Jamie Rosseland
Survivor of Sex Trafficking; Advocate; Consultant
A victim of intimate partner violence in her youth and prostituted at 23 years old, Jamie Rosseland—now a passionate defender of social justice—seeks to provide direct care services to victims while also addressing issues at a systemic level and shifting societal perspectives. Now a seasoned consultant in anti-trafficking work, with expertise in survivor-centered program development, trauma-competent care coordination, and digital advocacy—Ms. Rosseland brings both professional and lived experience to every space she enters. Her work spans frontline mentorship and court advocacy for youth impacted by sexual exploitation, as well as statewide policy initiatives and local systems change. In 2018, Ms. Rosseland was honored with the Survivor Advocate of the Year award by the Florida Attorney General’s Office for her outstanding work with youth. She also appeared on The Argument, a podcast by The New York Times, to discuss sex work technologies and the intersections of anti-trafficking efforts. Ms. Rosseland is passionate about shifting cultural narratives around the sex trade and challenging the systems that fuel exploitation. As a public speaker, she has presented at numerous community forums, statewide summits, national conferences, and webinars.
“We need to address the individual needs of survivors, as well as reform systems that continue to traumatize those they serve. The story told is too often unrealistically black and white. The villain is not just the trafficker, and the heroes are rarely those who ‘rescue us.’ The villains are often the nurses who humiliate us, the police who arrest us, the media outlets that publish our mug shots, the men who buy us, the counselors who don’t listen to us. My journey out of sexual exploitation has largely been about overcoming societal barriers. The heroes in this story are those of us who make it out.”