Jay Benke was the featured speaker at the SIG 4th Thursday Lunch and Learn meeting on February 22, 2024. Jay spoke about her advocacy efforts for World Without Exploitation (WorldWE). This organization leads the national fight for the Equality Model, a legal approach that repeals laws that criminalize people who are exploited in the sex trade, and instead offers them the comprehensive, trauma-informed social services they need to exit the sex trade and rebuild their lives. You can read more about WorldWE at https://www.worldwithoutexploitation.org/policy.
Jay is an abduction and child sex trafficking survivor located in Oregon. As a person whose disabilities and LGBTQ2IA+ identity intersect with her survivorship, she brings a unique perspective as she serves the community. She specializes in anti-trafficking advocacy for the disabled, trafficked children and youth, victims of intimate partner violence, people experiencing houselessness, and victims who have been incarcerated. The focus of her work ranges from criminal justice reform to demand reduction to survivor equity and inclusion to harm reduction and trauma-informed care.
Jay Benke is also a recipient of a Soroptimist International of Gresham’s Live Your Dream award. Jay is using this award to pursue a degree in cybersecurity to bring her tech skills into the fight against human trafficking. SIG is so proud to be a small part of Jay’s personal and educational journey