About C.A.S.T.
Citizens Against Sex Trafficking
Citizens Against Sex Trafficking (C.A.S.T.) is a 501(c)(3) founded in June 2017 by a group of concerned citizens in Washington County, MN who learned that human trafficking and sexual exploitation are not issues that “just takes place over there” (Minneapolis, big US cities, abroad, etc.), but are realities that take place every day in our own backyard. We are dedicated to uniting together as a community to put an end to sexual exploitation.
PREVENTION WORK:
The anti-trafficking movement in the United States often revolves around victim services. While victim services are absolutely essential, there are few programs in the country that focus on prevention and community empowerment, even fewer in Minnesota.
▶︎ We want to create a world with fewer victims by giving individuals the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves.
HELPING ORGANIZATIONS “THRIVE IN THEIR LANE”
▶︎ We have spoken with victim and survivor service providers throughout the state, and many have said that their job descriptions include engaging and informing the community about the realities of human trafficking. However, when they are spending 60+ hours a week working directly with survivors – it can be incredibly difficult to create informative events for the community. That is where C.A.S.T. steps in.
▶︎ We focus on informing, engaging, and empowering the community. We create events and opportunities for service providers to come and share their experience in a way that allows them to concentrate on working with victims and survivors.
What Makes C.A.S.T. Unique
MISSION STATEMENT:
Empowering Our Community to End Sexual Exploitation
VISION STATEMENT:
Citizens Against Sex Trafficking (C.A.S.T.) is dedicated to ending sexual exploitation and creating a culture that supports healthy choices and freedom from sexual violence and abuse. C.A.S.T. issues a call to action, resulting in partnerships, policies, and practices that prevent sexual exploitation and empowers victims and communities.
What we believe.
BEHIND THE MEANING
Our Logo
We at C.A.S.T. want to be a beacon of information – spreading the truth about the exploitation and trafficking taking place in our own backyard, especially in this technological age, as well as the ways YOU can help put an end to it.
Within the anti-trafficking movement, C.A.S.T. focuses on grassroots prevention. This means we work from ground up, serving local community and expanding outward. We do not provide direct services to sex trafficking victims, but rather work to prevent someone from becoming a victim in the first place.
Our long-term goal is to have programs that span the entire spectrum of prevention. Currently, our programs focus primarily on the blue sections: Strengthening Individual Knowledge & Skills, Promoting Community Education, and Educating Providers. As we build our capacity through staff and funds, we will expand our programs upward.