Because it’s more than their stories
VoiceOver aims to equip anti-trafficking organizations with the knowledge and tools to work with survivors as true partners and elevate their voice as primary stakeholders in the anti-trafficking field.
The project focuses on training staff, empowering survivors, and promoting peer-to-peer assistance to trafficked persons to facilitate their social integration.
However, they are often only asked to share their stories and excluded from policy and service decisions.
As a result, anti-trafficking efforts lack input from those directly affected. VoiceOver aims to create a genuine partnership with survivors, involving them in co-creating programs and policies, and ensuring their expertise is valued.
The goal is to engage survivors in meaningful roles beyond just sharing their stories.
Survivors are often limited to being recipients of care or involved in research and communication. VoiceOver aims to go further by using a participatory approach that allows survivors to engage in ways meaningful to them.
There are different levels of involvement, from consultation to leadership, with higher levels offering the chance to lead projects and decisions.
VoiceOver seeks to create flexible, non-hierarchical opportunities, respecting each survivor’s readiness to participate. A trauma-informed approach is used to ensure safety and foster empowerment for both survivors and providers.
Storytelling is both powerful and a significant responsibility. Stories are powerful tools to connect with people, inspire action, or raise funds by tapping into emotions and shared values.
However, stories of exploitation are sometimes sensationalized, exaggerating certain aspects while downplaying others. The line between telling someone's story and exploiting it is sometimes thin.
VoiceOver emphasizes ethical storytelling by prioritizing survivors' control over their narratives. The project upholds their agency, avoids sensationalism, respects their rights and privacy, and shifts the focus toward advancing the cause of anti-trafficking rather than centering on personal narratives.
If you are part of the professional anti-trafficking community, it is also up to you to take action.
Talk to your colleagues and start the change.
Contact us to learn more:
info@equalitycoop.orginfo@equalitycoop.orginfo@equalitycoop.orgin
