Our Mission

Empower the voice of vulnerable youth and end the commercial sexual exploitation of children through prevention education, survivor-centered care, and community transformation.

Our Vision

All youth free from sexual exploitation and trafficking.

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Our Values

We believe in giving honor and respect to every client to whom we provide services. We do not force help upon them. We believe that they have the right and liberty to choose what is best for them as we come alongside to help guide them into healthy and holistic choices.

We believe that hope is more powerful than fear. From the language we use in trainings to the imagery we display on our website, we want to paint a picture of HOPE. We believe that a message of hope creates a healthier response than a message of fear.

The privacy and confidentiality of each girl is held to the upmost importance. We will not reveal underage survivors’ identities, real names, or identifying details that could put their privacy and safety in jeopardy. We understand it is her right to decide if, when, and how she will tell her story after giving informed consent.

We must tell the true narrative of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. We believe that promoting a “Hollywood” version of trafficking using extreme or fringe stories for shock factor is actually more harmful than helpful in raising awareness. If our communities believe trafficking looks like the sensationalized stories, they will miss the reality of what’s actually happening all around them.

We focus on the individual lives of at-risk and exploited girls and will not sacrifice quality education and individualized survivor care in order to boost our numbers.

We are not the end-all. We do not want to re-invent the wheel by creating programs or services other agencies already provide. No one organization can begin to tackle the multifaceted needs of survivors and complexities of this issue. We partner with trusted best practice agencies and service providers to develop a full continuum of care for survivors.

Our Staff

  • Suzy Shepherd

    Executive Director

  • Gina

    Advocate

  • Melanie

    Licensed Professional Counselor

  • Cindy

    Finance Director

Our Board of Directors

  • Yvonne Wright

    Board Chair

  • Teri Killingsworth

    Secretary

  • Brett Howlett

    Director

  • Raquel Franks-Carpenter

    Director

  • Janet Hurley

    Director

  • John Johnson

    Director

Our History

For The Silent was founded in 2007 by Kenny and Julie Rigsby after they encountered the heartbreaking reality of child sex trafficking in Southeast Asia. Moved deeply by the injustice, they left their full-time jobs to follow a calling they couldn’t ignore—to be a voice for those silenced by trafficking and exploitation. In those early years, FTS partnered with anti-trafficking organizations in Thailand and Cambodia, raising funds to support frontline efforts. The programs they supported continue to serve survivors in Asia today.

In 2010, FTS turned its focus closer to home. Street outreach began in places where trafficking victims were often hidden in plain sight—motels, juvenile detention centers, and online platforms. As those efforts expanded, one thing became painfully clear: trafficking wasn’t just happening overseas. It was happening right here in East Texas. FTS responded by launching two groundbreaking initiatives: a crisis intervention program for survivors and a prevention program for youth at high risk. At the time, FTS was the first organization in East Texas dedicated to fighting sex trafficking and helped lead the charge in building the region’s response from the ground up.

From 2014 to 2016, FTS was instrumental in bringing the first federal and county trafficking cases in East Texas to light. Working closely with law enforcement, we helped identify victims, build trust, and connect key details that led to successful prosecutions. We trained officers on the realities of trafficking and walked alongside survivors through the entire process—offering trauma-informed support and advocacy. This work earned recognition from the Texas Governor’s Office and helped lay the groundwork for future cases in the region.

Alongside these direct service programs, FTS also launched a community transformation initiative in 2012 which forged key partnerships with juvenile justice departments, child protective services, law enforcement, fellow service providers and local schools. These efforts equipped and trained thousands of professionals to recognize, report, and respond to sexual exploitation and helped unite the community in better protecting vulnerable youth.

What began as a response to injustice across the globe has grown into a deeply rooted local movement. Today, For The Silent continues to walk alongside youth in East Texas with a vision for a future where every young person is free, empowered, and thriving.