This is Reality

To learn more about Human Trafficking, Modern Day Slavery, please go to:
[link]

Want to help end slavery? Just spread that link around! Every person you tell is 1 less potential victim!

It can happen to men, women, children... even newborn babies. In any country.

Even if we cannot abolish slavery for good, we can protect people! We can make it harder for the traffickers! We can fight back and give the victims a chance!

I am a victim. We aren't faceless, you can see my pictures in my gallery. We are many. We didn't want this to happen. We didn't ask for it. We had no escape.

Without help... it feels hopeless.

When I was younger, I didn't understand.

Now I know why. Why she wasn't allowed to have a key to the mail box, why she knew my birth father was sleeping around and did nothing about it. Why she let him punch holes in the wall, and be a slob, and take all her money... and not fight back.

Because she wanted to protect me. She did not fail! She was tricked... Devils always fool their victims. She believed that, since I was his child, he wouldn't hurt me.

My father never did anything sexual to me. He allowed others to. He knew about it, he allowed it. He scared me to the point where I still get scared around men. That I still hear people shouting and want to cover my ears. That I still have nightmares. He had his good moments. I went to school, I had a computer and a dog. I was online frequently... all signs that told people "nothing is wrong".

... If there had been more awareness, I could have been free long ago. I was freed when I was 13 and the police called my mother from my school (she divorced my father, but he had is part of the week since the judge ordered it) and told her to get me and get an order of protection filed. I have not had to go back since! I am free!

So please! Spread this link around:
[link]
And please this, if you can. Help me free others and prevent this from happening to other people!

This is a poster offered by ALERT and was at the table of the GSGEMS (GirlScout Gems) I was doing a book signing with at Thinking Day February 7th, 2009 in Phoenix Arizona. I did not make the poster, and Kendra Garcia took the picture and gave me permission to post it here.

If this needs a mature content warning, I'll add it