When I learned of my history, I knew little about human trafficking, but I educated myself. I found out that human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery. It can include sex trafficking, which is the recruitment and harboring of individuals for commercial sex acts. It also includes labor trafficking, which is the recruitment and harboring of people for the purpose of labor or services through the use of force, fraud or coercion. I found out that there are twenty-seven million slaves in the world today—an incredible number.
Reading this, I felt the passion rise in me. I thought, “Okay, I have to do something to stop this industry.” Once I learned the truth, it compelled me, and gave me the passion to be a voice for these voiceless women and children who have been sold into slavery.
My husband, Trong Hong, is also a survivor of human trafficking. We realized that we needed to do something more, and so we opened the Tronie Foundation. Our main role is to educate people about human trafficking, to influence public policy, and to provide services for the victims. Our mission is to reach out and rescue victims of human trafficking, and to restore their freedom. We provide safe havens for victims, and we try to equip victims with the skills to transform their futures. I believe one of the number one needs of survivors is a safe place where they can stay to heal. We provide basic needs such as food, clothing, social support, life skills, and job training.
The Tronie Foundation also works with state and federal legislations because we need laws to protect these victims. Our passion is being a voice for those women and children who have been sold against their wills, who cannot speak to the world because they’re held in prisons, held captive by traffickers.
For the past six years, I’ve used my experience to testify before legislators. We’ve passed several laws in the state of Washington that have become models for other states to follow. I’m proud to say that in 2002, Washington was the first state to pass a law to get a state task force against human trafficking. Since then, over thirty states have followed. This is a huge movement in our country—that’s thirty states that have groups standing behind victims, saying, “You know what? We believe in you, and we’re going to do something. We’re going to get a body of people that can help make a difference in your lives.”
