This March, as we celebrate Women’s History and Women’s Empowerment Month, we are proud to highlight one of our non-profit partners, RIA, Inc – ready•inspire•act. Through their one-to-one services, they are equipping women who have been exploited through the commercial sex trade with the tools to transform and build independent lives.
The Foundation spoke with RIA, Inc.’s Executive Director and Founder, Heather Wightman, to learn more about the incredible work RIA, Inc. is doing in MetroWest to empower women every day.
Who does RIA serve?
We serve adults, a majority who are women, that are in the process of healing from experiences in the aftermath of being bought and sold for the sexual gratification of another person.
What services does RIA offer?
The hierarchy of what we provide starts with peer mentorship, so working with someone who has past experience in the commercial sex trade and is on the other side of those experiences. Accompanying peer mentorship is clinical therapy. We also provide financial assistance, from basic needs to more substantial support like rental assistance for 6 to 24 months. Additionally, we help with the costs of recovery coach training, books for college, and other resources focused on healthy longevity.
Each year, we see about 100 adults and run three support groups, two are in person (one in downtown Framingham and one in downtown Worcester) and one is virtual. We also offer advocacy and case management, as people move from surviving to thriving.
How do adult survivors find you and find your organization?
We have an intake line (774-245-9153), so people can find us online when searching for services. But most people find us through other people. We also are listed on the Polaris Project’s National Human Trafficking Hotline, which connects people to services by state, including to ours in Massachusetts.
People may also find us through law enforcement, such as after a sting operation, or through hospitals, especially if someone arrives due to a suicide attempt, addiction, or other crises.
Part of your mission is encouraging participants to uncover their own power and inner strength. Can you speak more to the importance of that?
Our model is built on accompaniment, walking alongside adult survivors. When someone calls our intake line and shares that they’ve exchanged sex for something of value, we ask how we can help. If they express a desire to speak with someone who has been through similar experiences, they are paired with a peer mentor. This relationship is based on trust and evolves over time. Initially, interactions may be cautious, as the person navigates how much to share, but over time, it becomes a deep, supportive connection where they can begin to unpack, complex stories of survival.
Our peer mentors don’t overshare their own experiences but instead help people gradually reveal their own stories, peeling back layers at a comfortable pace. Through this process, participants start to realize that their experiences weren’t their fault, that they didn’t deserve what happened to them, whether due to familial history, substance use disorder or other circumstances beyond their control.
As trust grows, the peer mentor may suggest connecting with one of our clinicians. Each clinician brings their own style and approach but shares an understanding of what it means to exchange sex for something of value. This additional support helps individuals build coping strategies and continue the difficult process of untangling trauma that, for many, lasts a lifetime.
What is it like to watch that healing?
While at times it can also feel like a battle. Our team often pours so much into supporting people, offering encouragement, and believing in survivors’ potential. We’re like the cheering section saying ‘you can do this, you’ve got this we believe in you.’ This can lead to powerful transformations, like when someone gets their children back after losing them due to past struggles. We see this frequently, helping people realize they deserve to have their children in their lives again.
Why is it important for the people of MetroWest to invest in these types of services?
With our population, folks are living in plain sight. For myself and the RIA team, we believe and know that exploitation can happen to any of us. It’s a stacking up of circumstances and being at the wrong place at the wrong time, it could be as simple as that. We want to challenge our community to realize that this could be you or someone you love.
We are the only anti-human trafficking organization in the MetroWest area and one of only a few across the state. The way we serve adults is unique because we don’t operate as a shelter, and we offer one-to-one direct services that are customized to where someone is at in their life, which sets us apart from the other organizations.
We know that not everyone can do this work, but we believe everyone can lean in and take responsibility for making people’s lives better. And when, or if, it ever does happen to someone you know and love, it’s reassuring to know there’s a really good group of people ready to help.
To learn more or support RIA, Inc., visit https://readyinspireact.org/
