Dawn's Place 2025 Impact Report
- Dawn's Place
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
In 2025, our impact took shape in quiet, powerful ways. Healing from trauma rarely fits into charts or totals; it unfolds through hard days, hopeful moments, and steady, unseen steps forward. For us, every woman walking through our doors this past year was one more life touched by love, safety, and the possibility of ongoing healing. Most importantly, our work continued even after the program was officially paused for renovations following a small kitchen fire in the primary residence. Our staff participated in specialized trauma training, created resources to help place survivors in other programs, and conducted advocacy events and presentations in the community.
Recovering from complex trauma is different for each survivor. Our licensed therapist compassionately evaluates each woman in several key areas, monitoring both setbacks and growth. Looking back over the past year, we found that survivors reported:
• Reduced Levels of Depression & Anxiety: 80% reported reduced levels of depression and anxiety.*
• Increased Self-compassion: 100% experienced progress in their ability to feel self-compassion.*
• Using Coping Skills: 100% used coping skills like using weighted blankets and participating in somatic movement therapy to manage depression and anxiety symptoms successfully.
All 9 women served in our program in 2025 continued their recovery this year through our program or another program that addressed their specific needs.
Additionally, with support from program staff in one-on-one meetings and group sessions, residents developed foundational skills to help them manage living independently. That included:
• Building & Strengthening Social Connections: 56% established positive social connections through AA/NA meetings, school, and/or improved family relationships.
• Setting Personal Goals: Residents met 80% or more of their personal goals, like obtaining important documents, setting and attending healthcare appointments, maintaining relationships, and reuniting with family.
• Education & Career: Four clients reached the program milestone which includes education and career training. Of those four, two women began college classes and one secured part-time employment. Two women decided they were not yet ready to begin education or job training, eventually choosing to move to different programs.
Our impact also extended beyond our walls. Through 8 presentations at universities and organizations, as well as participation in 10 local events (like the Art in the Park festival in Abescon, NJ, shown above), we invited the wider community to understand the root causes of trafficking and exploitation and why specialized, long-term therapy in a safe environment is so essential to recovery. Each conversation, classroom visit, and community gathering helped deepen awareness of trafficking and exploitation while building a more informed network of support for survivors.
In 2025, Dawn’s Place launched a trusted partnership with the Joseph J. Peters Institute (JJPI), a nationally recognized leader in trauma-informed care and sexual trauma recovery, to provide the specialized therapeutic services that are a hallmark of our program, addressing the complex impacts of sexual trauma. This partnership strengthened access to regular, reliable care for survivors, ensuring they receive compassionate, evidence-based treatment and support throughout their healing process.
What does the healing journey look like for someone who has experienced sex trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation? What areas of growth are often part of that process for survivors? What types of therapy do you offer to survivors?
"The healing journey looks different for every survivor because each person’s experiences are unique. Many survivors had their agency and consent taken from them, so a central focus of therapy is creating a safe, consensual space. All therapy at Dawn's Place is person-centered, with collaborative treatment plans that are guided by each survivor’s individual goals. Common goals identified by survivors include strengthening a positive sense of self, reducing PTSD symptoms, and increasing their capacity to cope with emotion dysregulation and trauma reminders. To best support each survivor, she and I can use a variety of therapeutic approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapies like Prolonged Exposure, strengths-based and empowerment models, somatic approaches, and others. Therapy is provided through a trauma-informed lens at all times."
How is specialized sexual trauma recovery different from treatment for addiction or inpatient mental health programs? Why is this specialized therapy so important at Dawn's Place?
"Specialized sexual trauma recovery centers on the survivor’s unique trauma reminders and supports them in safely processing those experiences to promote healing. Many general mental health programs address broad mental health concerns, like anxiety or depression, without integrating trauma-specific treatment. Dawn's Place specialized program, allows survivors to heal from sexual violence by processing their unique trauma, rebuilding self-worth, and restoring a sense of agency and control in their lives."
At Dawn's Place, how does group therapy and living in a shared home help survivors learn/relearn how to connect with others in healthy ways? On the other hand, why is having a quiet space (like a private bedroom) important?
Peer support is an essential component of trauma recovery because when survivors connect with others from similar situations, they can find trust, safety, and the shared strength needed to heal in a way that can be deeply meaningful. At Dawn's Place, we see this in action during group therapy as well as in shared living spaces like the dining room or living room. Additionally, group therapy aims to strengthen connections by reducing isolation, providing opportunities to process trauma in a community, and building coping and life skills. One focus of group therapy is developing interpersonal skills, which supports survivors in communicating and connecting with others in safe, respectful ways. Residents can then practice and reinforce these skills in their shared living environment. At the same time, spaces where residents can feel safe, like their private room, are essential. Many survivors had their agency and consent violated by others, forcing them to share spaces without privacy or choice. As a result, shared spaces can sometimes feel unsafe or triggering. Providing survivors with their own quiet, private space promotes a sense of safety and is critical to supporting their healing goals."
What role does addiction play in healing for survivors? Is that recovery process separate or intertwined?
"Many survivors of sex trafficking or exploitation may also experience substance use disorders, making recovery from addiction and healing from trauma deeply interconnected. Substance use is a common coping strategy among trauma survivors, and some survivors may have experienced others forcing or coercing them to use substances, which in turn contributes to addiction. For survivors who experience this added challenge, addiction recovery must be integrated into the overall healing process. This includes supporting survivors in identifying coping strategies that feel supportive and sustainable for them, so they can recognize and move away from coping behaviors that no longer serve their well-being. Both addiction recovery and trauma healing are approached with compassion, choice, and survivor-centered care."
* Data provided includes the time period January through August 2025, prior to the program pause after the kitchen fire. Of the nine women in residence during that time, five clients provided enough feedback for evaluation of these data points.
