Bestow on her a Crown of Beauty, instead of ashes, the Oil of Joy instead of mourning, a Garment of Praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Isaiah 61:3
Mission
Re-fined’s mission is to form empowering and restorative relationships with survivors of sexual exploitation through mentorships, styling, and court support.
Vision
Our vision is for every survivor to be nurtured to wholeness through deep, connected relationships with Christ and His people.
Core Values
To reflect Christ’s love by helping sexually exploited survivors see themselves as their Creator sees them; beautiful, loved, and cherished. While helping them take back their identity, reclaim their dignity, and end the cycle of sexual abuse.
Our Goal
Freedom
Whether she was born or brought in to exploitation, through the ReFinement process, she can find freedom. Freedom to move on with her life, and be who she was meant to be. It is our hope that these young women will become women of dignity and self-worth, learning how truly valuable they are personally and in their community. Each month we have a variety of outreach events and touch points with these women. There are so many ways you too can get involved, from donations to volunteer opportunities.
Re-fined was established in Sept. 2015 in Lakewood, CO, and has helped nearly 500 ladies as of January 2020.
The Problem
Sex Trafficking
Occurs when someone uses force, fraud, or coercion to cause a commercial sex act with an adult or causes a minor to commit a commercial sex act.
Commercial Sex Act
Includes prostitution, pornography and sexual performance done in exchange for any item of value, such as money, drugs, shelter, food or clothes.
Refinement
(Definition) the process of removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance.
By the Numbers
In Denver alone the commercial sex industry brings in estimated profits of $80 million each year.
Between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80% are female and half are children. (source: US State Dept.)
The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the US is 12-14 years old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children.
According to the CO Dept. of Human Services, homeless youth will be actively recruited within 48 hours of leaving home.
Run away and Unaccompanied minors make up the majority of at risk youth for sexual and labor exploitation.
Our Solutions
Mentorship—
Faithful Friend Program
Restore Their Internal Image —
Walk alongside a Survivor into a life of New Beginnings
Mentor her by being a “Faithful Friend”
Faithful friends offer hopeful solutions and meet survivors wherever they are in life
Encourage positive self-perception and self-promotion
Faithful friends are a source of encouragement,
guidance and compassion
Styling
Restore Their External Appearance —
Offering cosmetology and fashioning services for judicial cases and job interview readiness
Helping them reclaim their dignity and self-worth
Helping them renew their physical image to give them confidence
Providing a reflective look for the hard work accomplished in the mentoring program
Court Support
RESTORE THEIR dignity —
A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF THE MENTOR AND STYLING PROGRAM TO COACH INDIVIDUALS IN THE VALUE OF PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE FOR COURT
- Providing invaluable courage to victims to testify
- Giving them the inner strength to fight for justice
- Instilling in them words of truth and hope for their future
Partnership with the FBI’s Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Task Force and District Attorney’s
to advocate for victims as they face their perpetrators.
Compassion coupled with empowerment and confidence is exactly what victims of sexual crime need when they have to face their perpetrator in court. Re-fined’s Court Support Program offers victim advocacy, to survivors of sexual exploitation in assistance and partnership with the FBI’s Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Task Force and District Attorney’s in 5 Colorado Counties.
You have one chance to make a first impression, may it reflect your future goals.
jessi burge
Our Team
Staff
Jessi K. Burge
Founder, Executive Director
Gabby Dowdy
Director of Volunteers & Operations
Peggy Propst
Director of Communications & Fundraising
Mentor Advocate
Cheryl Loudner
Evyn Schulze
Board of Directors
Kristen Muzzy
President
John Richmond
Vice President
Advisory Team
Steve Janiszewski
Danielle Johnson
Theri Boggess
Your gift can make a difference
With your generous gift today, you are helping to empower and restore the lives of sexually exploited survivors.
