NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Human trafficking remains a persistent issue, and with large-scale events like the Super Bowl drawing thousands to New Orleans, advocates and law enforcement are on high alert.
In 2023, the FBI launched 664 human trafficking cases nationwide, leading to 145 federal arrests. The New Orleans Police Department reported that human trafficking made up 1.3% of special crimes in the fourth quarter of 2024, totaling five cases in three months.
“Whenever there is a large-scale event like the Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game, or NFL Draft—anything where there are a lot of people at one time—it’s the perfect opportunity to raise awareness,” said Brandi Bynum, acting unit chief for the Department of Homeland Security.
For the past 13 years, Eden Centers for Hope and Healing has helped survivors transition out of trafficking. The nonprofit provides emergency shelter, long-term housing, and specialized recovery care.
“We see a lot of women between the ages of 18 to 25,” said Jennifer Best, CEO of Eden Centers. “We see a lot of mental health concerns such as PTSD, anxiety, depression. We’ve seen a lot of our clients have housing insecurity, lack of financial stability, we’ve seen women who are pregnant.”
The organization’s emergency shelter, which houses nine people, is consistently at capacity, as are its two residential homes that accommodate 16 individuals.
“I’ll never forget one of our first clients in our emergency center,” Best recalled. “She had eight rooms to choose from and she opened up the first door and did a little happy dance. She was so grateful for a safe space to sleep at night and food on the table.”
At the center, survivors are given a warm place to sleep, food and offered specialized recovery care.
“During their time with us, they’re getting therapy, they’re attending trauma therapy, they’re attending case management sessions,” Best said. “We really get to create an individualized program for them—[a] treatment plan. We have a small social enterprise where we can employ survivors so they have something to put on their resume and help them become financially independent.”
As Eden Centers continues its mission, Best encourages community support.
“They get up every day and put one foot in front of the other after everything that has happened,” she said.
For those looking to help, donations can be made through Eden Centers for Hope and Healing’s website.
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