TOLEDO, Ohio — Ohio had the sixth-highest number of human trafficking cases identified in 2021, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Butterflies 15 is a Toledo-based drop-in center that helps women who have escaped human trafficking, domestic violence situations and even substance abuse.
The founder and executive director, Tina Robinson, says the number of cases is only going up and they want people to know resources are out there.
Robinson herself is what many would call a survivor.
"Everything I went through in life was for something," she said.
She was a victim of domestic violence. She was addicted to crack cocaine and she trafficked herself to get drugs.
"You want to numb the pain and even though it's for a short period of time, you're taking that pain away. That's why you use," Robinson said.
She has been sober for almost two decades and says Butterflies 15 is her purpose.
The non-profit helps women like Jessica Drinkwater, who also experienced substance abuse and human trafficking.
Drinkwater said it started with prescription pills, but it escalated to heroin.
"One thing led to the next. I was using it like I was doing pills, crushing it up and snorting them," Drinkwater said.
Robinson says it's all connected; the violence, the drugs and the sex.
"It's a cycle that once you're abused, no matter what the abuse, it's a cycle. One just runs into another," Robinson said.
Robinson said the hardest part about recovering is not knowing where you can go once you break free. She mentored Drinkwater before Butterflies 15 began, but the services and support are still the same. It's part of the reason why Drinkwater is an advocate and has been clean for four years.
"I'm not just doing it for me. I'm doing it for Haley, I'm doing it for Tommy. I lost 14 people in like 14 days last summer," Drinkwater said.
Butterflies 15 stays afloat through donations and is holding its annual fundraiser next month.