In my Black Ops Confidential series a family of dedicated women and men operate a secret society of vigilantes called the League of Warrior Women. The members of this group fight for positive and lasting change in the world.
There are countless real-life heroes who are doing the hard work of standing up against violence and sexual abuse. Women like Sunitha Krishnan of India and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia. Below you’ll find a list of organizations that are creating change in the world. If you’d like to learn more, sign up for my newsletter, The Shady Lady Report.
By filling out the two boxes on your right, you’ll receive monthly stories about real-life warrior women from around the world, along with news and events from our fictional warrior women and their author.
The Shady Lady Report shines a spotlight on some of the brave, intelligent, kind, fierce, and yes, rule-breaking women working to make this world a better place for everyone. If you know of any women like this, and you probably do, please send the information: [email protected]
Real Life Warrior Women
Shared Hope International began in “1998 when U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith traveled into the heart of the brothel district in Mumbai, India. The brutal sexual slavery and exploitation of women and children she witnessed there inspired her to establish Shared Hope International to help bring healing to devastated lives.” Shared Hope International brings attention to the brutal consequences of global child sex-trafficking. In addition, this community helps to rescue victims and promote solutions.
An outspoken critic against human trafficking, Indian social activist Sunitha Krishnan runs Prajwala a pioneering organization that educates and trains women who have been the victims of sex-trafficking and sex crimes. According to the Prajwala website, “Prajwala works on the five pillars of Prevention, Protection, Rescue, Rehabilitation & Reintegration. In the last one decade it has become one of the most powerful voices nationally and globally for ensuring holistic victim services.”
Nadia Murad’s Yazidi village in Iraq was attacked by ISIS in 2014. Her family, including her six brothers, were murdered. She was taken captive and held as a sex-slave. After Nadia escaped she joined Yazda.org an organization that works, in part, to heal and reintegrate women sex-trafficked by ISIS in the Middle East. It also works to halt the genocide, seek justice through legal action, and mark this horrible tragedy for history of the Yazidi people, a religious minority in Iraq. In addition to Nadia’s work with Yazda.org, she went on to found Nadia’s Initiative which, through the “The Sinjar Action Fund.” (SAF), seeks to redevelop the Sinjar region so that the Yazidi can return home. According to her website, “The first priorities…include a commitment to de-mining, which is already underway. The Sinjar Action Fund is open to all nation-states, non-governmental organizations, and individuals… willing to contribute.”
Author, activist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian, mother of four, and a highly-educated woman who has broken down barriers and who changed the violent direction of her country. In addition to promoting and bringing about peace for her country, Leymah works to educate and inspire West African girls. Gbowee Peace Foundation, a fantastic organization dedicated to educating girls to, “Unlock the wisdom of girls.” As stated on their website, the Gbowee Peace Foundation, “mobilizes resources to support grassroots organizations that increase access to education and development for women and girls in West Africa, with a particular focus on making strategic investments in the work of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa in Liberia.”
WomenOne is a global organization that researches and identifies the places where education for women is most needed and then focuses on those areas. According to their website, “WomenOne takes a rights-based approach to women’s and girls’ education. We focus on enabling women and girls to pursue their right to education by eliminating the barriers they face and ensuring that our activities and programs are innovative, evidence-based and sustainable.”
Equality Now is an initiative designed to make changes to the laws that positively impact the lives of women globally. This robust community of lawyers, activists, and supporters are changing the world one law at a time. They have influenced policy makers and governments, have changed the lives of trafficking women and children. Here is their wonderful mission as stated on their website, “The law is a statement of your worth by your government. Laws that treat men and women, girls and boys unequally relegate women and girls to a lower status in society. Failure to outlaw practices that harm women and girls leaves them with no recourse for violations against them. The law is the way to hold your government accountable for your protection.” – YASMEEN HASSAN, GLOBAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EQUALITY NOW
CAMFED is an essential organization that supports and nurtures women and girls in the poorest rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. For over two decades this organization has educated women and lifted them from poverty. According to their website, “Since 1993, Camfed’s innovative education programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania and Malawi have directly supported more than 1.9 million students to attend primary and secondary school, and more nearly 4.5 million children have benefited from an improved learning environment.”
GEMS In I AM JUSTICE the male lead works with an organization along the Syria/Jordan border called Salma’s Gems. This name was inspired by my research into sexual exploitation and trafficking. GEMS heroic organization is worth supporting and checking out, so please follow the link. Here is their history as taken from their website, “GEMS was founded in 1998 by Rachel Lloyd, a young woman who had been sexually exploited as a teenager. Ms. Lloyd came to the U.S in 1997 as a missionary to work with adult women exiting prostitution. While working with adult women in correctional facilities and on the streets, Ms. Lloyd observed the overwhelming need for services for young women at risk for sexual exploitation who were being ignored by traditional social service agencies. It became clear that specialized services were essential for this disenfranchised population.
