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Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center Supports Human Trafficking Survivors in Houston

In support of Human Trafficking Awareness, Dr. Friedman has partnered with Elijah Rising, an organization that gives support and restorative care to women who are survivors of sex trafficking throughout Houston, and whose mission is to put an end to sex trafficking. Through Elijah Rising, Dr. Friedman has been providing free tattoo removal to survivors of human sex trafficking.

It was through this partnership that Dr. Friedman met Kathy, a woman who had endured the indignity of being branded with an “ownership tattoo”. For human sex trafficking victims, these ownership tattoos serve as a shameful reminder of their past and are a constant painful indication that they were once considered property. Today’s laser technology offers the safe and permanent removal of unwanted tattoos, and Dr. Friedman is putting that technology to good use and improving the lives of inspiring survivors like Kathy. Click here to read Kathy’s story of survival and Dr. Friedman’s contribution – featured in Cosmopolitan!

Sex trafficking can happen to anyone and is a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that is built upon stealing a woman’s freedom for profit. Women can be physically forced, tricked, or defrauded into providing commercial sex, or assaulted, threatened, lied to, and manipulated into providing sex work under illegal or inhumane conditions. Kathy came from a normal family and enjoyed a happy upbringing, but was lured into sex trafficking as a college freshman where she was used and abused by up to 50 men each day. Today, Kathy is a strong survivor and victim advocate. “Laser tattoo removal of this shameful reminder of being branded and that I lived with every day has been emancipating,” said Kathy, “I am so excited for my next treatment so I can literally put my past behind me.”

According to Dr. Friedman, there is an overwhelming need for community service in our own backyards, and his answer to that need is to be an advocate for victims of human sex trafficking, as well as volunteer his time and resources to improving the lives of these individuals. This, he believes, is the best way that he and other surgeons can honor the community as well as the Hippocratic Oath, which in addition to “first, do no harm,” stipulates that a physician use their skills to “benefit patients according to their greatest ability and judgment.”

There are many ways to change lives with lasers and offering free tattoo removal services to victims of human sex trafficking is just one of them. Dr. Friedman believes that all physicians can and should find ways to help patients that are underserved and is honored to be able to offer this life-changing service to such deserving individuals.