This week on Here’s What We Know, Gary sits down with Loreal and Natasha from Arukah Project—an organization dedicated to combating sex trafficking across California—to have a crucial conversation about the realities of this crisis. They uncover the hidden truths of sex trafficking, share real-life stories, and discuss how their organization is working to bring restoration and hope to survivors.
Loreal and Natasha break down common misconceptions, reveal how traffickers exploit vulnerabilities, and emphasize the importance of education and awareness. This episode will not only open your eyes but also inspire you to be part of the solution.
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In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The meaning of ‘Arukah’—a Hebrew word for restoration to wholeness—and its significance in shaping their mission
- The shocking reality of how sex trafficking occurs in plain sight.
- How traffickers manipulate personal and economic vulnerabilities to entrap victims
- The critical role of education in prevention and how communities can take action
- Specialized training programs that teach individuals how to identify trafficking signs both online and offline
- Why parental involvement is essential in protecting children and fostering safety conversations
Quotations:
“Arukah is a Hebrew word meaning restoring to wholeness in spirit, soul, and body. So what Arukah does is we serve survivors of sex trafficking.” ~ Loreal Weitzel
“We basically have a training for any type of organization, business or demographic out there because sexual trafficking does not discriminate.” ~ Natasha
“Due to sex is a taboo topic in general and people don’t want to talk about prostitution, escort. stripping in the club, pornography, the adult industry. People don’t want to talk about that because as a society, they are disregarded, right?” ~ Natasha
“Here’s all these different ways that people don’t recognize what sex trafficking can be and how it’s so close to home.” ~ Natasha
“Whatever that vulnerability is, that trafficker identifies that and then provides that vulnerability and then exploits that vulnerability. Once they’ve exploited that vulnerability, like, so you want to go back home and starve because now that that child has realized what they’re what they’ve gotten into and they don’t like it anymore. And now there’s no way out for them through their thought process. And now that trafficker is exploiting that.” ~ Natasha
“Trafficking is not just what I think the movies and the TV shows want to make it out to be, right? That does happen and I am not minimizing that, but we are talking about sex trafficking in our country and in our area in the state of California right now and specifically in this area that we’re discussing. And that’s what we’re seeing and we’re also seeing, unfortunately, this is not a political statement, but when the economy is doing well, you see fluctuations in any criminal activity, right?” ~ Natasha
“We don’t really use the word like prostitute or prostitution. It’s called survival sex work. And the reason is it doesn’t matter whether trafficked or not, you’re out there trying to survive, whether it’s feeding your addiction, whether it’s feeding your family, whether you’re being trafficked, it is survival sex work.” ~ Natasha
“We know with a healthy state of mind, we might make different choices.” ~ Natasha
“The fact that your children think they know everything is one of the most dangerous mindsets that they can have.” ~ Natasha
“Every single person has a vulnerability.” ~ Natasha
“I absolutely fell in love with psychology and the idea of being able to create a safe space for somebody to walk through and process something difficult or traumatic in their life and being that safe space for somebody. ~ Loreal Weitzel
“Our job as guardians, as parents is to empower our children to be able to empower themselves. To be able to protect themselves when they become adults. That is our job. ~ Natasha
Bio:
Loreal Weitzel graduated with a BA in Psychology from the University of Santa Cruz, is a Certified Human Trafficking Case Manager in California, and has an MA in Intercultural Studies with a focus on Children at Risk from Fuller Seminary. She founded Arukah Project in 2019 with a passion to restore the lives of sex trafficking survivors from all over California.
Natasha (last name withheld for privacy) is the Deputy Executive Director of the Arukah Project with over 20 years of experience in the field. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is deeply committed to making a difference.
Guest Contact Info:
Website: https://www.arukahproject.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arukah.project/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArukahProject