Somy Ali knew that she wanted to help rescue victims of human trafficking and domestic violence after experiencing it firsthand. Growing up, she not only witnessed her mother being abused by her father, but was personally abused numerous times.
She officially founded No More Tears in 2007 with a mission to do just that — assist and empower women, children and men, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community.
No More Tears is a Miami-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that directly funds victims’ services with 100% of the proceeds, provides immediate assistance with no waiting list, has an all-volunteer staff and is completely funded by donations. Nobody takes a salary, including Ali herself, who lives on the proceeds that her rental properties, purchased from her Bollywood earnings, bring in.
“As of today [March 9], 40,000 men, women and children, including pets and LGBTQ+ members, have been rescued,” explains Ali, 47, who was raised in Pakistan and now lives in Miami. The organization provides resources for housing, legal counsel, meals, education, jobs, therapy and medical support and only takes calls that come through proper channels. “We’re listed with the Human Trafficking Hotline, 211, the FBI, every police department and hospital emergency room in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach County, in high schools and have brochures (written in Arabic, for example) in grocery stores.”
She receives 15-20 calls a day, not only nationally but from London, Pakistan and India.
Ali is a licensed victim advocate who works solo on her rescue missions, for fear of endangering her staff and interns and is always accompanied by the police.
Her precarious missions were even featured on the Discovery+ docuseries, “Fight or Flight,” which aired eight episodes starting in May 2021, with more episodes to come on HBO.
Abusers — usually husbands and boyfriends — come from all walks of life (doctors, lawyers, upper and middle class) and are generally very charming, while traffickers are more crass — like thugs and pimps — involved with drugs and sex, Ali expresses.
“My ultimate goal is to save 100,000 victims and open a ‘No More Tears’ in Mumbai, where it’s needed,” Ali says. “There’s a rebellion trait in human rights activists — it’s a specific trait that I have.”
For more information, call 954-324-7669 or visit nomoretearsusa.org.