Author and Human Trafficking Survivor Alicia Tappan of Survivor-Led Solutions Recently Featured on Close Up Radio

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, July 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Survivor-Led Solutions, founded by survivor and advocate Alicia Tappan, is a groundbreaking initiative that is changing the understanding of human trafficking in the United States. This educational program is designed to debunk widespread myths about trafficking, focusing on prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation strategies.

Alicia Tappan, a human trafficking survivor, shares a powerful personal story that sheds light on the complex reality of trafficking situations that go unnoticed in American communities. Her experiences, including being trafficked by a trusted community figure, highlight the necessity to educate the public on the nuanced dynamics of human trafficking.

“Contrary to popular belief, human trafficking doesn’t always involve strangers in a scary van or faraway locales. It happens right here at home, within our trusted circles,” explains Tappan. “Survivor-led Solutions’ mission is to dismantle these misconceptions around trafficking and empower communities to recognize and act against it.”

Key Offerings of the Initiative:

• Professional Consulting: As a Ph.D. Candidate for Forensic Psychology, the nonprofit examines, plans, and develops programs with achievable outcomes to expand trauma-informed services for clients within outside organizations.
• Comprehensive Training: Tailored sessions on human trafficking and sexual exploitation for schools, law enforcement, and community organizations that focus on recognizing signs of trafficking, understanding its layered dynamics, and effective response mechanisms.
• Empowerment Workshops: Individual and group workshops that provide survivors with self-awareness, life skills, and holistic approaches to overcoming their trauma.
• Collaborations with Law Enforcement: Crisis Intervention and Trauma-Informed Care training to help those on the frontlines identify victims in criminal situations.
• Survivor Leader Certification Program: The very first credible and certifiable program to engage survivor leaders to enhance their subject matter and lived experience expertise to collaborate with the multiple disciplinary partners in the anti-trafficking field.
• Brave Girl Diaries: the very first survivor guide that includes lived experience testimony, evidence-based practices, and reflection sections to engage individuals who may need a separate tool to help them heal. This series is designed to be done within recovery programs for girls and women who struggle with trauma.

Tappan’s personal story amplifies the initiative’s impact. She recounts her own experience of being manipulated by a trusted high school coach, who exploited vulnerable students under the guise of mentorship and advancement. Through coercion and cunning manipulation, he created a hidden network of trafficking right under the school’s and the community’s noses.

In her outreach, Alicia emphasizes the hidden signs of coercion, manipulation, and exploitation that many victims face. Her honesty about her journey from being the school’s National Honor Society President to becoming entrapped in a predatory system clearly paints the level of stealth in trafficking operations.

Her book series, “Brave Girl Diaries,” will complement her consulting services by offering an in-depth look at her journey with practical exercises for survivors seeking healing and empowerment. The first book, “Innocence Interrupted,” is set to launch July 29th, in conjunction with a 2026 nationwide tour raise awareness during Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January.

A vital aspect of this initiative is altering societal perceptions. “We often envision traffickers as shadowy figures lurking in the dark,” Tappan explains. “When, in reality, they are often respected community members. By changing the narrative, we empower survivors and prevent future victimization.”

Through Survivor-Led Solutions’ comprehensive approach, Alicia Tappan is working hard toward a more informed society, breaking down stereotypes, and providing tangible solutions for combating human trafficking.

Alicia Tappan’s journey, which led her to found Survivor-Led Solutions, transcends personal storytelling; it is a rallying cry advocating for systemic change and broader public understanding. Her work continues to influence and inspire, demonstrating that survivorship can transform into leadership in preventing future tragedies.

About Survivor-Led Solutions

Founded by Alicia Tappan, Survivor-Led Solutions is dedicated to raising awareness and educating communities about human trafficking. Through survivor-led insights and comprehensive training programs, Survivor-Led Solutions is dismantling misconceptions, advocating for victims, and preventing human trafficking in all forms.

Close Up Radio recently featured Alicia Tappan in an interview with Doug Llewelyn on Wednesday, July 16th at 12pm EST

Listen to the Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-up-radio-spotlights-author-and-human/id1785721253?i=1000717720072
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-close-up-radio-242020413/episode/close-up-radio-spotlights-author-and-286500467/
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4vH0W31SO9Hcs9hcw6J0u7

For more information about Alicia Tappan, please visit https://tappanconsulting.org/

Lou Ceparano
Close Up Television & Radio
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