S
AVVY WOMEN
PROFILE
BUILDING A SILVER LINING
The Refuge Ranch, a project spearheaded by Brooke Crowder, plans to offer survivors of sex trafficking a safe space to call home. sex trafficking in the U.S. Even talking to Some people have extraordiadult survivors left Crowder with little nary kindness in their voice and structure to build a support system for an aura of deep warmth in their girls in need. eyes. You know the ones, the “The common theme was there was just people you can easily settle into a no place for them to go,” she says. comforting hug with, the people Little did Crowder know, word of her you imagine are incapable of besearch efforts was spreading throughout ing fierce in any way. Then there town, and there was about to be a substanare those who, instead of running tial break in the clouds. away from a difficult issue, run “I was trying to convince existing straight toward it with the cournonprofits to let me develop a program for age of a thousand lions. Brooke trafficked youth when, in 2013, I got a call from Alex and Brettne Shootman,” she says Crowder, founder and CEO of The of two concerned Austin residents who Refuge for Domestic Minor Sex had heard of her efforts through mutual Trafficking, is both. friends. “We met and I shared my vision Crowder is on the front lines of an for building a healing place to help children issue that seems unfathomable but recover from their trauma of being trafis nonetheless very real. The Refuge ficked for sex when Alex asked me if I’d like for DMST is developing The Refuge 50 acres of land to build this dream, and Ranch, a long-term residential healing without hesitation, I said, ‘Yes!’ ” facility for minors through the age of As fate would have it, the Shootmans 19 who have been rescued from child were also trying to help support trafficked sex traffickers. Her grit and moxie youth when they heard about Crowder. are matched with a bottomless well of “The Shootmans were the catalyst for compassion, exactly what is needed to me to take the step in developing The help tackle the nightmare of child sex Refuge for DMST. They’ve been an integral trafficking. part of our organization and I don’t think “I was that kid who’d see a TV comwe’d have The Refuge if it weren’t for mercial about needy children and run them,” she says. to tell my parents that we needed to do Crowder also has a dedicated leadersomething,” Crowder says. ship team working with her on The Refuge The impetus to help trafficked chilRanch project. She’s quick to point out that dren came to Crowder in 2004. She was without them, this task would be extraorworking toward her master’s degree at dinarily difficult. Asbury Theological Seminary when she “We aren’t lone wolves doing this work; saw a video of young girls in India bewe’re a team sharing this mission. If I see ing sold into the sex trade, where they someone [falling apart] under the strain, suffered unspeakable horrors. After I’ll force time off. But we also take time to Crowder viewed the video, her advisor A rendering of one of The Refuge Ranch’s cottages laugh together, to have fun and support later found her weeping in the chapel. each other,” she says. “He sat down next to me and said, After all, even the staff needs a refuge ‘Brooke, look around you. No one else is in here weeping like this. I think this is the calling on your life,’ and I knew from that day forward, from The Refuge sometimes. Crowder’s respite is her family, faith and especially her husband, who she lovingly describes as her “safe place.” I’d be working to help exploited children,” she says. Slated to open in late 2017 or early 2018, The Refuge Ranch will be a After she graduated from seminary, Crowder and her family moved holistic, healing and restorative residential facility for 48 girls rescued to Costa Rica. While there, she learned the country had a dark reputaout of sex trafficking. Each girl will have her own customized services, tion for child sex trafficking. depending on her individual situation, but most importantly, she will “I was working in the poorest barrios, where girls were being trafficked, primarily by gangs,” she says. “I ended up working there for four be in a safe, serene environment right outside Austin. Each will receive years, teaching them new skills and tutoring them in school, but mainly education through the University of Texas Charter School System and just showing up and loving them each day. It was a frustrating situation will have access to a variety of therapies, including equine, pet, music, art and spiritual counseling. because we weren’t able to get them out of exploitive situations, but we “Our long-term vision is to build other refuges around the state and could demonstrate that their life had value and they were loved.” Once back in the U.S., Crowder began to see the grim presence of do- nation,” Crowder says, “but for right now, we’re starting somewhere.” mestic minor sex trafficking in her own backyard. She started digging To learn more about The Refuge Ranch, visit therefugedmst.org. and found there were no organized efforts to rehabilitate survivors of 42 | AUSTIN WOMAN | OCTOBER 2017
Head-shot photo courtesy of Kristin J Photography. Rendering image courtesy of Matt Faykus Architecture and Pfluger Architects.
BY PHAEDRA ROGERS