Human trafficking is a severe form of exploitation for sex or labor—and it affects people right here in our Colorado communities. It often goes undetected or unreported, even though it usually hides in plain sight. While that makes it a complex issue to solve, it also means that every individual has the power to help make the end of human trafficking possible.
During this month’s Make it Possible campaign, we want you to meet two people who are helping to make the end of human trafficking possible in Colorado: Devin Pitts-Rogers and Ashley Bonham. Keep reading to get inspired!
Devin Pitts-Rogers: Advocating for People Who Have Slipped Between the Margins
While attending the University of Denver, Devin Pitts-Rogers learned about human rights issues, and trafficking stood out. “It felt like another marginalized and underrepresented group that could use the assistance,” he explains. “Human trafficking is something that we often don’t pay attention to. Those folks that fall in between the cracks become invisible if we don’t put in renewed and sustained efforts to see them.”
Furthermore, Devin understood that human trafficking can happen to anyone. He shares, “Time and place are the biggest factors in why we aren’t personally affected by human rights issues. I feel an obligation to pay it forward and help people who’ve slipped between the margins, especially knowing that circumstances we take for granted could easily change.”
After graduating from college, Devin was looking for work and saw a posting for the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking. However, he didn’t feel qualified at the time, so he circled back every few years. During the pandemic, Devin had the flexibility to spend more time volunteering, so he applied to become a Hotline Advocate. He joined a base of 50 active anti-trafficking volunteers. They respond to calls and texts to Colorado’s 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline, collectively answering 5,000 calls and texts since 2018.
As a Hotline Advocate, Devin learned to be prepared for any communication coming down the pipeline. “It could be conversations with people who have successfully escaped their trafficker,” he says. “It can be someone reporting a tip in detail, or it could be somebody looking for resources for someone they know who is affected.”
Devin began to see the importance of these resources for Colorado communities. As a Hotline Advocate, he connects individuals with organizations based on their unique needs. He shares, “These services exist around the state, but finding that information can be overwhelming for someone experiencing trafficking. They might not have the bandwidth, and the Hotline allows us to take on some of that responsibility.”
The biggest resource that survivors ask Devin for support with is housing. Devin says, “When someone is escaping their trafficker, they have immediate housing needs. Whether it’s just finding a place to stay for the night or figuring out a plan for long-term housing, it’s something I’ve consistently needed to provide.” Legal counsel is a common request, too.
“There’s no dictating when someone is able to reach out. A lot of times, it’s in these small windows where their trafficker isn’t paying attention or their phone use isn’t monitored. That could be from 1 to 3 am. Staffing the Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, makes sure there is always someone there when they are needed.” — Devin Pitts-Rogers, LCHT Board Member and Volunteer Hotline Advocate
In 2025, funding for Colorado’s 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline will be reduced significantly. Our Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) federal funding is being cut by nearly $50,000. Hundreds of callers and texters throughout the year are at risk of not getting the support they need. Will you help close this funding gap and keep this critical resource strong into the future? Make a gift today to join Devin in making help possible for survivors of human trafficking.
Ashley Bonham: Bridging Housing and Other Basic Needs to Prevent Trafficking
For the past ten years, Ashley Bonham has been a partner with LCHT. Today, she works in housing and homelessness in Colorado. But her first exposure to anti-trafficking work was in her early 20s. She was volunteering in Kenya with young girls who were forced into sex work to support their families economically. She remembers sitting with their mothers and discussing what leads these families to resort to this—and how to prevent it.
At the time, Ashley didn’t realize they were talking about human trafficking. But she knew she couldn’t turn her back on this issue. So she went to grad school for counseling in international disaster psychology. Wanting to do more, she decided to volunteer as a Hotline Advocate with LCHT.
When Ashley began working at a homelessness nonprofit in Colorado, she saw how the housing crisis made people vulnerable to trafficking. Many were willing to do whatever it took to meet their basic needs. She explains, “When people don’t have access to safe shelter or housing, they might turn to work that could be agricultural work or could be sex work. Maybe it’s just to get some money to be able to stay in a hotel for a night or two, especially during colder weather months. They need to be free from frostbite or have food in their bellies or not stay up all night worried about their surroundings on the streets.”
In her professional career, Ashley now collaborates with LCHT to develop human trafficking prevention efforts with housing agencies and professionals. Together, we have developed toolkits to support shelter systems, property managers, and case managers.
Volunteering on the Hotline helped Ashley understand the nuances of trafficking. “I learned how to identify trafficking situations, what resources people need, and how to provide trauma-informed care services to survivors,” she shares. When it comes to preventing and ending human trafficking, Ashley thinks a lot about intersectionality with other issues. “We need multidisciplinary teams working together to combat human rights issues, the lack of access to affordable housing, health inequities, and necessities like food.”
“Education is huge as well—teaching youth and adults about safe employment practices,” Ashley says. “Teaching people about healthy relationships, what they look like, and what are red flags.” Widespread knowledge about human trafficking is one of the most effective ways to end this crime.
“LCHT taught me that this work cannot be done in isolation. We have to work together to solve this and meet the needs of people who are being trafficked or who have survived trafficking. We have to communicate with one another in different professional settings to better serve the community. We have to do this together.” — Ashley Bonham, LCHT Volunteer Hotline Advocate
“It can feel daunting and overwhelming to want to do something for the anti-trafficking movement but not know how to get involved,” says Ashley. “But it can be as simple as making a donation, researching what trafficking is, or having conversations within your community about it.” Every action matters and makes a difference! Donate today to make more widespread knowledge about human trafficking possible.
DONATE TO MAKE KNOWLEDGE POSSIBLE
A Future Without Human Trafficking Starts With You
Since 2005, LCHT has been a leader in the movement to end human trafficking in Colorado. Through a comprehensive response—supporting survivors through our 24/7 Hotline, training professionals to recognize the signs of exploitation, and researching the root causes of this issue—the end of human trafficking is possible. Please contribute to our Make it Possible campaign to give survivors a lifeline to help and drive change in 2025!