After the city of Albuquerque fast-tracked and approved an application from Dawn Legacy Pointe to establish a tent camp for the homeless, concerns are being raised about the safety of its residents, and that the site might do more harm than good, especially for victims of sex trafficking.

The newly formed nonprofit Dawn Legacy Pointe will establish Albuquerque's first Safe Outdoor Space site at an empty lot on Menaul, just west of I-25. The Dawn Legacy Pointe guidelines state that the encampment will house mostly women and those affected by sex trafficking and exploitation.

Lisa Bownds, CEO of Reflection Ministries and a survivor of sex trafficking, is a leading advocate for restorative care of trafficking victims and has established world-class facilities and programs assisting survivors. She raised concerns about the encampment as a means to support and protect women vulnerable to sex trafficking. 

When asked if the creation of the safe outdoor space tent encampment would be a good way to help protect the population of women who are victims or vulnerable to sex trafficking, Bownds said, "Sex trafficking victims are the most vulnerable group to serve given the exceedingly high level of trauma they have endured at the hands of traffickers and buyers."

"First and foremost, they need safety, security and the services to meet their basic needs (things that are often withheld by their traffickers as a method of coercion). Secondly, they require trauma-informed care to address the mental and physical issues developed as a result of rape, beatings and other forms of abuse. Many victims need immediate medical and therapeutic care in conjunction with extensive counseling services. Lastly, sex trafficking victims need access to education and economic empowerment opportunities in order to join the workforce and support a new life of freedom and restoration. All these efforts require the commitment of a proven restorative care team to transition victims to independence and self-sufficiency. Anything less is woefully inadequate."

Agni Kudra, secretary of Dawn Legacy Pointe, mentioned the site will serve people that have been trafficked or exploited in the sex trade, but people who live nearby say they fear the sanctioned encampment will only cause harm to their neighborhoods, according to KRQE News.

“There’s not going to be a criminal element allowed here, we want to keep our residents safe so if there is any trouble we will be calling the police,” Kudra said, according to KRQE.

Chairperson of Dawn Legacy Pointe Kylea Goode said she understands neighborhood apprehension, but contends that arguments against safe outdoor spaces are often based on generalizations that all homeless people would introduce sex trafficking, according to Albuquerque Journal. Dawn Legacy Pointe seeks to serve sex trafficking victims, however, housing dozens of women on one site with very little security puts them in a highly vulnerable state. As of now, the resident women in the encampment will be in charge of their security.

“There just needs to be someplace for people to go, especially when they reach the point that they are going through sex trafficking or exploitation,” Goode told KOB4. However, since the encampment will house mostly women as well as victims of sex trafficking, the lack of security at the site is a major concern.

The Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association, which represents the residents of the directly affected area of the encampment, filed an appeal against the City Planning Department’s approval of the Safe Outdoor Space permit. The appeal raises several issues and highlights the lack of transparency in the application and due process extended to the public and the impacted communities.

To add to the concerns, Dawn Legacy Pointe's website includes a list of operational rules that were not included with its application and are in conflict with the documents it did include. The website states that it will not accept sex offenders or anyone convicted of human trafficking. However, in the application for the encampment accepted by the city, the rules allow sex offenders to live in the encampment, so long as they are registered.