Migrant sex trafficking survivor speaks out: 'I saw good people die'

Heartbreaking images of minors at the southern border—alone and clutching nothing but a piece of paper—have become tragically familiar. According to border patrol data, since President Biden took office in 2021, nearly 540,000 unaccompanied children have been apprehended at the southern border. Many of these children fall prey to sex traffickers, facing unimaginable conditions and exploitation.

Fox News recently spoke with a 20-year-old sex trafficking survivor, whose identity we agreed to conceal for his safety. He still lives in fear that his captors will find him. Trafficked from South America to Mexico and then across the border, he was finally rescued at the age of 18 and brought to Bob's House of Hope.

Bob’s House of Hope is the first safe house in the country dedicated specifically to male sex trafficking survivors. The victim shared harrowing details of his experience: trafficked six to eight times a day, beaten, and threatened with death if he dared to speak out. 

"I saw good people die," he said.

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Bob Williams, the founder of the safe house, was inspired to create this refuge after his own experiences. 

"They just feel that it just happens to girls and women," Williams said. "And that's the problem. That's the stigma that we have to change. The fact is that we believe up to 50% of human trafficking victims are boys and men."

Bob’s House of Hope welcomes both U.S. citizens and migrants. He works with law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and FBI.

"As a survivor, I said we are going to take anybody because these kids that are migrants are protected under the Federal Sex Trafficking Act," Williams explained.

Shockingly, many victims at Bob’s House of Hope have been trafficked by their own families, viewed as nothing more than dollar signs.

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"Most of these kids are trafficked by somebody they know, whether it's an uncle, a neighbor, or someone else," Williams noted.

Williams describes a disturbing cycle: many migrants are labor trafficked during the day and then forced into sex trafficking at night.

A common question he says he hears is, "Why can’t the boys escape?" He explains that not only are they threatened with violence, but they are also controlled through addiction, specifically fentanyl.

"This fentanyl problem is so serious that they hook these young people on drugs," he said. "That, combined with the fear of threats against their families, is controlling."

A recent Office of Inspector General report revealed that ICE lost track of tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors in just the past few years. Williams expresses little doubt that many of these children have been trafficked.

"We know that a lot of these children were sold to gangs or trafficking groups by their families," he stated. "Predators prey on vulnerable kids. We had a case where a young man was trying to reunite with his family in Florida and was picked up by a gang under the guise of providing a ride to Miami. But that ride never materialized."

The mission of Bob’s House of Hope is to help heal the trauma these young men have experienced. The program lasts four years, offering housing, a safe space with therapy, animals, and education. 

After completion, the goal is for them to transition to independent living, equipped with a car, a job, and the opportunity to pursue college.

Landon Dickeson, the chief operating officer of Bob's House of Hope and a therapist, sheds light on the challenges these young migrants face. 

"From birth, they were often rejected by their parents and grandparents, frequently sold for money to be brought to the United States for further abuse," Dickeson explained. "They arrive here confused, don’t speak the language, and struggle to navigate our systems, making them incredibly vulnerable."

The survivor we spoke to expressed gratitude for the sense of family and comfort he has found at the safe house, and hope for a better life. 

"All I can say is don’t lose hope, don’t give up. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

Williams believes that alongside tightening border security, there must be harsher penalties for traffickers and complicit family members, as well as increased funding for programs like his that support victims.