Our Story:
We are a survivor-led organization working to end prostitution and empower individuals to exit and recover from the impacts of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). We raise community awareness through our advocacy work, and provide direct services, support, and resources to individuals through community outreach services.
Find Out MoreOur Work:
We work to end prostitution by shrinking the harmful sex trade. The best way to do this is by addressing and closing entry ramps into the life – such as poverty, child abuse, and the broken foster care system, while improving and increasing exit ramps like crisis centers, clearing prostitution charges from records, education and job opportunities, and improved welfare systems.
Our Vision:
We envision a society where survivors are no longer shunned, but valued as equal members of the community. Where they are partners in their recovery and their choices are honored. We envision a community educated on the realities of the sex trade, where organizations and community members work together to end prostitution. LIFT is dedicated to fulfilling this vision through our programs, partnerships, and advocacy.
Equality model:
We work to end systems of prostitution through the implementation of the Equality Model
The key components of the Equality Model include:
1) full decriminalization of those who are prostituted;
2) high-quality services for those in prostitution;
3) the act of buying sex is criminalized;
4) anti-sex-trafficking legislation be strengthened;
5) addressing/decreasing on-ramps to prostitution and strengthening/increasing exit ramps;
6) coordination of a holistic approach incorporating public information campaigns, education and training, and coordination of laws, legislation, and services.
This approach has now been adopted in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Canada, France, Ireland and most recently, Israel.
Our Programs:
Jana's Place:
Jana’s Place is a first-of-its-kind recovery home for women exiting prostitution and recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) with co-occurring mental health disorders. Our recovery model will focus on holistic, sustainable recovery emphasizing self-care, life skills development, and job training opportunities.
Education & Outreach:
LIFT provides survivor-developed and delivered training programs to law enforcement agencies, medical providers, educational institutions, and hotels. Our trainings help our community better understand the violent realities of the sex trade, the critical need for creating exit ramps out of prostitution, and the importance of targeting the demand for commercial sex.
Policy Initiatives:
We work to end systems of prostitution through the implementation of the Equality Model. This model decriminalizes all those who are prostituted, provides support services to help them exit, and makes buying people for sex a criminal offense in order to reduce the demand that drives sex trafficking. Our policy initiatives focus on reducing stigma, promoting the Equality Model, and campaigns to end demand for commercial sex.
Drop-In Center:
The LIFT Drop-In Center provides individuals with access to medical and mental health services, including onsite care options and treatment referrals. Additional supplies like clothing, personal care items, condoms, Narcan, and clean kits are available.
