Angels Joy is a registered 501(c)(3) charity organization that was established in 2011 in Orange County, California. Angels Joy’s focus is to help victims and survivors of violence, domestic or emotional abuse, rape, and specifically human trafficking. This organization is one hundred percent  volunteer-based and more than ninety percent of their proceeds after expenses go to their programs. With human trafficking rates on the rise, it is important to raise society’s awareness of the subject and to contribute to organizations that support victims.

In the U.S. alone, there have been 3,646 human trafficking cases reported this year, the highest number of cases reported in California. Approximately 600,000 – 800,000 people are sold across international borders for forced labor or commercial sex; human trafficking is on the rise across the United States. Angels Joy has partnered with CAP Nepal to establish Angels Home, which is a safe healing shelter for female victims that are minors, who are provided programs such as yoga, meditation, art, and dance therapy. In the U.S., their goal is also to provide emergency shelter to victims who are found with nowhere to go, and who would otherwise be returned to the streets.

“The goal is to teach the victims yoga and meditation in order to help them heal. It takes a while for these girls under the age of 18 to feel comfortable and safe,” said Angels Joy Board of Director Bita Hooman.

It is easy to forget about these issues when they don’t affect our day to day lives directly. However, more than one in three women and more than one in four men in the U.S. have experienced some form of domestic abuse in their lifetime. The charity organization provides a means for people to make a difference and help those who have been hurt.

Anonymous rape victim commented, “When [the rape] happened, all of my self-worth was destroyed…There were those really dark times where I would cry myself to sleep…I could take shower after shower and still feel dirty and ugly…Things had to get worse before they could get better but I’ve grown from it.”

Angels Joy welcomes donations for these angels with broken wings. Any donation amount to Angels Joy, at http://www.angelsjoy.org/, could help a victim regain a sense of security in her life. There are options to support an angel on her biweekly, monthly, or yearly cost of living, or to simply make a donation to the cause. For more information on Angels Joy’s programs, check their Facebook page and website.