From a one-woman kitchen table project, GEMS has grown to a nationally recognized and acclaimed organization and now is one of the largest providers of services to commercially sexually exploited and domestically trafficked youth in the US. GEMS advocates at the local, state and national level to promote policies that support young women who have been commercially sexually exploited and domestically trafficked.”
Save the Children This well-known organization has been saving and caring for children around the world for decades. And it is much needed work. As their website points out, “Millions of children in the U.S. and around the world still aren’t getting what they deserve. We’re talking about children in need. Dying, when the world knows how to save them. Vulnerable children in poverty. Denied an education. Forced to flee violence. Orphaned, abused, abandoned. Children with no reason to smile. No hope for the future.”
Daughters of Eve A non-profit organization that works to stop female genital mutilation, a practice that still exists in many countries today. Because of a disturbing belief that a woman’s sexuality will lead her to be promiscuous, girls are mutilated through FGM in an effort to keep her from experiencing sexual pleasure. As stated on Daughters of Eve website, “female genital mutilation (FGM) as a form of gender-based violence, which therefore reflects and reinforces inequities between men and women and compromises the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims. Daughters of Eve believe that young people need to be supported holistically and work with women and girls should be based on their needs and not the act of violence. Daughters of Eve came about after its founders working with FGM practicing communities for many years identified the need for specialist support and advocate service for young people within these communities.”
Gateways Program is a wonderful residential program in New York that provides a home and treatment to sexually exploited children between the ages of 12 and 16. There are a number of ways for people to become involved–volunteer, mentor, become a foster parent, or donate. This is a worthy cause and the only residential program in the Northeast. According to their website, “Gateways uses a strengths-based youth development model to assist young women in gaining the skills needed to return to the community as productive, independent young adults. Gateways provides a wide range of carefully supervised and structured services such as medical treatment, intensive individual and family therapy as well as art therapy to help these young victims recover from the trauma they have experienced.”
Plan International This group was brought to my attention by a writer friend. According to their website, “Plan International is a global movement for change, mobilizing millions of people around the world to support social justice for children in developing countries. Founded in 1937, we are one of the oldest and largest international development organizations, working in partnership with millions of people around the world to end global poverty. Not for profit, independent and inclusive of all faiths and cultures, we have only one agenda: to improve the lives of children.”
Lauren’s Kids: “Education. Awareness. Advocacy. Their mission is, “To prevent sexual abuse through education and awareness, and to help survivors heal with guidance and support.”
ECPATInternational:”We are the global leader in fighting the sexual exploitation of children around the world. Your donation will allow us to strengthen our network, expand research initiatives and advocate for governments and businesses to fulfill their commitments to stop this crime.”
Sanctuary for Families: “Sanctuary provides many services for victims of sex trafficking and related forms of human trafficking. Sanctuary for Families is New York’s leading service provider and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking and related forms of gender violence. Every year, we empower thousands of adults and children to move from fear and abuse to safety and stability, transforming lives through a range of comprehensive services and advocacy.”
My Life My Choice: “Through survivor-led programs we work to end commercial sexual exploitation of children by empowering youth and their allies to fight back.”
Extended Hands Hope: “Offering safe housing and supportive services to sex trafficking survivors, empowering them to move forward with hope and dignity. Forward Learning Academy is our onsite school at Avanti House. This school is accredited and licensed by the Colorado Department of Education. The girls residing at Avanti House, attend this school. Many girls in our programs are anywhere from 2-6 years behind in school. Forward Learning Academy focuses on credit recovery. We have great success with this academic model within our program. One young lady jumped 3 reading grade levels in just 3 months!”
Shared Hope International: “Prevent. Restore. Bring Justice. Shared Hope International strives to prevent the conditions that foster sex trafficking, restore victims of sex slavery, and bring justice to vulnerable women and children. We envision a world passionately opposed to sex trafficking and a community committed to restoring survivors to lives of purpose, value and choice – one life at a time.”
Love146:”We have taken her number so that we remember why this all started. So that we must tell her story.It is a number that was pinned to one girl, but it represents the millions enslaved. We wear her number with honor, with sorrow, and with a growing hope. Her story can be a different one for so many more. We’re working to prevent child trafficking & exploitation, care for survivors, and empower a growing movement. Love is the foundation of our motivation.” The youngest child saved from sexual trafficking by Love146 was one-year-old. A child without a voice, without language.
