Signs of HOPE announces key 2024 Statistics and Year-Over-Year Comparisons

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 29, 2025) – Signs of HOPE (Healing, Options, Prevention and Education), a 51-year Southern Nevada nonprofit dedicated to offering hope, help and healing to those affected by sexual violence and exploitation, announces key 2024 data. In year-over-year comparisons, increases occurred in the number of human trafficking victims encountered in the field, the number of human trafficking survivors served by the organization, including juvenile survivors, and the number of sexual assault victims served at UMC. Additionally, due to drastic federal funding cuts, the number of counseling sessions provided by the organization dropped significantly in 2024 compared to 2023.

In 2024, the organization’s RISE (Resources and Integration for Survivor Empowerment) program team members who provide crisis response and long-term case management services to victims of all forms of human trafficking, encountered 1,444 human trafficking victims in the field, representing a 20% increase over 1,200 victims in 2023.

In addition, there was a 7.5% overall increase from 580 to 624 in the number of survivors who received RISE program services, and within that overall number, there was a 19.6% jump in the number of juvenile survivors who received services, from 107 in 2023 to 128 in 2024.

According to Kim Small, CEO of Signs of HOPE, each human trafficking situation is unique to the person experiencing it, often requiring multiple interactions with advocates and specialized planning before services are accepted.

The organization also realized a 24% increase in the number of sexual assault victims assisted at the hospital. These are victims who elect to go to UMC for a forensic sexual assault exam and are accompanied by a Signs of HOPE trained advocate. In 2024, Signs of HOPE met 473 victims at the hospital as compared to 380 in 2023.

“While Signs of HOPE is challenged, especially in our counseling center, by massive cuts in federal funding that affects ours and many other sexual violence organizations across the country, we are at the same time experiencing increasing demand for both human trafficking and sexual assault survivor services,” said Small. “We are a relatively small nonprofit, so any cut in available grant funding has an amplified impact on our ability to effectively and efficiently serve our clients. We are so thankful to our staff, volunteers and community partners who have all stepped up to help, but we are still struggling to fill those funding gaps so we may continue to meet demand for services.”

According to Small, starting with the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Signs of HOPE, as part of a nationwide cut, experienced a 30% reduction in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant funds, representing hundreds of thousands of dollars that had previously been used to support staff therapists and triggering a significant budget shortfall.

With the loss of funding, Signs of HOPE was forced to reduce the number of therapists, resulting in a significant, 65% year-over-year drop in the number of counseling sessions provided for sexual violence and human trafficking survivors and their families – from 3,600 in 2023 to 1,250 in 2024.

“It’s heartbreaking to see our counseling waitlist grow when we know how much trauma-informed therapy can help survivors on their healing journey,” added Small. “We are working tirelessly to raise funds through other grant opportunities, corporate partners and private donors to fully restore staff in our counseling center. In the meantime, we are encouraging clients on the waitlist to participate in other kinds of supportive services we offer, including our support groups, until they are able to be seen by a therapist.”

According to Small, when faced with the budget gap, Signs of HOPE prioritized therapists trained in trauma-informed care of children and trauma-informed care of teenage human trafficking survivors, keeping those clinicians on staff so that therapy for their youngest and most vulnerable clients continued uninterrupted.

For those who would like to volunteer with or donate to Signs of HOPE, information may be found on the organization’s website, sohlv.org.

YEAR-OVER-YEAR DATA:

About Signs of HOPE

Signs of HOPE – Healing, Options, Prevention and Education – is a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering hope, help and healing to those affected by sexual violence and exploitation. The organization was founded in 1974 by Florence McClure and Sandra Petta as the Community Action Against Rape (CAAR) and operated as The Rape Crisis Center from 2004-2021. Today, Signs of HOPE operates two 24/7 crisis hotlines and provides hospital response for sexual assault victims. In addition, the organization provides counseling, advocacy and support to help victims throughout the healing process, for as long as it takes. Through its Resources and Integration for Survivor Empowerment or RISE program, the organization provides crisis response and long-term case management services to victims of all forms of human trafficking. Signs of HOPE is committed to raising awareness of sexual assault and exploitation by engaging in prevention efforts, educational programs and community outreach, particularly to youth. The Signs of HOPE 24/7 sexual assault hotline number is 702-366-1640. The RISE human trafficking 24/7 hotline is 702-936-4004. For more information, visit sohlv.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Lisa Robinson, The Warren Group, [email protected], 702-326-0334