Aspen House will give women who have been trafficked in Utah a proven way out and put them on a path to self-sufficiency. Not only does it provide survivors a safe, two-year place to live and receive care, but it also provides a meaningful job and a sisterhood of support that lasts a lifetime.

Aspen Magdalene House is named after the Utah state tree, the Quaking Aspen, and is a symbol of sustainability and interconnectedness. The tree is a single clone of the Quaking Aspen connected by one, massive and extensive underground root system.

Aspens share a root system and are foundationally stronger together. The Aspen is so much more than a tree; it’s one small part of a larger organism. The conditions need to be just right for this tree to grow. They need an abundance of sunshine and can also grow in harsh winters.

Much like Aspen trees, each survivor is one part of a larger healing process. Survivors will have ups and downs, go through mountains and valleys, and will face good days and bad days. Through the healing powers of love, survivors will thrive together in a supportive environment filled with sunshine.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Utah is one of the 10 worst states per capita for human trafficking reports. Learn more about human trafficking in Utah.

It can happen in any community and those who are victimized can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.

Meet two survivors who are courageously sharing their experiences and working to develop Aspen House with a victim/survivor centered approach.