Our Approach
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You can do anything in a dress
 
 

OUr MOVEMENT MAKES
AN IMPACT

 
 

Dressember equips the public to fight for the dignity of all people, leading to the protection and freedom of millions. Since 2013, over 280,000 people have raised $20MM USD toward this fight, impacting tens of thousands of victims, survivors, and at-risk communities.

 
 
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Our Approach

Dressember first began as a way for founder Blythe Hill to channel her passion for anti-trafficking work and love of fashion into an impactful awareness campaign. By combining a 31-day December style challenge with a cause people cared about, Blythe unearthed a global movement.

In the 11 years since Dressember first started, the campaign has generated roughly $20 million toward this fight and partnered with dozens of incredible organizations to directly impact the lives of thousands of victims and survivors.

From the beginning, the funds raised by Dressember advocates have gone towards supporting International Justice Mission’s mission to protect people in poverty from violence. We’re one team now, and as one of the largest and most influential anti-trafficking organizations in the world, IJM ensures that every dollar raised goes as far as possible to help protect people from trafficking and partner with survivors on their journey of healing and restoration.

 

 
 

Our Five Criteria

To ensure that your gift is making a long lasting difference, we vet our partners annually through the following criteria:

 
 
 

  • COLLABORATION

    Partners who understand the complexity of the issue and seek to empower others and work together toward an end to this injustice



  • CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

    Partners who seek to understand and work with locals who understand an area's nuances and culture on a deeper level


  • MEASUREABLE IMPACT

    Work that is proven to protect victims, increase convictions of perpetrators, and/or prevent the spread of human trafficking


  • INNOVATION

    Work that uses creativity to effectively dismantle a thriving criminal industry


  • SUSTAINABILITY

    Work that is structured to last, and has a long lasting impact

 
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Our Programming is Centered Around 4 Key Pillars

 
 

01: Relieve

The Dressember community funds urgent projects that help rescue child victims of violence from immediate danger, while providing support and exit pathways for trafficked adults. Through IJM, the Dressember campaign equips partner organizations that are locally recognized, respected and trusted, ensuring projects and initiatives are implemented in a culturally sensitive and regionally contextualized way.

02: Restore

The Dressember community helps restore survivors through IJM programs that equip local partners to provide what’s needed on the journey of healing. When survivors have access to high quality holistic aftercare services like basic needs support, therapy, legal assistance, education, employment pathways and more, they are less likely to experience repeated cases of violence.

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03: Prevent

The Dressember community helps address the root causes of violence that keep communities vulnerable. By funding programs through IJM that equip, strengthen and empower local authorities to enforce laws and hold perpetrators accountable, communities become less vulnerable, and more people are prevented from experiencing violence in the first place.

 

04: Amplify

The Dressember community centers the voices and experiences of trafficking survivors and empowers them to become leaders in their communities. By supporting survivor advocacy programs like the Global Survivor Network, we help amplify the expertise, experience and leadership of survivors who are passionate about the pursuit of justice and the future generations who will benefit from their strength.

 
 

A Trusted Organization Where Every Dollar has Impact

IJM IS A PLATINUM-LEVEL CANDID PARTICIPANT, DEMONSTRATING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY.

 
 
 
 
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Impact FAQ

 
 

+ HOW DOES DRESSEMBER ENSURE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP THE MOST RECEIVE OUR RESOURCES?

Our programs and partnerships are designed to serve people experiencing poverty and other vulnerabilities to human trafficking and violence. IJM and front-line partners work with local justice systems to build safe communities where all people are protected from violence and trafficking, and we measure the impact to verify that people are protected.

+ HOW ARE PROGRAMS SELECTED FOR FUNDING?

IJM works with local experts (survivor and community leaders, governments, NGOs, etc.) and utilizes learning from research to create a plan for how to achieve impact. The plan is updated routinely as we learn. All potential partnerships are evaluated using an objective selection criteria and are vetted through IJM's due diligence process and in alignment with IJM standards for implementing partnerships.

+ HOW DOES DRESSEMBER CENTER SURVIVORS IN YOUR WORK?

We learn first-hand what survivors need to continue their healing journey and their voices are a core consideration in the selection of the programs we invest in.

 
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