusing on, and so I think we have amazing marketing and awareness with Sound of Freedom and everything, but I think everyone's thoughts are okay. This is like sound of freedom and everything, but I think everyone's thoughts are okay. This is happening in a third world country or it's only happening in, you know, extreme, abject poverty, and it's not, it's the crime that is happening in plain sight.

Heredes: 4:41

And for those who don't know, coral Gables, wealthy, historic neighborhood in the core of Miami where businesses and Georgia Howe again curious and just helping our listeners understand, be aware, be watching, be praying. How do we even know that information, like, if I'm out, if I'm just average Joe citizen, I'm looking. How does somebody know this?

Georgia Downey: 5:04

Yeah, so I mean there are signs. You know, these women are, like I said, taken under force, fraud or coercion, so they might be offered. They're vulnerable, you know, and the average age of a child that turns into a woman that gets trafficked is around 13 years of age. So you can imagine if you're a young woman, 18 and older, maybe you broke up with your boyfriend, you're having a bad month, you have low self-esteem, maybe you did come from some type of abusive situation and you're vulnerable.

Georgia Downey: 5:38

And here comes a handsome man or a really cool, pretty woman that's saying, hey, like you're beautiful, like you're wonderful, like, and giving you all of these compliments and raising your self-esteem and this grooming process that happens can happen for months. And you think, you know, oh, I'm dating this guy, he's wonderful. Or I just met a new friend and we're going to the pool together down at the Gables, and then months later, bam, you know, I've heard horrendous stories where you know a woman thought they were dating somebody and said, okay, well, good night, have a great night. And he was like you're not going anywhere, and that's the force, that's the force moment, and took her phone, took her, you know, id and everything, and she was forced into, you know, slavery.

Heredes: 6:30

And it's so. There's a kidnapping of sorts, there's an isolation, manipulation of for sure, no, and I only highlighting some of that.

Georgia Downey: 6:40

So sometimes it may be truly under our nose and you see somebody going through something that seems relationally basic, but if the warnings are there, if there are signs, yes, if they don't make eye contact with you, if you see bruises on them, if they don't have any ID, if they don't have a phone, if they keep going for permission to talk to a man or their boyfriend, like all of those. Obviously we know domestic violence exists and abusive situations, but those are some signs of potential human trafficking. And, yeah, we have to be on the lookout because I think what confuses people is by that point of time. So maybe they are walking past you at Starbucks. You might be thinking as a woman, as just a believer, just run yeah, you know, correct, like run. But by that time and point, that trafficker has total mind control over these victims. Wow.

Heredes: 7:38

Wow.

Georgia Downey: 7:59

Yeah, so many questions. Georgia, tell me, specifically with Glory House. How does Glory House come into the picture? How do where women who in the stages of healing if you come out of human trafficking, you're first most likely going to need to go through detox, because some are on drugs and that keeps them in bondage as well. There's usually a 90-day program, and then Glory House. Where our niche is, is that long-term restoration and healing that only Jesus can do. So we opened our home in 2014. 14 women graduated from the program and then, of course, the hallmark of history that hit everyone in 2020 was the pandemic and we ended up. The board decided to close the home just because of rent prices and everything like that. But in this year, you know, walking into this incredible leadership opportunity that I have, god's really put on our hearts that man. We have to get back to the heartbeat of who we are and reopen our homes. So we're in process of praying and looking and getting started on that.

Heredes: 9:33

Oh, I love that. I love that we can be a part in talking about this and to our listeners. We're going to link all the information below on how you can be a part, learn more and, especially if you're in Florida or the Southeast, here to be a part and to support. How did you get involved, georgia? What's your story in Glory House? How did the paths cross?

Georgia Downey: 9:53

Well, I've known about Glory House for over a decade. They've been such a pillar in the community. Obviously I've known Betty as well. I definitely have. I don't have this bright and cheery testimony in my own life. I've always had a heart for women and women who have gone through this type of egregious abuse and so, yeah, I was actually serving in a ministry in foster care before this and it was awesome and incredible. It's called Explore Foster Miami. They're still around, they're doing amazing things and it kind of got broached out of nowhere Like would you consider being the executive director? And in last year and it was all. God you know I can't really say oh, I thought of it or they thought about it, but for me it was like kind of a dream job, because it doesn't feel like work.

Heredes: 10:49

I love it. I love it and I can tell, in talking to you here, your passion and in this new post pandemic you're sharing. Earlier, talk to us a little bit about the challenges of whether it's real estate, whether it's just housing and resourcing the programs, because it's not a there's a 90-day, but it's a long-term.

Georgia Downey: 11:09

Up to two years. Yeah.

Heredes: 11:11

So it's a long-term program that you know the attention is needed, the care, the physical, the you know to sustain, to break them. Tell us more, break that down and what that looks like.

