UnSilenced: Battle Creek Anti- Human Trafficking Coalition

11/01/2025

October is over, but the bruises you can’t see don’t follow a calendar.

As Co-Founder and Director of Operations for UnSilenced in Battle Creek/Kalamazoo, I’m reminded that domestic violence and human trafficking often overlap. Control, fear, and isolation are the common thread—and yet so is resilience. The little girl in this photo grew up to stand here today, helping others find safety, voice, and hope.

To every survivor: you are not to blame. You are not “too messy.” You are worthy of safety and a future that feels like yours.

To our community partners—law enforcement, hospitals and clinics, shelters, churches, schools, and neighbors—thank you for walking alongside us. Your trust changes outcomes.

How you can help right now

Learn & share three warning signs: extreme isolation, monitoring/controlling of phone or money, and “walking on eggshells.”

Invite us to train your workplace, school, church, or team (HT 101, trauma responses, safe referrals, and local resources).

Volunteer with UnSilenced (all roles are welcome—from outreach to logistics).

Give gift cards (gas/groceries), winter wear, or a month of prepaid phone service for someone starting over.

Be a safe person. Believe survivors. Offer choices, not ultimatums. Safety plan, don’t pressure.

If you’re in immediate danger, call 911. If you need confidential help, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline (chat/call/text—search online), your local YWCA/Safe Place, or message UnSilenced for options. Our website has a Quick Exit—use it if you need to leave a page fast.

Because every voice deserves to be heard.

11/01/2025

A human trafficking scenario taking place at a truck stop and shares how truck stop employees and truck drivers can report it. (DHS Video by Blue Campaign/Released)

10/26/2025

We have a HOME BASE!

UnSilenced is now serving out of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Kalamazoo, at 1819 Gull Road. It’s the perfect spot for our ministry—minutes from downtown Kalamazoo and a straight, easy drive from Battle Creek—right on the Gull Road corridor with plenty of parking.

This space fits who we are and how we serve:
* Cozy, private meeting & conference rooms for peer support and safety planning
* Bathrooms right across from our door (dignity matters)
* Kitchen for coffee, care-kit builds, and warm conversations
* A welcoming lobby where someone greets you with a smile and resources

Today, my heart is whole. Thank you to our Policy & Advocacy Directors, Ryan & Esther Leonard, for gifting us an entire year in their eXp Realty office as we launched. Because of your generosity, we have grown roots—now we get to expand our branches.

What happens here:
* Survivor-led peer support & safety planning
* Care-kit builds and warm hand-offs with our partners across Battle Creek & Kalamazoo
* Training & collaboration with clinicians, law enforcement, churches, and community groups

Want to connect or stop by?
📍 1819 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
📞 Call the front desk 269-381-9800 and ask for UnSilenced, or our direct office 269-381-9808.
(For privacy and safety, please message or call ahead for survivor appointments.)

If you’d like to help us warm up the space, comment 'WELCOME HOME 💙', drop a note, or reach out to schedule a volunteer orientation, partner meeting, or training. Different opinions are welcome at our table; love and dignity lead the way.

From one survivor to another: you are seen, you are not alone, and there is room for you here.

10/23/2025

Change is happening in Michigan.

Every time we speak up, educate, and push for legislative change, it matters. What we’re seeing right here — another multi-agency operation taking down human trafficking networks — is a ripple effect of the awareness, training, and survivor-led advocacy that grassroots movements have been fighting for.

This is proof that when community, law enforcement, and survivor voices stand together, darkness loses its grip. Let’s keep pushing for prevention, protection, and policy that puts people first.

More than a dozen people were arrested in a sex and human trafficking sting in Berrien County.The multi-agency sting operation was an effort by the Berrien Cou

10/23/2025

INVESTIGATING THE INVISIBLE | HUMAN TRAFFICKING & SEXTORTION TRAINING

Tomorrow, UnSilenced: Battle Creek/Kalamazoo Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition joins forces with Motor Carrier Officers, Nick and Samantha from the Michigan State Police, and Detective Pignataro from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department to train clinicians at Kalamazoo’s behavioral health (ISK) in recognizing and responding to exploitation that hides behind trauma.

