Paradise for Sale: The Secret Trade in San Diego
A Comprehensive Guide to Local Support Services
Out here in Sunny San Diego, where the sun shines bright 364 days a year, a shadow looms just beneath the surface.
Behind the beach towns and the glow of the lights in Downtown at night, there hides a secret trade. In parking lots you’ve walked through, you may have even traced the same steps. In schools your kids attend. In neighbourhoods with good zip codes and overly trim lawns. San Diego sells the dream, but for thousands, someone else is doing the selling. According to the FBI, our region ranks among the top 13 worst areas in the United States for human trafficking, with an estimated 3,000 to 8,000 victims trafficked annually. The underground economy of sex trafficking alone generates approximately $810 million per year in San Diego.
Human trafficking doesn’t happen somewhere else, it happens right here in our area. It can happen to you, and it can happen to your loved ones, it happens everywhere. It crosses every ethnic, social, economic, and geographic line in our country. The average age of recruitment has dropped to just 15 years old, with active trafficking reported in all 20 middle and high schools across San Diego County. This is our home and our responsibility.
You don’t have to be a social worker to make a difference. You can start right now. Share this resource, learn the warning signs, or support one of the organizations on this page. Awareness is the first act of resistance. If you or someone you know needs help, or if you suspect trafficking, resources are available 24/7. This guide provides comprehensive information about local organizations, hotlines, and support services dedicated to helping survivors and combating human trafficking in our community. Together, we can be the change that protects our children's innocence and safeguards freedom for all.
24/7 Emergency Hotlines
If you need immediate help or want to report suspected trafficking:
National Human Trafficking Hotline: Call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to 233733. Available 24/7 for victims, survivors, and to report suspected trafficking. Call specialists can connect you with law enforcement and local service providers.
Child Welfare Services & Child Abuse Hotline: Call 1-800-344-6000 or 858-560-2191. Available 24/7 for reporting suspected child trafficking or abuse.
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force Tip Line: Call 858-495-3611. Note: This is not a 24/7 emergency hotline but a tip line for reporting suspicious activity.
How Can I Help?
YOU can do something about this, starting now:
For students and young adults in San Diego: You are the demographic that can change this. Below are some opportunities to peruse and consider pursuing.
Intern with an anti-trafficking organization
The International Rescue Committee offers an Anti-Human Trafficking Casework Internship open to current college students, graduate students, and recent graduates. It is unpaid, but eligible for course credit. Interns conduct outreach, intake interviews, and community training on identifying victims. If you are an SDSU student, the Center for Human Rights offers Human Rights Internship Awards, which are funded stipends to help students afford unpaid internships at organizations working with human trafficking victims (and other social justice causes).
Volunteer your specific skills
GenerateHope has volunteer roles built for college students (marketing, social media, graphic design, event planning, awareness campaigns, etc.). If you are pre-licensed in mental health, they also place therapeutic support volunteers who lead groups or wellness practices with residents.
Take a training on your own campus
UC San Diego’s Eleanor Roosevelt College offers a Human Trafficking Awareness Workshop. This is an extremely direct way to get educated and bring that knowledge back to your dorm/apartment, greek life, or student org. San Diego Youth Services’ I CARE program also provides community training at SDSU and Cal State San Marcos.
Show up in practical ways
The SD Human Trafficking Advisory Council welcomes volunteers for hands-on tasks like moving furniture to and from safe houses, teaching a class to survivors, or giving rides to medical appointments. These are real, tangible needs that don’t require a degree, just a car, minor effort, and a few hours.
Support Project LIFE
Project LIFE, run through Lifeline Community Services, facilitates prevention workshops for at-risk youth and welcomes donations of “life experiences”, which are things like kayaking tours, salon gift certificates, gym memberships, and movie passes, that will go towards supporting survivors in their recovery. This is a great fit for people working in a trade in demand that don’t necessarily have too much time or availability to go somewhere else.
Advocate at the policy level
CSA San Diego explicitly welcomes college volunteers, calling it a “great resume-building experience”. You will also be fighting for human and civil rights, and they’re extremely flexible with scheduling! They work on both labour and sex trafficking at the policy and community level, a strong fit for pre-law or poli-sci, or just anyone hoping to intervene at a policy level here.
Support Services
GenerateHope
GenerateHope is a faith-based organization providing comprehensive, long-term housing and recovery programs exclusively for adult women (18+) who have survived sex trafficking. Founded in 2009 in San Diego, GenerateHope has served over 160 survivors through their innovative residential programs.
Services Provided:
Long-term safe housing (up to 2 years) in a family-style environment
Individual and group trauma-informed therapy with licensed psychotherapists
Educational support including GED prep, college support, and tutoring
Career preparation and vocational training
Medical, dental, and optometry services
Legal assistance and tattoo removal services
Guided independence transition program (Carole's Cottage in Coronado)
Aftercare & Alumni Support for program graduates
Website: generatehope.org
San Diego Youth Services - I CARE Program
The I CARE (Intervention, Community, Advocacy, Recovery, and Empowerment) program provides trauma-informed support services to youth up to age 21 who are at risk of or have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.
