LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp unveiled a new center in Lawrenceville Tuesday, designed to be a safe space for survivors of sex trafficking.
Grace's Place will provide "wraparound care to up to 24 child survivors of sex trafficking," according to a release.
Specifically, the facility will allow survivors to access physical and mental care, along with educational resources, all within a secure and safe location away from their abusers.
The name Grace stands for Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion, and Education Commission, originally created to combat human trafficking in the state.
The commission itself is comprised of "public officials, law enforcement, for-profit and non-profit organizations, faith-based institutions, and subject matter experts," per its government webpage.
"I want this to be a role model for the country," the first lady remarked, noting how impressed she was with the facility itself. "I want people to be able to come see this and have these facilities in their states."
Kemp noted that survivors often don't have anything, including clothing, and the hope is for Grace's Place to help fill that void and assist them as they move on to a new life.
The First Lady concluded by adding Grace's Place is but the latest tool for eliminating this form of criminal activity in the state, touting legislation spearheaded by the commission that shields minors from prostitution prosecution, allows survivors to restrict access to their criminal records, change their names privately, and even pursue civil damages from their abusers.