Summit on Crime Survivors at Seattle City Hall

We want to deeply thank each brave survivor who infused their journey into the shoes they displayed at the Summit on Crime Survivors. Your courage transforms awareness into action, creating waves of change in our community and beyond.

Your stories, represented through each shoe, are powerful testimonials of resilience, hope, and the unbreakable human spirit. It’s not just an art display; it’s a mosaic of survival, strength, and the urgent call for accountability.

A key focus of the event was a bold legislative initiative aimed at addressing the root causes of exploitation. City Councilmember Bob Kettle delivered a compelling case for House Bill 2526, an urgent policy proposal to elevate the legal consequences for purchasing sex from a misdemeanor to a felony. This high-stakes move sends a clear message: accountability starts with curbing the “demand” that fuels exploitation.

The summit also illuminated systemic barriers and inequities, especially those disproportionately impacting Black women and girls. As LaTanya DuBois, Executive Director and Founder of the Silent Task Force, aptly pointed out, marginalized communities continue to carry the heaviest burdens of exploitation.

Seattle’s survivors are no longer waiting on permission to raise their voices—they are leading the fight for safety, justice, and healing. Their stories, their courage, and their strength are the heartbeat of this movement. Now, it is up to all of us—community members, accomplices, and leaders—to listen, to act, and to elevate their vision for a safer and more just Seattle.