Basically Ghosted: Why Survivors ‘Disappear’ and What That Really Means

Survivor advocate Rafael Bautista joins us to explain how survivors are often mislabeled as “ghosting” services when, in fact, systems fail them first. This leaves victims more susceptible to the very vulnerabilities traffickers exploit. Rafael highlights how trauma responses are misinterpreted as resistance and why consistent, trauma-informed support is essential for recovery. Building stronger, more reliable systems can help survivors trust that support will be there when it’s needed most.