Georgia Downey: 11:22

Definitely so. One of the things that I admire so much about how we operate is this idea of, like I said at the beginning, of one heart at a time. So in terms of challenges, of course there's capacity issues. We want to serve as many women as we can and in our non-resident program we serve on average 50 to 60 women per month, which is a good chunk. But in terms of our actual Redeemed by Love healing program, right, these women are going through discipleship, spiritual healing, emotional healing from the trauma and of course we're offering full wraparound, every wraparound service you can think of, to help them.

Georgia Downey: 12:05

But that's all great, but I think the thing that just drew me into Glory House, and still does every single day, and why I have so much passion for this job, is we're interested in making an eternal impact in the lives of these women, so going from beauty for ashes, god taking us and doing this new thing in their life and changing hearts that only he can do. And so we have women who have come into our program and obviously they have no self-esteem, trust issues, going through significant trauma and really we can't take the glory to watch God really do surgery on their hearts over time. And now you know they're happy and living life. And a nurse now that's one of the testimonies is a nurse now and really, like you know, taking what should have devastated their life and saying you know what. This is a new beginning for me. That's, I think, the heartbeat of who we are.

Heredes: 13:13

I love that it's in the name right Georgia, because that's where God gets all the glory.

Georgia Downey: 13:17

Yeah.

Heredes: 13:18

And that eternal impact. There are the physical, the immediate needs, the breaking from that and the legacy they're leaving now. Right, you're talking about now the confidence, their identity in Christ. Now you're shifting them into, whether it's family, starting out of this and the impact to a city. I love that. I love hearing that. How do, how do the women you're rescuing hear about you? Or do you seek them? What's that? However, god uses this. You know. I'm praying that this gets heard by thousands and that it gets in the ears and the eyes of how do people hear about you? How do the women who need you hear about you?

Georgia Downey: 13:57

Yeah, so we definitely get you know referrals locally, nationally, and that happens and that's wonderful. We do also street outreach, so we do go in the streets and our incredible team is able to spot certain areas that are high trafficking areas and we go and minister to them and just say, hey, if you ever choose bravely to get out of this, which for them it's life or death, you know they're being threatened every day. I'll kill you, your family, your, you know your fellow friends right here, and so for them it's life or death. And, yeah, we go out through street outreach and we also have women call us who are actively being trafficked and said you know, saw us on a website and said can you help us? I mean, that just happened last week.

Heredes: 14:47

Wow, yeah, wow. So can somebody volunteer with Glory House?

Georgia Downey: 14:52

Yes. So the difference in volunteering, there's different options. So if you're a church, absolutely there are service projects you can do. Obviously, the nature of what we do, we have to be confidential and all of that, but there's definitely, you know, the church is the answer to this crisis, for sure, and so there's lots of opportunity for churches to serve in various ways.

Georgia Downey: 15:17

If you're an individual, yeah, there's an opportunity to be like a sister, a buddy, you know somebody who's kind of a mentor, a woman who you know feels called to do that. It's very the cool thing about our mentorship program is that before you actually get connected to a woman, you yourself have to go through healing. Wow, because there's going to be traumas that we have. We've all been through stuff, right, and we're going to kind of rub against each other, so we actually our volunteers, get freedom, you know, when they're serving. So there's mentorship opportunities and a lot of other ways that you can help. If you're a business, you can be a corporate sponsor. We can do awareness events. If you're a school like, there's so many ways to get involved.

Heredes: 16:02

I love it. You listen to Georgia in. Gloryhouseofmiamiorg is the website. We'll put all the links in the notes and some events. There's some things coming up. There's some goals for 2024 and some events I've seen and have heard about.

Georgia Downey: 16:14

Yes.

Heredes: 16:15

Tell us a little bit more about some of those other ways that folks can get involved.

Georgia Downey: 16:18

So perfect. So thank you. On May 3rd we're having, kind of, our biggest event of the year. It's called our Fashion for Freedom. We're having a really, really cool fashion show, casting vision for 2024. If you want to purchase a ticket and come see us, it's gloryhouseofmiamiorg, and then there are opportunities. You know, if you might be that person that is just like man. I don't think I have the heart to really be a mentor right now or, you know, serve in that way. But honestly, you know, if you wanted to be join our tribe, which is our monthly giving program five dollars a month a coffee would make an impact with these women you know, so that's, that's great.

Heredes: 17:06

See, cause it. Sometimes we think it's, unless I have my wealth or my state to assign to this organization, I can't. But you're saying that, starting just at five, it can. It can help somebody. That's amazing and we can find all the links on the website. They can hear okay, Purchase the tickets to the event as well.

Georgia Downey: 17:23

Purchase tickets there as well.

Heredes: 17:24

I love hearing that. I love it. So tell me about the fashion show. Can people volunteer to be models? No, I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

Georgia Downey: 17:31

I think we have the models picked out but. If you're really feeling like. You know I have to be a model. Reach out to us. You know we never know. Tell him relax.

