Executive Summary
- The inaugural Survivors Council Brunch was held at the Jacksonville mayor’s office to promote survivor-led anti-trafficking efforts.
- The council is composed entirely of survivors of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and labor exploitation.
- Council leaders Nicole McCall and Tatiana Yoguez, both kidnapped as teenagers, emphasize that trafficking can happen to anyone.
- Priorities include identifying root causes of trafficking and improving survivor access to housing and mental health care.
The Jacksonville Survivors Council convened its inaugural brunch at the mayor’s office this week, gathering survivors, advocates, and city officials to bolster efforts against human trafficking through survivor-led initiatives. The event served to highlight the critical role of those with lived experiences in shaping municipal policy and prevention strategies.
The council is comprised exclusively of individuals who have endured sexual assault, sex trafficking, and labor exploitation. Their primary objective is to identify the root causes of exploitation within Jacksonville and develop effective strategies for prevention. Additionally, the group works to address essential needs for survivors, including access to housing, mental health care, and long-term support services.
Nicole McCall, chair of the Survivors Council, and Tatiana Yoguez, a council leader, spearheaded the event. According to First Coast News, both women were abducted as teenagers from Jacksonville’s Southside and forced into trafficking rings. McCall emphasized the pervasive nature of the threat during the gathering.
“Human trafficking can literally happen to anyone,” McCall stated. “We are all survivors of different types of trafficking. People think it can’t happen to them, but it definitely can.”
Community Response Strategy
The establishment of a survivor-led council within the mayor’s office signals a strategic shift in municipal crime prevention, moving toward comprehensive victim-centered policy making. By integrating the perspectives of those previously exploited, city leadership aims to close gaps in social safety nets that traffickers often exploit. This collaborative model highlights a growing recognition that effective anti-trafficking measures require input beyond traditional law enforcement tactics to successfully address systemic vulnerabilities.
