A faith-based facility in Indiana, operating as the Refuge Girls Academy, is facing a federal civil lawsuit filed by 35 young women who claim they were exploited and mistreated as minors. The lawsuit, which was initially filed with nine plaintiffs, accuses the facility of forced labor, human trafficking, and institutional abuse.

Allegations of Abuse

According to Attorney Andrea Simmons, who is leading the litigation, the young women were forced to perform rigorous manual labor, including maintenance tasks and commercial operations for corporate partners. The labor demands consumed the vast majority of their waking hours, causing their education to take a secondary role. Simmons noted that the facility’s practices are a clear violation of federal law, specifically the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA).

The lawsuit also outlines a pattern of severe psychological and physical abuse, including deliberate medical neglect and the abrupt termination of essential psychiatric healthcare. Simmons emphasized that the lawsuit targets the illegal operational practices of the home, rather than its religious affiliation.

Seeking Accountability

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and statutory damages for pain, suffering, and lost wages, aiming to dismantle systemic exploitation within the broader troubled teen industry. The lawsuit highlights a lack of state oversight, enabling an environment where minors were cut off from external support systems.

Original reporting: 93.1 WIBC (Indianapolis) — read the source article.