—Vanessa Edwards, B1Daily

In late 2025, the Tim Tebow Foundation released Room 21, a powerful short film designed to expose the realities of child sex trafficking and exploitation in the United States. The film is based on real survivor testimonies and focuses on how quickly and deceptively someone can be entrapped—often not through dramatic captures or sensational headlines, but through manipulation, coercion, and seemingly everyday interactions. What looks ordinary on the outside—someone who appears safe, familiar, or even friendly—can hide devastating danger within. Room 21 pulls back that curtain to illustrate how exploitation can unfold and persist in silence, making the invisible visible and urging communities to recognize and respond to the signs.

Tim Tebow and his foundation have long been vocal about fighting trafficking and child sexual exploitation. Their mission extends beyond awareness, working alongside law enforcement and community partners to rescue victims, provide survivor-centered aftercare, and pursue accountability for perpetrators. Through these efforts, the foundation has supported the creation of safe homes, helped protect vulnerable children, and contributed to efforts aimed at disrupting exploitation networks worldwide.

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How to Watch Room 21

Room 21 is available to stream for free through official channels associated with the Tim Tebow Foundation. The foundation released the short film publicly to ensure broad access, encouraging individuals, families, schools, churches, and community organizations to watch and share it as part of awareness and prevention efforts. Viewers can find the film on the Tim Tebow Foundation’s official website and through its verified social media platforms, where it is hosted in full and accompanied by educational resources and discussion guides.

Because of its sensitive subject matter, the film is recommended for mature audiences and is best viewed in settings where conversation and reflection can follow. The foundation encourages viewers not only to watch, but to engage—using the film as a tool to start meaningful discussions about recognizing exploitation, protecting children, and supporting survivor-focused solutions.

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Why Safe Homes Matter

Security and Stability

Children escaping abuse, neglect, trafficking, or sexual exploitation carry deep emotional and psychological trauma. Stable, safe, and nurturing environments give them the foundation they need to begin healing. Safe homes—whether foster placements, therapeutic residential care, or specialized survivor housing—offer consistency, structure, and safety, allowing children to focus on recovery rather than survival.

Protection From Further Harm

Children without secure housing are at heightened risk of being retraumatized or re-exploited. Safe homes reduce exposure to predators by providing supervision, safety protocols, and trauma-informed care. These environments are designed to protect children from being returned to dangerous situations or falling back into cycles of abuse.

Access to Critical Support

Safe homes do more than provide shelter. They connect children with counseling, medical care, education support, and trusted adult mentors. These services help survivors rebuild trust, regain a sense of agency, and develop the tools needed for long-term stability and independence.

Breaking the Cycle of Exploitation

Many children who become victims of abuse or trafficking were already living in vulnerable conditions marked by instability, neglect, or homelessness. Providing safe, consistent housing interrupts this pathway. When children are protected, supported, and believed, their vulnerability to predators drops dramatically, and the likelihood of long-term recovery increases.

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A Broader Responsibility

Child abuse and sexual exploitation often thrive in silence, secrecy, and isolation. Most abuse occurs at the hands of someone known to the child, making community awareness and protective systems essential. Safe homes represent a collective commitment to safeguarding children, refusing to look away, and ensuring that survivors are met with care rather than disbelief or neglect.

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Room 21 is not simply a film—it is a warning and a call to action. It challenges viewers to confront how easily exploitation can occur and how urgently safe, trauma-informed environments are needed for vulnerable children. By supporting safe homes, survivor-focused care, and prevention efforts, communities can help ensure that children are not only rescued from harm, but given the protection, dignity, and opportunity they deserve.

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—Vanessa Edwards, B1Daily