by Brooke Hall
Every week, Sierra Huffman meets with survivors of human trafficking, which fuels her passion to help and advocate for those in difficult, vulnerable situations. Huffman, a senior IU Columbus criminal justice student, is interning at Josephine’s Clinic. She joins a volunteer team on some of the toughest streets of Cincinnati, providing medical care, first aid, food, clothing, trauma-informed advocacy and much more.
Rosanne Hountz, cofounder of Josephine’s Clinic, says they serve about 100 individuals per year, including women, LGBTQ and transgendered individuals aged 18-60+ primarily in the Cincinnati area. At the same time, clinic staff are working to expand the group’s scope and reach.
While volunteering with the clinic, Sierra noted how greatly they need a mobile unit to help more survivors. For her honors project, and as part of her field experience and criminal justice internship, she’s spearheading a raffle in hopes of raising $1,000 toward the clinic’s fund to purchase a van. She’s also collecting in-kind donations for the people the clinic helps.
“Often, reaching out and asking for help is not always the safest option for survivors in certain circumstances. So, Josephine’s Clinic needs to create a safe place on the streets for survivors to get medical attention, help, guidance, or simply new clothes and food,” Huffman explained in her project proposal. Plus, with a van, Josephine’s Clinic could reach so many more clients throughout Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, including rural communities affected by trafficking.
Josephine’s Clinic provides “interprofessional, patient-centered, compassionate, holistic and trauma-informed care.” That could mean providing a safe place to sleep and shower, a new pair of shoes, or a ride to an appointment. Clinic volunteers also meet with those in the law enforcement system, such as police officers and lawyers, to help them better understand the neurology of trauma on survivors of human trafficking and violence. On Wednesdays, they hit the streets in four-person teams, handing out supplies and proving medical services (many volunteers are nurses).
“I’m passionate about helping these survivors. And it’s so important to help them in a way that doesn’t re-traumatize them,” Huffman notes.
The criminal justice student will tell you how they administered Narcan the night before to a client who’d been in a treatment program but relapsed. She’ll talk about attempting to give out hygiene items and first aid to women they encounter but getting stopped by their traffickers. What Sierra Huffman has experienced might scare others away— but instead, it fuels her resolve. In fact, she’s looking at masters programs that include coursework on trafficking and the neurology of trauma in hopes of continuing this important work in graduate school and beyond.
Hountz commented on how Sierra’s kind and caring demeanor have shown through during her internship with Josephine’s Clinic.
“Working with those who have been trafficked for years takes a special person. Sierra is able to understand that these individuals have difficulty coping in life. She truly acts with non-judgement, which is so important in this population,” Hountz said.