How it works

What happens after a tip — and after a rescue

Project Exodus is not a black box. The platform's job is to push signals to the right partners and to support survivors through recovery. Below is the actual data path, plus the privacy commitments that come with each step.

Reporting — from observation to acknowledgment

Component A of the platform: detection and routing.

1
Observation
Who acts: A Certified Child Safety Advocate (CCSA) — a community member trained and credentialed by Project Exodus.
A CCSA notices behavioral indicators of trafficking using a trauma-informed observation framework drawn from federal definitions (TVPA), Polaris pattern research, and ECPAT-USA curriculum. Observation alone is not enough — credible suspicion is.
Privacy: No data is collected at this stage. CCSAs are explicitly trained against intervening directly with the suspected victim or alleged trafficker.
2
Field report submitted
Who acts: The CCSA, via the Project Exodus advocate app on their phone.
The CCSA fills in a structured report — what was observed, where, when, and any specific indicators. The form is available offline; if there is no signal, it queues encrypted on-device (AES-GCM) and uploads when reception returns.
Privacy: Reports are encrypted in transit and at rest. The CCSA is identified to the platform; the suspected victim and any third parties are described only by what the CCSA observed (no names unless directly known).
3
Routing to the right partner
Who acts: Project Exodus dispatchers and routing rules.
Reports are matched to jurisdiction by location, indicator type, and partner availability. Most reports route to the geographically appropriate ICAC affiliate; trafficking indicators also route to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Severity, age estimate, and immediacy modify the path.
Privacy: Routing is logged in an append-only, hash-chained audit trail (SPEC §8.2). Every step is reconstructible and tamper-evident.
4
Partner acknowledgment
Who acts: The receiving law-enforcement task force or hotline.
Partners acknowledge receipt and may follow up with the dispatcher for clarification. Project Exodus does not investigate, arrest, or interview — those activities live with sworn law enforcement.
Privacy: Acknowledgments are recorded with timestamps. A CCSA can see that their report was received and routed, but not the partner's downstream investigative content.

Recovery — five phases of survivor support

Component B of the platform: trauma-informed care from rescue through monitoring. Project Exodus does not perform rescues — recovery begins after a child is in safe custody.

1
Rescue & first 72 hours
Who acts: Recovery operates only after rescue is performed by law enforcement or a partner agency. Project Exodus does not perform rescues.
When a child is recovered, Project Exodus opens a recovery case under a pseudonym. The first 72 hours follow a trauma-informed protocol: safety, basic medical, secure shelter, and identifying a trusted adult to be present.
Privacy: Cases are referenced by pseudonyms across components. Real names live in a separately access-controlled intake record visible only to assigned case managers.
2
Stabilization (short-term)
Who acts: A trauma-trained case manager assigned to the survivor.
Once the immediate crisis passes, the case enters short-term stabilization: trauma-informed therapy intake, education catch-up planning, and matching to vetted facilities — group homes, foster families, or relative placements as appropriate.
Privacy: Survivors choose their language and the level of detail visible on their own surface. The platform exposes only what the survivor has agreed to share with which staff role.
3
Long-term recovery
Who acts: The case manager, a trauma therapist, optional adult-survivor mentor, and any educational or medical specialists.
Therapy continues. The survivor may be matched with an adult-survivor mentor — paid, vetted, and entirely optional. Mentor contact happens only with the survivor's affirmative consent and routes through the case manager.
Privacy: Mentor introductions are not auto-broadcast. Survivors can decline, pause, or change mentors at any time. Mentor activity is logged for safety oversight without exposing therapy content.
4
Reunification or long-term placement
Who acts: The case manager, working with the survivor, family (when safe), and placement providers.
Reunification with biological family is the goal when it is safe. When not, long-term placement with a vetted family or program is the path. Either way the survivor's voice — what they want, who they trust — drives the plan.
Privacy: Reunification readiness is assessed across multiple touchpoints, not a single decision. The survivor's stated preferences are recorded and weighted in the plan.
5
Post-placement monitoring
Who acts: The case manager, with optional continued mentor contact.
Recovery doesn't end at placement. Project Exodus continues structured check-ins for at least 12 months — and always when the survivor asks. A panic button on the survivor surface reaches a crisis-trained responder within seconds.
Privacy: Survivors can request data deletion at any time. Audit-trail entries cannot be deleted, but identifying records can be redacted on request consistent with applicable law.

What we promise — and what we don't do

We don't replace law enforcement

Project Exodus pushes signals to LE; it does not investigate, interview suspects, or perform rescues. CCSAs are trained explicitly against vigilante action.

We don't sell or share data

Survivor data is never sold. Sharing happens only with named partners (law enforcement, hotlines, vetted facilities) for the purpose of the survivor's care or the routing of a tip.

We're auditable

Every action that touches a survivor record is recorded in a hash-chained, append-only audit log with periodic external anchoring. Tampering is detectable.

We pay the people whose stories built this

Adult-survivor mentors are paid. Survivor advisory council seats are paid. Lived experience is treated as work, not free labor.

Where to go next

Become a CCSA — community-level training and credential.
Partners — who we route to and align with.
Reporter lookup — are you legally required to report in your state?
Resources — direct access to hotlines, no account required.
Privacy policy — formal data-handling commitments.

Project Exodus is owned and licensed by America's Future Inc. If you find anything on this page misleading or out of date, contact us through Get involved.