Central Virginia Justice Initiative End Operations
After 12 Years of service
Central Virginia Justice Initiative is ending its operations effective immediately.
“I am grateful and thankful for all the CVJI officers and volunteers for their tirelessly work and dedication,” said Michele Trampe, founder and executive director, who recently announced her retirement.
From December 2013, the all-volunteer Fredericksburg area non-profit organization (CVJI) assisted close to 50 victims of human trafficking and exploitation through its Crisis Support Initiative added in 2018.
Services included transportation, referrals to shelters, residential care facilities, healthcare centers, counseling services and housing arrangements. Thousands of school-age children in Spotsylvania County received prevention education. CVJI also provided vocational education to professionals. These included healthcare and hotel/motel professionals, educators, EMS Fire and Rescue, law enforcement, tattoo artists, churches, social services and community non-profits.
Shortly after its inception, CVJI joined the Kids are Not For Sale in Virginia Coalition that helped educate legislators about human trafficking and resulted in the first standalone human trafficking law in Virginia. It went into effect on July 1, 2015. CVJI also served as an advisor to the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking; and co-led the Planning District 16 Human Trafficking Task Force which was formed in 2019.
CVJI has led and participated in many human trafficking awareness events throughout the region.
Awareness and other events
These include hosting movie nights; “Between the Cracks” a play about human trafficking; a Fair-Trade Fashion Show, and an art show. Repeat events included Evenings of Awareness and Evenings of Prayer held at local churches. Community events and fairs included The Red Sand Project; Spotsylvania County Schools Awareness and Resources Fair, the first held in 2019; LaRumba, a Latina Health Fair; and National Night Out.
Among the many partnerships and collaborations were Rappahannock Counsel Against Sexual Assault (RCASA); the University of Mary Washington; the Stafford and Spotsylvania sheriff’s offices; and Fredericksburg Christian Health Center.
Under the leadership of Michele Trampe, CVJI maintained its commitment to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ and His grace especially to survivors of human trafficking.
In addition, Michele kept CVJI focused on building up and linking community resources to better meet the needs of survivors. This was the foundation for CVJI and RCASA forming the Planning District 16 Task Force in 2021.
Human Trafficking awareness has grown since CVJI’s first public meeting attended by a handful of eager volunteers. Spotsylvania County Schools has incorporated a prevention education curriculum, something it didn’t have 12 years ago.
Also, the Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has an active Human Trafficking Taskforce made up of members from various agencies who were also members in the Planning District 16 Taskforce.
Resources
National Human Trafficking Hotline:
1-888-373-7888 or Text: 233733
Safe
Safe House Project:
507-769-0819 for safe shelter
Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault: 540-371-6771 for counseling and other services.
Zoe Freedom Center:
540-388-2748 for substance-related counseling, other programs, and women’s long term restorative care and housing.