Stefanie Calens is on the front lines of helping victims of sex trafficking in a ground-breaking program, the nation’s first family two-year transitional housing model for adult female victims of sex trafficking and their minor children.

She is the community engagement liaison for the Arizona State University Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research (STIR), bringing both spiritual depth and a relentless commitment to justice, to connect and advocate for those who need to know that their voice matters. She leads awareness and prevention trainings in the area of human trafficking which encompasses both sex and labor.

An ASU survey found that about one in three of homeless young adults are victims of sex trafficking. Once they are rescued out of that situation, these  victims have unique needs, different from other homeless young adults.

That’s where the ground-breaking Phoenix Starfish Place is able to help. A partnership between ASU’s STIR program and the City of Phoenix, Starfish Place is not an emergency shelter, but a transitional housing community providing a safe and healthy home for sex trafficking survivors and their families, where they are treated with dignity and respect. This a place to renew their spirit, learn essential life skills and begin recovery.

Its name is inspired by the story of a child walking along the beach, throwing beached starfish back into the ocean. When asked why they do that when there are so many starfish, they can’t possibly make a difference, this child looks at the starfish in her hand, and replies, “I made a difference in the life of this one.”

This is where an academic program researching human trafficking meets real life, with real stories about real human beings. And real stories about healing.

Click here to learn more about www.sextraffickinghelp.com and www.labortraffickinghelp.com 

Original air date: May 15, 2025.

Stefanie Calens is on the front lines of helping victims of sex trafficking in a ground-breaking program, the nation&rsquo;s first family two-year transitional housing model for adult female victims of sex trafficking and their minor children.
She is the community engagement liaison for the Arizona State University Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research (STIR), bringing both spiritual depth and a relentless commitment to justice, to connect and advocate for those who need to know that their voice matters. She leads awareness and prevention trainings in the area of human trafficking which encompasses both sex and labor.
An ASU survey found that about one in three of homeless young adults are victims of sex trafficking. Once they are rescued out of that situation, these &nbsp;victims have unique needs, different from other homeless young adults.
That&rsquo;s where the ground-breaking Phoenix Starfish Place is able to help. A partnership between ASU&rsquo;s STIR program and the City of Phoenix, Starfish Place is not an emergency shelter, but a transitional housing community providing a safe and healthy home for sex trafficking survivors and their families, where they are treated with dignity and respect. This a place to renew their spirit, learn essential life skills and begin recovery.
Its name is inspired by the story of a child walking along the beach, throwing beached starfish back into the ocean. When asked why they do that when there are so many starfish, they can&rsquo;t possibly make a difference, this child looks at the starfish in her hand, and replies, &ldquo;I made a difference in the life of this one.&rdquo;
This is where an academic program researching human trafficking meets real life, with real stories about real human beings. And real stories about healing.
Click here to learn more about <a href="http://www.sextraffickinghelp.com">www.sextraffickinghelp.com</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.labortraffickinghelp.com">www.labortraffickinghelp.com</a>&nbsp;
Original air date:&nbsp;May 15, 2025.

The Rescuers radio show provides an opportunity to spotlight people who are working behind the scenes to make this world a better place. These people serve as inspiration and idea starters to encourage others to find creative ways to impact their community, their city, and the world.

Host Art Brooks has spent his career in broadcasting, both as on-air talent and in representing the industry as president and CEO of the Arizona Broadcasters Association for nearly 30 years. He was the driving force behind an Emmy-winning series of documentaries on drug abuse that combined a phone bank of 100 seasoned counselors and history-making "roadblock," as every TV station in Arizona and many radio stations broadcast the groundbreaking show on the same day at the same time. He also was instrumental in starting AZ AMBER Alert (one of two states in the nation where broadcasters initiated the program), helped form the Native American Broadcast Institute at Northern Arizona University and consulted with broadcasters in Bulgaria to help build commercial radio as the country was coming out of communism.

Rescuers airs 5:30-6 p.m. AZ time Thursdays on KPXQ-AM Faith Talk 1360, beginning May 7, 2020. Based in Phoenix, it is available internationally online. We invite you to submit names of heroes you think would be good subjects for the show - just message us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/

The Rescuers radio show provides an opportunity to spotlight people who are working behind the scenes to make this world a better place. These people serve as inspiration and idea starters to encourage others to find creative ways to impact their community, their city, and the world. Host Art Brooks has spent his career in broadcasting, both as on-air talent and in representing the industry as president and CEO of the Arizona Broadcasters Association for nearly 30 years. He was the driving force behind an Emmy-winning series of documentaries on drug abuse that combined a phone bank of 100 seasoned counselors and history-making "roadblock," as every TV station in Arizona and many radio stations broadcast the groundbreaking show on the same day at the same time. He also was instrumental in starting AZ AMBER Alert (one of two states in the nation where broadcasters initiated the program), helped form the Native American Broadcast Institute at Northern Arizona University and consulted with broadcasters in Bulgaria to help build commercial radio as the country was coming out of communism. Rescuers airs 5:30-6 p.m. AZ time Thursdays on KPXQ-AM Faith Talk 1360, beginning May 7, 2020. Based in Phoenix, it is available internationally online. We invite you to submit names of heroes you think would be good subjects for the show - just message us on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/">https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/</a>

Rescuers radio show

An inspiring program highlighting everyday heroes who change and save lives, making the world around us a better place.

An inspiring program highlighting everyday heroes who change and save lives, making the world around us a better place.