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How human trafficking survivors can repair their credit

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A Grand Rapids nonprofit can now help human trafficking victims fix their credit as they work to take back their lives.

Safe Haven Ministries, which works with domestic abuse and human trafficking survivors, was recently authorized to certify victim status under the Debt Bondage Repair Act, an amendment to the Fair Credit Act that helps survivors fix their credit after being trafficked.

A common method of control in a human trafficking situation is for the trafficker to take out credit cards or loans in their victim’s name and then not pay it back, Safe Haven Ministries Human Trafficking Task Force Coordinator Amanda Colegrove explained. That can make it difficult for the victim to rebuild.

“Once they exit their situation, that shows up as something that they have done, when in fact it was a method of control for the trafficker,” Colegrove explained. “That can make it very difficult for someone trying to take back their life and move on to be able to find housing or get a loan for other things that they might need like a car.”

“What (the Debt Bondage Repair Act) allows us is to just provide another path for our clients to rebuild their lives, take back what was taken from them and find a way to be self-supporting once again,” she later added.

Certifying a client’s victim status is just the first step. From there, they’ll have to work through the process of each credit reporting company, which will determine if they’ll remove the traffickers’ actions from their credit report.

Because it’s a new process, Colegrove said it’s still unclear how long that will take.

“Individuals who may have experienced trafficking and want to have help with this need to understand that it’s going to take time and it’s not going to happen right away,” she said. “Ultimately it rests with the credit reporting company and what they decide.”

She also noted that it doesn’t remove the debt, though other tools like going through stolen identity avenues could help bring debt relief.

“The crux of the matter is that they have an opportunity to improve their credit score and this allows them to rebuild their lives after trafficking,” she said.

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the Safe Haven Ministries 24/7 help line at 616.452.6664.

Read the full article on WOOD TV.

Domestic violence prevention advocate: ‘Reach out’

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Following domestic incidents that turned violent and even deadly in West Michigan over the last few days, a Grand Rapids nonprofit urges people in similar situations to reach out for help.

Holly Wilson, director of client services at Safe Haven Ministries, said although it’s difficult to track trends because domestic violence can go unreported and undetected, the organization has seen an increase for its crisis response program.

“We know, nationally, about 41% of women and 26% of men are going to experience some type of intimate partner violence in their relationships. And we certainly see that here in Kent County as well,” she said.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, Wilson said it’s important to get connected to an agency like Safe Haven or the YWCA.

“Reach out. Make the phone call. I know it can be really scary to make that call to an unknown person. We have amazing staff who are ready to answer that call and respond,” Wilson said.

Safe Haven answered over 3,000 crisis calls over the past year. The nonprofit offers a 24/7 crisis hotline at 616.452.6664, webchat and text options as well as an emergency safe shelter, support groups and housing support. You can call Save Haven or walk in between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to get connected with a Safe Haven advocate.

“Connect with us. We’re not going to tell folks what to do but we will meet with individuals and provide education, support, whatever that looks like for them, but we can also do some really good, individualized safety planning,” she explained.

Three recent incidents in West Michigan, two of them deadly, stemmed from domestic disputes. In Gaines Township Monday, two people were shot in an apparent murder-suicide. Deputies say they were initially called to the home for a domestic argument. Just a mile away, on Tuesday, deputies shot and injured a man as they responded to reports of a domestic assault and a man threatening a neighbors with a gun. Berrien County deputies found a woman shot dead at a mobile home community near Niles Monday. A man she was in a relationship with was arrested on an open murder charge.

“It’s always heavy at our agency. … It’s another life that’s taken, another incident that could have been prevented,” Wilson said.

She added that the presence of a firearm during a domestic violence situation, like in the recent incidents, makes it five times more likely that a woman will be killed in that relationship.

“The use of weapons in a home can increase safety concerns. It’s a tool that’s used to control and make it really difficult to leave a relationship too, and there’s that risk of being killed or a family member potentially being killed,” Wilson explained.

Sgt. Scott Dietrich with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said the recent shootings have had a large impact on not only those involved but responding deputies as well.

“The past few days have been difficult for our Gaines Township and Lowell communities: loss of life in a domestic violence incident, a tragic plane crash, and now an officer-involved shooting stemming from another domestic violence incident. These events have impacted those involved, the first responders, and our county as a whole,” he wrote in a Tuesday release. “Sheriff Michelle Lajoye-Young and Undersheriff Bryan Muir are proud of our staff for their bravery, their commitment, and their professionalism during this time.”

Read the full article and watch Holly’s video on WOOD TV.