In January 2018, Dignity Health welcomed Wendy Barnes, a survivor of child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and intimate partner violence as Human Trafficking Response Program Coordinator. Wendy is a national speaker, using her own experiences to educate and empower audiences in the fight against exploitation. Her story illustrates how abuse can make a young person vulnerable and serves as an example that freedom and restoration are possible.

When educating health care audiences, Wendy often shares examples of her own encounters with hospitals, clinics, and private practices. Wendy was trafficked by the father of her children for over ten years. As such, during that time, Wendy had multiple encounters with health care professionals and other first responders, including law enforcement officers, fire fighters, emergency department personnel, maternal child health professionals, and private physicians.

Wendy has an Associate’s Degree in General Studies and has written a memoir, And Life Continues: Sex Trafficking and My Journey to Freedom. Wendy also co-authored a chapter in Human Trafficking Is a Public Health Issue: A Paradigm Expansion in the United States (Springer, 2017). Wendy’s has appeared on talk shows such as Dr. Phil, and her story has been featured in news features and documentaries, including Flesh: Bought
and Sold in the U.S.

Wendy has consulted for numerous organizations, including Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign; Via Christi Health, part of Ascension; Not For Sale, and ImPact Virginia. Wendy has also provided education to law enforcement officers and students at numerous universities, including Vanguard University and St. Mary’s College of California. Wendy is a member of the National Survivor Network and the International Survivor Alliance.