This isn’t surface-level training—it’s deep work that bridges two worlds: law enforcement and behavioral health. Because when clinical insight meets investigative perspective, mountains move—and survivors are met with understanding instead of interrogation.

We’ll be guiding providers on how to respond when clients are tangled in the realities of sex trafficking, labor trafficking, sextortion, domestic violence, and the psychological aftermath that follows. The goal is to help professionals hear the silence, not just the words.

Human trafficking = control for profit.
Sex, labor, or images—whenever choice is taken, it’s trafficking.

Period.

10/15/2025

Tonight, we got to witness something powerful. Our fearless leader and the heartbeat behind so many movements, Sara Morley LaCroix, received the 2025 Dorothy A. Johnson Community Philanthropy Award at the Council of Michigan Foundations conference!

Sara took that stage tonight and dropped one of my new favorite quotes: “If you don’t have a social worker on your board, I highly recommend you get one. They’re not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty with you — both of them are social workers, and they don’t disappoint.”

Well, she’s not wrong. We social workers are a different breed. We’ll show up to your crisis with coffee, boundaries, and a plan… and maybe a snack, because we know you haven’t eaten.

Sara, thank you for being the powerhouse that turned broken pieces into battle armor. You lead with love, speak with truth, and manage to make philanthropy look downright fabulous.

09/27/2025

Big news for Michigan!

Two critical pieces of legislation — HB 4047 & HB 4048, The Protection From Intimate Deep Fakes Act — have officially been signed into law by our Governor.

This law makes it a crime to create or share non-consensual sexual “deepfake” images and videos, and it also gives survivors the right to pursue civil action. With sentencing guidelines now in place, Michigan has taken an enormous step forward in protecting vulnerable populations from sextortion, exploitation, and digital abuse.

As a survivor and advocate, this is a deeply personal breath of fresh air. These laws are not just about policy — they are about dignity, safety, and justice for those who have been harmed in silence for far too long.

Thank you to every advocate, supporter, and coalition partner who raised your voice, built connections with legislators, and stood on the frontlines to make this possible. Change happens on a macro level when we refuse to be silent.

Let’s keep pushing forward — together. 💜

09/27/2025

Two powerful anti-trafficking bill packages (SB 520–524 and HB 5009–5028) are sitting in committee — and without community pressure, they may never see a vote.

These bills would:
✔️ Raise the legal age of trafficked minors to 18 (aligning with federal law)
✔️ Provide Safe Harbor protections for kids
✔️ Allow survivors to clear convictions forced on them by traffickers
✔️ Strengthen penalties for traffickers and buyers of sex
✔️ Replace harmful terms like “prostitute” with survivor-centered language

But here’s the truth: Bills can die in committee if they’re not prioritized. Survivors are watching and waiting for Michigan to act.

How to support:
Survivors, advocates, and community partners are urging policymakers to include these bills on the agenda. Please take a moment to send an email to the committee members listed below and encourage them to move this legislation forward.

Committee Contacts (copy & paste):

SenSChang@senate.michigan.gov SenSShink@senate.michigan.gov
SenJRunestad@senate.michigan.gov
SenPWojno@senate.michigan.gov
SenJIrwin@senate.michigan.gov
SenSSantana@senate.michigan.gov
SenRJohnson@senate.michigan.gov
SarahLightner@house.michigan.gov
BrianBeGole@house.michigan.gov
TyroneCarter@house.michigan.gov
DouglasWozniak@house.michigan.gov
MikeHarris@house.michigan.gov
JayDeBoyer@house.michigan.gov
GinaJohnsen@house.michigan.gov
BillSchuette@house.michigan.gov
KaraHope@house.michigan.gov
KellyBreen@house.michigan.gov
HelenaScott@house.michigan.gov