Surviving human trafficking: Victims can reach out to a weekend support 'warm-line'

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A listening ear is just a phone call away. A new support line for victims of human trafficking goes online Friday night to help callers get through painful memories.

It's not a hotline for life-threatening emergencies. It's a warm-line, operated by the Convergence Resource Center in Milwaukee -- and called SOLACE support line.

"Many trafficking survivors have mentioned that fact that they could call someone when they were having a moment and just talk to somebody that helped them a lot. And that's kinda what helped us decide we should do this," said Executive Director of Convergence Center, Debbie Lassiter.

The line is for people struggling with or surviving human trafficking.

The warm-line is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 p.m. - 7 a.m.

Weekends when other resources may not be available and memories come rushing to the forefront.

Trained volunteers, including human trafficking survivors themselves, are able to validate what the caller is feeling.

Human trafficking is about force, fraud and coercion -- and where the victim is providing a service for someone and that someone is benefiting from it, the victim is not.

What would prompt someone to call?

"I think they would be having nightmares. They may be having body memories, where the body is remembering and reacting to it as though it's happening right now. They could also have PTSD -- post traumatic stress disorders," said Lassiter.

The volunteers who take the calls are not therapists, but they have gone through extensive training and they are able to steer callers to resources to help them further.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or would like to help the effort in other ways, CLICK HERE.