PEHT was envisioned by a passionate group of modern-day abolitionists in New York and Connecticut who became aware of the atrocities of forced labor and sex trafficking, both abroad and in their own backyard. They sought a way to offer recovery, stability and economic freedom to those seeking a way out of a life of bondage through a long term residential recovery program and dynamic social enterprise.
To empower survivors with a path toward healing and independence through a long term residential recovery program and employment in our pet social enterprise.
Our pet retail initiative is founded upon the idea that LOVE is the most powerful agent for change in the world. 100% of net profits from the sale of our handcrafted products support the ongoing work of PEHT ’s charitable activities with human trafficking survivors.
“I believe the greatest force for change in a dark world is love. It is our hope that when customers purchase our products, they will sense that a little more love has penetrated the darkness. LOVE YOUR PET. CHANGE THE WORLD.” - Elizabeth Koldyke Boolbol, Founder PEHT
VICTIMS OF
HUMAN
TRAFFICKING
GLOBALLY
OF THOSE
TRAFFICKED
VICTIMS ARE
WOMEN
TRAPPED
IN THE
SEX TRADE
GLOBALLY
AVERAGE AGE
A TEEN
ENTERS THE
SEX TRADE
It is estimated that the business of Human Trafficking exceeds $150 billion annually, $99 billion coming from the sex trafficking industry alone. It is second largest and fastest growing illegal business in the world.
In 2018 the Connecticut DCF HART teams received 210 referrals for at-risk or confirmed cases of youth trafficking.
In 2018 the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline reported 141 victims of trafficking were identified in CT alone and this is just the number reported through the Hotline, many more have gone unidentified. The majority of reports were centered along major highways including the I-95 corridor and in the Southwestern region of the State.
The National Human Trafficking Resource Center estimates 70 percent of human trafficking incidents occur at truck stops where predatory pimps make contact with desperate girls running from intolerable home lives, thus beginning the journey into human sex bondage.
Interstate 95 is the key piece of geography for initial contact, connecting such major cities as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and points south. Along I95 are the rest stops, truck stops, and bus stations that are prime locations for exploitation.
