Charlotte
2012 Director’s Community Leadership Awards
| Charlotte | Emily Fitchpatrick |
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The Charlotte Division is pleased to honor Emily Fitchpatrick, founder and executive director of the Hope House, as a recipient of the 2012 Director’s Community Leadership Award. Founded in 2008, the Hope House is a national initiative dedicated to helping the child victims of domestic human trafficking. This faith-based program assists law enforcement and works nationwide to meet the needs of sexually exploited minors. The Hope House provides shelter and victim support services for children who are rescued and facilitates education and leadership training to help them move beyond their current situation. A second Hope House, designed for women ages 18-25, is in development. In addition to the direct services Ms. Fitchpatrick offers for minor victims, she also established the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Working Group of North Carolina. Each month, Ms. Fitchpatrick hosts a conference call for law enforcement and others to learn about various aspects of child sex trafficking. Ms. Fitchpatrick is at the forefront of the effort to raise awareness of sex trafficking and speaks at approximately 200 events each year, which have included appearances before the U.S. Congress and North Carolina human trafficking coalitions. |