Meet Abby Germer | President, Refuge For Women

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abby Germer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abby, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Most trafficking happens by people they know, not by a random kidnapping. And by that I mean, trafficking happens by family members (yes you read that correctly), friends and boyfriends. Traffickers are very intentional at establishing relationship and gaining trust prior to actually selling the person.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Passion and purpose is what drives my career. As my eyes were opened to the hard truth about trafficking, there was a fire in my bones to do something. That is when I started volunteering with various organizations and raising awareness about trafficking to anyone who listen! As I look back, each of those moments along the way were just preparing for the opportunities that were ahead.

Being part of Refuge For Women is truly one of the greatest honors of my life. Being able work with women who have been exploited and to have a chance to walk alongside them in their own healing journey is an honor. They are true survivors and are my heroes in life. When I have a bad day and just want to give up, they inspire me to keep to going. I have NO excuses to not lean into the obstacles because if they can overcome then so can we.

One the biggest things I have learned is nothing in life comes easy. There will always be set backs, challenges and even failure. But making the choice to remain steadfast and continuing to show up and not give up will take you places you didn’t even imagine possible.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a friend coming in town to visit, I would probably take them to Downtown Grapevine for a day of hanging out. The cute little shops and restaurants make for an easy day. At some point in the week, we would also find a fun place to go and listen to live music and also find a nice spa for some rest and relaxation.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I first learned and heard of human trafficking, I went on a mission trip to Mumbai, India. There I met some amazing women who were part of an organization called Bombay Teen Challenge. They planted seeds in my heart in a bigger picture that has lead to the place I am today. To hear their stories of overcoming the horror of what they had lived through and to be leaders and hope carriers in their communities, my heart knew that I wanted to be part of fight against trafficking.

In 2015, I met the founder of Refuge For Women, Ked Frank. That is when I joined Refuge For Women and had the opportunity to be part of the start up team to open a Refuge For Women in North Texas. I am so grateful for both of these relationships and opportunities that were very significant in my journey.

Website: https://refugeforwomen.org/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-germer-48b106169/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RefugeforWomenNational