Featuring Ruth Dearnley
CEO, STOP THE TRAFFIK
Ruth Dearnley is a distinct combination – an outspoken, humorous, passionate, and inspiring Brit. Most notably, she is an advocate and a spokesperson for one of the major issues of our world – human trafficking. She has been Chief Executive Officer of STOP THE TRAFFIK, an international anti-human trafficking organization, since May 2008.
Ruth has big vision and big opportunities to make an impact against human trafficking. Her vision is to inspire transformation in communities and lead a strategic response to human trafficking worldwide. With a law degree and a background in education, Ruth has spent the last 20 years communicating creatively and inspiring and facilitating others to transform the world around them, starting in their local community.
Since STOP THE TRAFFIK’s inception in September 2005, Ruth has been involved with fighting sex trafficking globally. In particular, she created and delivered the communications strategy for the STOP THE TRAFFIK global campaign against people trafficking. Her work resulted in thousands of individuals taking to their streets in their communities and becoming active campaigners.
In February 2008 STOP THE TRAFFIK delivered over one and half million of its own declaration to the first United Nations global forum to fight people trafficking in Vienna where all 192 countries were present. After the Vienna forum STOP THE TRAFFIK was given the role of UN.GIFT Special Advisor for Community Action against Human Trafficking to facilitate global change. Ruth is now leading STOP THE TRAFFIK, building a global team of activists across the world, reaching across all continents, empowering communities in the prevention of people trafficking.
In addition to the remarkable work at STOP THE TRAFFIK, Ruth has served for 7 years as a company director of a national charity (Spring Harvest) that delivers a yearly major event for 40,000 people in the UK, the largest of its kind in Europe. Ruth co-presents a weekly radio show. She has been an advisor and project coordinator for educational national and local projects and worked in schools and universities as a teacher, lecturer and supervisor. Ruth has a law degree, a PGCE in Primary Education and is a Licensed Lay Reader in the Church of England. Ruth was also among the featured speakers for the Northern Colorado Human Trafficking Symposium held February 6 at Colorado State University.
Ruth’s many skills, experiences, and knowledge have provided her the tools to not only STOP THE TRAFFIK, but to create a network of informed and passionate individuals to join the cause and transform their communities.