Terebinth Refuge serves adult women age 18+ who have been harmed by sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. We accept referrals from throughout Minnesota and beyond.
Terebinth Refuge does not discriminate against anyone based on age, race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity/nationality, or religion, or social status. The scope of our Housing Program and Supportive Services is specific to women age 18+, and while we will not be able to provide certain services for men or youth, we will endeavor to make appropriate referrals to comparable services for those who reach out to us. For youth victims, we would refer to the Safe Harbor regional navigator. If we are not the best fit or are unable to meet someone’s needs, we access our community network and make referrals.
It can happen on the street, in vehicles, in hotels, abandoned buildings, homes, casinos, strip clubs, truck stops, massage businesses, hunting lodges, ice houses, and elsewhere. Most traffickers and exploiters operate close to where they live. They may be a trusted adult or even an authority figure. Usually, they are known to the victim and may be a friend, employer, family member, or romantic partner.
Trafficking can happen to anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, ability, religion, or socioeconomic status – however some groups of people tend to be impacted more often (such as women and girls).
Your tax-deductible donations make a real difference to those harmed by sex trafficking and sexual exploitation
To practice hope means we acknowledge the existence of suffering and oppression, yet we have joy, courage, and boldness, for our hope is not found in our current situation.
At Terebinth Refuge, we express the hope we have by creating a place of safety and refuge amidst suffering, empowering those who access our services to find their voice, discover their gifts, and use their agency to build skills and take steps towards independence and thriving.
Learn more about Terebinth Refuge’s Housing Program
Healing entails the whole person (body, mind, and spirit), but also denotes the process or state of mending an entire community. Like a wound knit together or a breach closed, healing is not merely relief from suffering, but full wholeness.
At the Individual Level, Terebinth Refuge uses a survivor-centered, trauma-informed approach in our Programming and Supportive Services, integrating community where appropriate to help survivors strengthen their networks of safety, support, and connection.
At the Community Level, Terebinth Refuge’s primary prevention efforts work to mend community conditions to create communities of refuge, where hope and healing and freedom are realized, and where trafficking and exploitation don’t happen in the first place.
Learn more about Terebinth Refuge’s Supportive Services
Terebinth Refuge envisions a community in which those harmed by exploitation and trafficking are released from physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bondage. Our services are not bound by legalistic approaches, but, using a survivor-centered, trauma-informed approach, we meet each woman where they are at and help them find the freedom to live the lives they were created for.
At the same time, it is our desire that traffickers and buyers also find freedom from the harmful attitudes, beliefs, and patterns of behavior that lead them to cause harm.
Learn more about the Prevention of Sex Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation
Every day, we learn from the people we serve. You trust us with your stories.
You teach us how to provide more effective services for victims / survivors.
...Being around fellow survivors…, who share our experiences and passions, is invaluable. A bond between survivors is special because we inherently understand each other without needing to explain. This mutual understanding fosters a supportive environment where we can express ourselves freely, knowing we're not judged. As survivors, we come together tired but determined, ready to change and support others. Whether through a smile or tears, we're there to lift each other up, united as a team that can conquer anything together…