Services Provided:
Mental health clinic and drop-in center
Case management and support groups
Educational support and employment opportunities
Support for families of survivors
Community training for youth, parents, educators, and service providers
Contact: (619) 521-2250 ext. 3804 or (619) 993-8050
Website: sdyouthservices.org
Center for Community Solutions
A San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to ending relationship and sexual violence, with specialized services for trafficking survivors.
Services Provided:
24/7 confidential crisis hotline: 1-888-385-4657
Four domestic violence shelters
Counseling and therapy services
Legal services and advocacy
Safety planning
Prevention education
Alabaster Jar Project
Alabaster Jar Project is a faith-based, survivor-empowerment organization providing long-term housing and comprehensive support services for adult women survivors of trafficking and sexual exploitation. Over 50% of their staff are survivors themselves, creating a powerful peer-empowerment model. Since their founding, they have served over 400 survivors and provided long-term housing to 45 survivors.
Services Provided:
Grace House: Long-term residential program (up to 2 years) with four phases of healing and growth in North County San Diego
Resource Center in Escondido: Drop-in center providing clothing, toiletries, programming, and peer support groups
Individualized healing plans with trauma-informed care
Educational and employment support toward self-sufficiency
Survivor employment opportunities within the organization
Peer-led support groups for ongoing healing and recovery
Website: linktr.ee/alabasterjarproject
One Safe Place (North County Family Justice Center)
One Safe Place provides free support services under one roof to anyone who has experienced child abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking, domestic violence, elder abuse, hate crime, or any form of victimization.
Services Provided:
Comprehensive victim advocacy and support
Case management
Legal assistance and court accompaniment
Mental health counseling
Referrals to community resources
Center on Policy Initiatives/CSA San Diego County
Since 1994, CSA has been a leader in raising awareness to end the perpetration of human trafficking and labor exploitation in San Diego. They focus on both sex trafficking and labor trafficking victims.
Services Provided:
Comprehensive case management for labor and sex trafficking survivors
Assistance with compensation, immigration (T-Visa support), and social services eligibility
Community outreach and education for middle and high school students
Direct services through partnership with The Well Path
Website: c4sa.org/human-trafficking
Government Resources & Task Forces
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
A cooperative effort involving local, state, and federal law enforcement and prosecution agencies that utilize a victim-centered approach. The Task Force follows the "4 P's" model: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnerships.
Partner Agencies Include:
California Department of Justice
FBI and Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Sheriff's Department
San Diego District Attorney's Office
Multiple local police departments (National City, Chula Vista, Escondido, and others)
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California
Tip Line: 858-495-3611 (not a 24/7 emergency line)
San Diego Regional Human Trafficking & CSEC Advisory Council
A coalition of agencies working to coordinate services and support for trafficking survivors across San Diego County.
Website: htadvisorycouncil.org
Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP)
A state-funded program providing critical support, benefits, and services to victims of human trafficking who are not eligible for federally funded benefits due to immigration status or those awaiting federal certification. TCVAP assists victims while their T or U Visas are being processed.
Website: sandiegocounty.gov/hhsa/programs/ssp/TCVAP.html
Recognizing the Warning Signs
Human trafficking can be difficult to identify, but there are warning signs to watch for. These indicators are not conclusive on their own, but multiple red flags may suggest someone is being trafficked:
Physical Signs:
Bruises or other signs of physical abuse
Signs of malnutrition or poor hygiene
Lack of medical care
Behavioral Signs:
Fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or paranoid behavior
Unusually fearful or anxious after bringing up law enforcement
Not allowed or able to speak for themselves (third party insists on being present)
Claims of just visiting despite inability to clarify purpose or destination
Environmental Signs:
High security measures (opaque/boarded windows, bars, barbed wire, cameras)
Restricted or controlled communication and movement
Living and working in the same location
If you see any of these warning signs, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
Foundational Awareness
Combating human trafficking requires community awareness and action. Here's how you can make a difference:
Educate yourself and others: Learn the warning signs and share this information with your community, school, workplace, or faith community.
Report suspicious activity: If you suspect trafficking, call the National Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. You can remain anonymous.
Support local organizations: Consider volunteering or donating to organizations like GenerateHope, San Diego Youth Services, or other groups serving survivors.
Advocate for change: Support policies and legislation that protect victims and prosecute traffickers.
Be vigilant: Human trafficking happens everywhere in San Diego—from wealthy neighborhoods to working-class areas. Stay aware and speak up.
Conclusion
Human trafficking is a devastating crime that affects thousands of people right here in San Diego County. But there is hope. Our community has dedicated organizations, law enforcement task forces, and passionate advocates working tirelessly to support survivors and combat trafficking.
If you or someone you know is being trafficked, help is available 24/7. You are not alone, and there are people ready to support you on the path to freedom and healing.
Remember: In an emergency, always call 911. For trafficking-specific support, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
Quick Reference Guide
Written by: Thea Enache
Graphics by: Lillie Behnke
