The Dressember Values & Promises
At Dressember, our mission is to equip a community to advocate for the dignity of all people. We work to disrupt a growing criminal industry by raising awareness, creating public pressure for change, and providing reliable resources. Our organization values dignity, creativity, generosity, collaboration, and advocacy, and they are our guiding lights as we seek to develop a world where all people are free to live vibrant, autonomous lives. Everything we do revolves around these five values and our hope is that our community experiences the same when they choose to engage with us in the fight against human trafficking.
DIGNITY
We believe every human being is born with inherent dignity and worthy of respect and autonomy regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Everyone is welcome in this movement and our advocacy stretches to all marginalized populations.
We promise to look at who is most impacted by trafficking and why (oftentimes with compounding vulnerabilities) and not treat them as “damaged” or “broken,” as we are not here to “fix,” but to help facilitate growth and long-term empowerment. Research consistently shows us that trafficking affects marginalized populations most often and we are unapologetically (albiet imperfectly at times) working toward becoming more anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-abelist, and inclusive of all.
Perhaps most importantly, we commit to centering survivors as much as possible and avoiding painting ourselves as heroes of the story. We are honored to play a part in this fight and recognize those who effectively lead change are often those most impacted by the issue itself. To do this, we prioritize programs led by or in collaboration with survivors and listen to our Grant Advisory Committee, which is comprised of several survivors of human trafficking.
CREATIVITY
Complex problems require innovative solutions. We welcome out-of-the-box thinking as we seek to disrupt the human trafficking industry. Multiple perspectives, approaches, skills, and resources are needed in this fight, so we consistently evaluate our potential and existing partnerships that are combating trafficking from every angle.
We promise to provide fun, engaging ways to make anti-trafficking work sustainable. Advocacy can be hard, messy, tiring, and heavy. Our approach is to equip people with both reliable data and a fun, tangible way to engage. By hosting a 31 day style challenge, we hope to spark conversation in a light-hearted way without drowning in the difficult reality of the issue. It also serves as a disarming entry point for anyone who might be tempted to turn a blind eye.
GENEROSITY
There is an abundance of resources and people looking to make an impact for good—afterall, the act of giving is often a gift to the giver. To be of service, in any capacity, is a privilege and responsibility that we take seriously.
At Dressember we utilize an 80/20 model when it comes to funding. This means roughly 80% of what is raised goes directly toward anti-trafficking programs. Since our beginning, our program spend has ranged from 78 - 88%. To learn more about the breakdown of our financials, view our recent annual report.
We promise to continue to develop education and resources for the public about human trafficking as an intersectional issue. Our hope is to provide accessible information for everyone—from everyday advocates to survivors to those at risk of trafficking.
COLLABORATION
No single person, organization, or entity has the ability to end human trafficking alone; we must work together to dismantle trafficking from every angle. That’s why we work with a network of partners and supporters to play our part in the grand scheme of ending human trafficking for good.
We promise to assume a position of active listening and learning, particularly from diverse voices, and consistently take account of our biases and privileges to make our community a safe, inclusive space for BIPOC.
We promise to work with indigenous and local leadership whenever possible and follow their guidance in creating culturally appropriate pathways to freedom. At this point, 100% of the Dressember Network organizations working internationally employ local leaders.
ADVOCACY
We believe the public has a significant role to play in creating a more just world, so we create tools, language, and action steps for a passionate public to take action. In the end, everything we do as an organization should provide a pathway for anyone to engage in the fight to end human trafficking.
At Dressember, we promise to address human trafficking as a human rights issue, acknowledging the systemic factors that contribute to the root causes of trafficking. This means our work extends beyond intervention to prevention and advocacy efforts aimed at protecting the rights of those at-risk.
We promise to use trauma-informed and survivor recommended language in our communication, and commit to using ethical storytelling practices to honor and support survivors of human trafficking and the communities they represent.
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Everyone has a part to play in practicing these values and we are honored you have chosen to participate with us. We are committed to the fight against human trafficking and the support of marginalized at-risk populations for the long haul. And we promise to continue to be as transparent as possible and lead with mutual respect.
If you’re ready to take action, register for the 2021 campaign. Commit to advocacy today and make a difference in the lives of survivors tomorrow.