At Amara, survivors of sex trafficking and sex workers in need of specialized legal services find attorneys who are trained to provide trauma-informed and culturally competent support. Social stigma and complex cases often make it challenging for survivors and sex workers to find lawyers willing to advocate for them. Beyond making these resources available for free to 70+ clients each year, Amara ensures they have access to the housing and mental health services they need by partnering with other local organizations. Know Your Rights and other trainings for schools, medical providers, and community groups broaden public understanding of how to reduce trauma when interacting with survivors, what the risk factors for trafficking are, and where survivors can access legal services. For Amara, justice truly begins when survivors lead the way.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 2

Where They Operate: DC-Citywide; MD-Montgomery County; MD-Prince George's County; MD-Frederick County; VA-Arlington County; VA-Fairfax County; VA-Prince William County; VA-City of Alexandria; VA-City of Fairfax; VA-City of Falls Church

Age Groups Served: Youth (5-11); Pre-teen/teen (12-17); Young adult (18-24); Adult (25-49)

Population(s) Served: Individuals who identify as LGBTQ; Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Women/Girls


  • Number of people (clients, patrons, students, etc) we serve annually:   100
  • Number of volunteers who work with us annually:   30
  • Number of hours of advocacy we engage in annually:   1040

Awards & Recognition

n/a

Press

  • Why Do We Lock Up Survivors of Sex Trafficking?
    Wed Sep 28 2016, Nicholas Kristof Blog - The New York Times  
    The story of one of our amazing survivors was highlighted by Andrea Powell of Fair Girls in NYT's Nicholas Kristof's blog.
    connect here

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • $1 million to $3 million
  • The current budget for Amara Legal Center is: $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

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