How #Dressember Is Helping Women Fight Human Trafficking

Typically, crowdfunding campaigns are constructed for the purpose of raising money for one individual or group: People use the platform to raise funds for projects they're working on, products they want to create, or to help a person in need. But one woman is turning the concept of crowdfunding on its head, through the construction of a campaign aimed to encourage followers to start their own fundraisers—and hopefully, raise tons of money to fight human trafficking in the process.

Several years ago, social activist Blythe Hill launched the #Dressember challenge, merging her love of fashion and her drive to make a difference in the world. The campaign works differently from most: Hill asks participants to wear a dress every day throughout the month of December, document their outfits on social media, and create their own campaign pages that friends and family can then support to reach a preset financial goal.

Now in its third year, the #Dressember challenge has raised more than $1.5 million to combat human trafficking—a horrific practice with more than 20 million victims worldwide, according to the Polaris Project. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Hill explained the origins of the project came from her own experiences as a child. "I guess my heart for human trafficking comes from my own story of abuse in my childhood," she said. She added, "I had seen the fundraising momentum of #Movember, which raised millions of dollars, and thought that if people would donate and rally around a cause through a quirky style challenge like growing mustaches, maybe we could give it a try with wearing dresses."

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Aside from raising money to fight human trafficking directly, Hill hopes to also support victims through programs aimed at helping them recover from their traumas.

"Beyond being rescued [from trafficking], there is incredible need for trauma therapy, safe housing and job training," she said. "Because risk of re-entry into trafficking is so high, aftercare is crucial to an individual's emotional, physical and mental recovery."

Though the first week of this year's #Dressember challenge is already through (with more than $400,000 raised so far this year!) anyone interested can still participate. "It's absolutely not too late [to join]," Hill promises. "People sign up at any point during the month."

Interested in joining the challenge? Head to Dressember.org for more details, and share snaps of yourself wearing a dress on social media with the hashtag #Dressember. If you want to support the cause without participating in the style challenge, read up on the campaign and donate here.

Now how to dress fabulously this holiday season: