A new program in the heart of the Twin Cities is offering a lifeline to victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse, and we've just learned it's expanding.
News Talk 830 WCCO's Susie Jones has more on "Safe Spaces".
Inside the bathrooms in the Hennepin County Government Center there is a phone and a sign that reads, "Do you feel safe at home?" There are also little slips of blue paper. Sometimes, a bathroom is the only safe space a victim of abuse can find. They are available in both the women's and men's bathrooms.
No numbers. No names. Just a blue slip of paper, directing the person to give it to any employee in the building to get help. Over 1,000 Hennepin County employees have now been trained on how best to respond.
"You know, all of us said from the beginning, if we can help one person, it was all worth it," says Hennepin County Senior Administrative Manager Liudmila Trandafilava.
Trandafilava helped create Safe Spaces. That includes two important pieces.
"One is the phone just because, understanding victims don't have the means of communication, and second is a confidential way of letting somebody know that they need help," Trandafilava explained.
So, these small slips of blue paper, they're kind of like that secret communication given to any employee, who will then get them the help they need.
Sometimes that help can be for children.
Minneapolis is one of the top locations in the United States for child sex trafficking. Traffickers prey on youth who are already vulnerable. These vulnerabilities may include birth into a historically disenfranchised community, early childhood trauma, involvement in the child welfare system, and a lack of support at school or at home.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also has a human trafficking division, and the Department of Health includes assistance for victims called Safe Harbor.
Space Spaces started in 2022, and was originally in just four Hennepin County buildings: Minneapolis Central Library, Health Services Building and South Minneapolis Human Service Center along with Government Center.
Now it will be in eight, including North Point, a health care facility in North Minneapolis.
Part Two of WCCO's "Safe Spaces" will focus on how law enforcement views the program. More on that Wednesday.
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