FRISCO – The Treasured Vessels Foundation (TVF) recently commemorated in Frisco the completion of its first residential community for survivors of domestic violence.
TVF works around Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Grayson counties with survivors of domestic sex trafficking. In Texas alone, 314,000 people are abused as victims of sex trafficking each year, including 79,000 minors.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was presented by the Frisco Chamber of Commerce.
The new center gives unprecedented opportunities for assisting survivors of trafficking, according to TVF Director of Communications Abigail Ours. It also speaks to TVF’s foundational commitment to individualized care.
“It's a really unique model because a lot of organizations have opportunities to maybe do weekly coaching or bi-weekly, but we're providing every single day and creating plans for each woman individually,” Ours said.
CEO Alicia Bush founded TVF in 2016 in response to the lack of long-term placement for victims.
“Once a woman is rescued, people just kind of put a Band-Aid on it, or pigeonhole her in a substance and alcohol abuse rehab or some sort of other shelter,” Bush said. "We really don't have enough specific solutions for an exploited and trafficked woman."
Bush said they are committed to doing things the right way, as a community. Since 2016, TVF has grown both as an organization and in its cooperative relationships with law enforcement and other nonprofits and service providers. Their approach to the problem of human trafficking has included educating communities to make everyone a part of solving the problem.
In addition to treatment plans, educational support and life skill support, TVF works with survivors through therapy programs such as equine therapy, yoga, gardening, art and music.
Future plans for the organization include more housing and programs for recovering victims, as well as expanding into programs for male victims of human trafficking.
“Long term, our goal is to really work ourselves out of a job,” Ours said.
