La Strada has been active in the Czech Republic since 1995, initially as a project of the proFem organisation. Since 1998, La Strada CZ has been registered as an independent legal entity. In 2004, it co-founded the international association, La Strada International. La Strada International has eight other member organizations active in European countries (Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine and Macedonia) and an International Secretariat with its seat in the Netherlands.

Towards the end of the 1990s, La Strada CZ gradually launched a specialised prevention Hotline and developed a concept for asserting trafficking in human beings as a topic within the agenda of the Czech government and within public discourse.

Shortly after 2000, La Strada CZ developed its concept of social work with trafficked women and acquired its first sheltered apartment, enabling it to provide safe accommodation at a secret address. Following years of experience in addressing trafficking into the sex industry, La Strada CZ provided its first services and assistance to women trafficked into exploitation in sewing workshops.

2004 saw the establishment of La Strada International. La Strada CZ issued the first of its Recommendations to the Czech Government, summarising the steps that should be taken to prevent trafficking in human beings and to provide effective assistance to trafficked persons. Following La Strada CZ’s continued calls, in 2004 the definition of the offence of trafficking in human beings was changed to cover not only trafficking into exploitation in the sex industry, but, as opposed to the preceding definition, also exploitation in any other industry. The same year saw the launch of La Strada’s Counselling Centre and the first provision of services to male clients.

In 2006, La Strada CZ began to develop its fieldwork concept and specific activities aimed at Vietnamese clients. In the same year, organization also acquired a new sheltered apartment and started to provide legal services.

In 2007, La Strada CZ registered, pursuant to Act No 108/2006 Coll., on Social Services, three social services, which it has been providing ever since (Counselling Service, Crisis Aid, Sheltered Accommodation). Also, La Strada CZ commenced to monitor the situation in the migrant communities with regard to risks from trafficking in human beings.