Survivor-Advocate Theresa Flores Hired as AEHT Program Director

April 12, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jennifer Reyes Lay (Executive Director)

Alliance to End Human Trafficking

Jennifer@SistersAgainstTrafficking.org  |  267-332-7768

 

Survivor-Advocate Theresa Flores Hired as AEHT Program Director

ST. LOUIS: Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT) is proud to announce that Theresa Flores will be joining their staff as the new Program Director for the organization, starting April 12, 2021. AEHT is a collaborative, faith-based national network that offers education, supports access to survivor services, and engages in advocacy to eradicate human trafficking. Theresa Flores, the new AEHT Program Director, is a human trafficking survivor, best selling author, victim’s advocate, and founder and director of the S.O.A.P. (Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution) Project. AEHT is honored to work together with Theresa to realize their joint vision of a world without slavery and create a network of services and resources to inform the public, prevent the crime of human trafficking, and assist survivors to achieve a fulfilling life.

Theresa Flores comes to AEHT with a wealth of experience in the anti-trafficking field and a deep passion for ending human trafficking and supporting survivors. Ms. Flores has been a licensed Social Worker for over thirty years. She received a Master’s in Counseling Education from University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Social Work from Ball State University. She was appointed to the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission in 2009 and has testified before the Ohio House and Senate in supports of Human Trafficking Legislation. Her efforts were a major part of the success of these bills being passed into laws. The “Theresa Flores Law” was passed in Michigan that eliminates the statute of limitation for children who have been trafficked. Additionally, Ms. Flores was in the Oval Office to witness the signing of the SESTA/FOSTA bill into law along with other survivors.

Theresa Flores founded The S.O.A.P. Project in 2010. Since then, they have given away over a million bars of soap labeled with the National Human Trafficking Hotline number across the states and assisted in rescuing many victims. The S.O.A.P. Project has also been featured on Dateline, Nightline and America’s Most Wanted. She also is passionate about helping to restore survivors and provides them with a free weekend retreat each year as well as a monthly support group.

Ms. Flores has received many awards including the University of Dayton’s Alumni Association 2013 Christian Service Award for her work with S.O.A.P. and in January 2012 at the State of the State Address, she received The Courage Award from Ohio Governor Kasich for her work in human trafficking. Ms. Flores was featured by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum in a traveling exhibit entitled, Invisible Slavery and has published four books, “The Sacred Bath” and “The Slave Across the Street” (in the UK and US) and “Slavery in the Land of the Free- a Student’s Guide to Modern Day Slavery”. The audio version of her memoir was nominated for the 2011 Audie Award, being in the top 5 of all memoirs and biographies, and has been on the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Seller list for e-books several times. Ms. Flores was also featured in a short documentary, “The Girl Next Door”, which won many awards at film festivals across the U.S.

Ms. Flores will be stepping down from her role as Director of the S.O.A.P. Project after more than 10 years and is excited about this new opportunity to share her wisdom, talents, and experience as Program Director for AEHT.

“I am honored and blessed to join The Alliance as the new Program Director. As a social worker and expert, I am excited to add my knowledge to grow the work of the organization, and as a survivor, I am humbled to give my voice to what needs to be done to help those caught in this evil issue.  The SOAP Project will continue to mobilize communities and serve survivors with a new director as I begin this new, exciting journey.” – Theresa Flores, LSW, MA

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