According to an interview with Joseph Traver by SD Voyager, this is the story behind what came to be known as Saved in America. In this enlightening piece, Travers tells the interviewer what gave him the idea initially to consider starting this nonprofit that has to date saved over 260 girls from the human trafficking industry. 

The Story That Started it All

Travers explains that he was reading an article entitled “Retired Terror Hunters Hope to End Child Sex Slavery,” this story called to mind the news he had just recently heard about the 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel who disappeared from a hotel in South Carolina around that time. 

Travers' professional experience as a former police detective along with his experience in serving as a private investigator led to him wanting to start his own “Terror Hunters” of sorts here in America. With the disheartening growth of human trafficking within America, Travers felt it was time to take the same principle used abroad to help find and rescue missing and exploited children and utilize them within the United States. After all, the bad guys are now using America as a pipeline for human trafficking. Why would organizations also not work within this nation to free the innocent victims?

About Saved in America

Although Travers had the initial idea of starting a stateside Terror Hunters type organization here in America, he needed help to see his dream fulfilled. Thankfully, he was able to get the highly skilled help of some retired military and law enforcement professionals who were willing to donate their time, energy, and most importantly their skills to fighting back against human trafficking. There are over 30 operators now who all hold private investigator licenses.  The professionals who give so freely of their skills to this organization include those who are firearms instructors, social networking investigators, former police investigators, and retired military special operators. 

Funding is an Issue

Though the group at SIA doesn’t charge for their services, that doesn’t mean there is no cost associated with a rescue. It costs an estimated $5,000 for each rescue for the equipment needed to recover a child. Therefore, funding from those who continue to give to SIA makes not only rescue possible but also ensures the kids get the help they need to recover after rescue.