Heredes: 17:38

We have male models too. Colin's got a face made for podcast and for radio and I think he was a hand model. I'm kidding, I just love teasing him. Missing him today in the studio here, but you heard from him in the beginning and the end. But, georgia, thanks again. Tell us a little bit more just before we wrap up With something like this. It's high danger, high risk, sometimes underground, right, so you feel like you're a special ops team because it's an underground.

Heredes: 18:13

So true, you're dealing. Those who are trafficking are extremely dangerous evil right. What gives you the strength and I think we know the answer to that and how can somebody be praying specifically and supporting you remotely?

Georgia Downey: 18:29

Yeah, um, that's a great question, I think. Um, you know, in Isaiah 61, god calls us as believers to, um, you know, raise the dead, set the captives free. And so I think everyone who serves and is a part of the team at Glory House knows that they are literally going into the darkness, into the night, and trusting that God's with them and for them and that ultimately, the battle is His. I know, for me, of course, it can get heavy and dark and terrible, the things we hear that are happening, but I believe that this is the Lord's ministry and that His eyes are upon us, and so it's just a daily surrender and trust. So, prayer we need every day. If you could pray, that's the greatest thing you could do for us. Honestly Pray for us, pray for the women we serve, and just pray for God to open up more doors of opportunity for us.

Heredes: 19:30

I love that. I love that. I love your passion for the org and fairly new to the role. Yes, taking, betty. You're not even on the website.

Georgia Downey: 19:39

I know that's one of the things I have to do.

Heredes: 19:42

Okay, cool.

Georgia Downey: 19:43

I haven't been sleeping a lot.

Heredes: 19:45

After yeah, yeah, well, we can help if you need help.

Georgia Downey: 19:48

Yes, okay, we'll get you.

Outro: 19:48

We'll get you, thank you.

Heredes: 19:50

Tell me this. We'll come back here From a leadership perspective a lot of our listeners are in the nonprofit space. They're C-suite leaders or they're in ministry. They're executive leaders, pastors leading large churches, startup churches, you know church plants. What are some challenges that maybe you have and you're stepping into this role that they're not even aware it's different or, that's, you know what, very similar to what you're dealing with. Give us a little glimpse into your leadership role.

Georgia Downey: 20:17

That's a great question, I would say, you know, expect it to be challenging, you know, and expect it to be amazingly wonderful at the same time. But I think the most important thing that I have to remember every day is that I and this sounds so Christianese, but I cannot do this without God. I have to be fully dependent and abide in Him. In no way do I think I have the answer to you know rescuing these women, but I believe that if I can depend on Him and lean on Him every single day, hour by hour, a lot of times, that in the end we'll be okay.

Heredes: 21:01

I love it. I love that. So foundational, but such a great reminder, right and sometimes we overcomplicate things as leaders, yeah, and I think it shouldn't ever be cliche. It should be the standard and the norm and our lead and to lead, yeah, and.

Georgia Downey: 21:18

I would say if somebody is a new leader jumping into a you know a new organization, just jump in like don't shrink back, jump in, lean in strong. Um, and God's with you.

Heredes: 21:31

I know it's, uh, it's Miami, it's Florida, uh, talk to us. Let's dream big here. Let's talk the next 10 years, next 20 glory house period. You know us talk about some long-term goals and dreams.

Georgia Downey: 21:45

Oh gosh. Well, this gives me chills every time I say this, but definitely, you know, we don't want just one home to serve these women, we want multiple safe houses. We have dreamed about one day serving children who are being trafficked. You know, we us not just being in the United States and going abroad, and so all of those will take God's hand, obviously, but we have a heart to serve people who and women, children, even men who do get trafficked that might be sitting right now in a home against their will or in an apartment building or wherever they are right now and saying God, where are you, can you help me? And you know we want to be the organization that says yes, we can help you and be a part of your redemptive story.

Heredes: 22:43

Oh, I love that, Georgia. Thank you so much.

Georgia Downey: 22:46

Thank you so much for having me.

Heredes: 22:48

No, it's our pleasure. We love hearing, like I said, the reputation and the trust that you know Lori House has and your leadership. We pray and we speak, blessing over you guys and those listening. Be a part. You know, this is a million over millions, over millions of problems and we need everybody and I'm talking in people that are getting either traffic but then the dollars it takes to help them get out of traffic. So be a part, jump in and we'll put all the links here for you to help them continue to rescue one heart at a time. So thank you so much, thank you so?

Heredes: 23:21

much.

Outro: 23:23

Thanks again for listening to the Nonprofit Renaissance. We hope it ignites a renaissance in you and helps you go further and grow faster. Be sure to share, rate and subscribe, and if you'd like to recommend or be a guest on our show, send us an email at podcastatversecreativecom.