Panel

Local  Initiatives  Against  Human  Trafficking

REBECCA AYLING: Waypoint Project Coordinator
Waypoint and Manchester Law Enforcement: 

Waypoint’s Human Trafficking Response Program provide intensive, community based case management for any one in NH who has experienced any type of human trafficking. 

The  Manchester Police Department have a dedicated detective focusing exclusively on human trafficking investigations with the aim to support victims of trafficking through a victim-centered process of reporting their exploitation and having it investigated with the goal of prosecuting traffickers

Waypoint and MPD partner with each other and with the NH Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force with the goal of combating human trafficking in New Hampshire.

DONNA PLOURDE, Executive Director,Real Life Giving  Founder,Revive Women’s Care and Support Center.

Donna Plourde is the Executive Director at Real Life Giving, a nonprofit organization committed to combating sex trafficking and exploitation through education and training and to serve survivors and at-risk women with a trauma-informed approach through outreach, mentoring and support programs. A certified trainer/facilitator with the Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking, the My Life My Choice Prevention Curriculum and the Ending the Game coercion resiliency program, she has presented at workshops and conferences providing training to educators, service providers and healthcare professionals. Donna also believes an informed community is key to the effort and works to bring awareness and prevention events to community and civic groups, youth organizations, churches and schools. As a member of the NH Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force, she chairs the Training Committee. 

BETHANY COTTRELL:   Founder,Brigid’s House of Hope:

Bethany Cottrell, is the Human Services Director for Merrimack County and the Founder of Brigid’s House of Hope – the first long term safe house for victims of trafficking in New Hampshire. Bethany has been working with victims of sexual assault since 2005 when she started her career as a forensic interviewer, conducting numerous interviews of both child and adult victims. During this time Bethany also identified her passion supporting victims and survivors of Human Trafficking – noting the lack of long term safe housing in NH.

During her career, Bethany has helped grow the Merrimack County Advocacy Center from a program with a staff of 1 to a staff of 5 and increased the programming to include a Family Advocate on site. Bethany has also helped in the formation of the Merrimack County Human Trafficking Subcommittee and facilitates the implementation and growth of this program, the MCAC Advisory Board, the Merrimack County SART and is a member of the NH Collaborative Task Force Against Human Trafficking. In 2018 Bethany identified the need of house and brought together a group of professionals to create the Board for Brigid’s House of Hope. Bethany’s passion to support victims and survivors continues to grow as the goal and dream of Brigid’s becomes a reality.

JASMINE GRACE:  Founder and Director, 

Bags of Hope Ministry  Author:“The Diary of Jasmine Grace: Trafficked, Recovered, Redeemed.”

Bags of Hope is an outreach ministry out of the Emmanuel Gospel Center that Jasmine founded as a way to reach out in a practical way to vulnerable women living on the streets or in programs throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In collaboration with programs serving women affected by trafficking, prostitution, addiction and homelessness.