Bob Williams at Ranch Hand Rescue (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
State Senator Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, announced $10 million in funds from the General Appropriations Act, SB 1, will be distributed to Ranch Hands Rescue for its work supporting survivors of human trafficking.
Ranch Hands Rescue began as a sanctuary for abused farm animals but has expanded its work to help men, women and children as they work with the animals. They use an approach called animal-assisted counseling, where people can find healing by connecting with animals that have been rehabilitated.
The $10 million funding allotment will directly support services provided through Ranch Hands Rescue’s new safe house for male survivors of sex trafficking called Bob’s House of Hope.
Nearly half of child sex trafficking victims are male, but nationwide, only four out of 25 shelters serve this population of survivors. Bob’s House of Hope is the first long-term shelter in the nation to solely serve males who are recovering from sex trafficking.
“Bob’s House of Hope is a tremendous dream of mine that will help an underserved population of human trafficking survivors, men aged 18 and up,” said Ranch Hands Rescue CEO Bob Williams. “This funding will give life to that dream, and I am grateful for Senator Nelson’s work in securing it.”
“Every session we have an opportunity to truly help Texans, and this session, I wanted to make sure we directly impacted human trafficking survivors,” said Sen Nelson. “I am honored to partner with Ranch Hands Rescue, which provides trauma-informed services to people and animals who have experienced abuse, located right here in Senate District 12.”
Nelson chairs the Senate Finance Committee and is a longtime advocate for human trafficking survivors.
— David Taffet
