The Official And Now Love Podcast: www.andnowlove.com Saving Innocence: www.savinginnocence.org Human trafficking is often described as the exploitation of unmet needs — the universal human longings for love, belonging, safety, and to be truly seen. In this powerful episode, Cynthia Marks sits down with Jasmine McDonald, Clinical Director, and Sara Elander, Director of Programs and Coordinator of Victim Services for the LA Regional Human Trafficking Task Force — both leading forces at Saving Innocence, a Los Angeles organization that has been restoring lives since 2010. Together they shed light on a difficult reality with remarkable warmth, and on the trauma-informed, survivor-centered work being done every day to bring hope and healing. Sara and Jasmine explain what trafficking actually looks like, why survivors are far more like the rest of us than we assume, and how "voice and choice" guides everything they do — from their 24-hour crisis response to their survivor-led leadership programs. They also offer a candid, important warning for parents about how children are targeted online, and share simple, practical ways every one of us can help. Woven throughout is a theme close to this show's heart: that healing begins when we separate who a person truly is from what was done to them, and meet one another with compassion instead of judgment. This is And Now Love. Listen to your dreams and live from your heart. Please follow, rate, and share the podcast, and pass this episode along to someone who might need it. To learn more, get involved, or support their work, visit savinginnocence.org. If you see something that doesn't feel right, the National Human Trafficking Hotline is available by phone at 1-888-373-7888 or by texting 233733. Follow our socials: Instagram / / andnowlove.podcast Facebook / / And Now Love Podcast Youtube / / @AndNowLovePodcast TikTok / / and.now.love.podc 0:00 — Welcome, Sara Elander & Jasmine McDonald 2:25 — What Saving Innocence Does 5:29 — The Exploitation of Unmet Needs 11:13 — Survivor Leadership and the SLAY Program 20:21 — Who Is Most Vulnerable 24:44 — Inside the 24-Hour Crisis Response 29:21 — The Task Force and Its Partners 35:53 — Keeping Children Safe Online 1:06:07 — How You Can Help