WEBVTT 00:00:00.635 --> 00:00:02.652 He found me on social media. 00:00:03.032 --> 00:00:06.195 She would force me to beg in the street. 00:00:06.210 --> 00:00:07.558 My mother... 00:00:07.858 --> 00:00:11.337 gave birth to me when she was 14 years old. 00:00:24.068 --> 00:00:26.318 I've always had problems, 00:00:26.318 --> 00:00:28.567 as if I was born into problems. 00:00:28.775 --> 00:00:32.494 I had to quit school early and go to work 00:00:32.494 --> 00:00:35.292 for my family to have money. 00:00:35.292 --> 00:00:37.612 My dad chose drugs over us. 00:00:37.801 --> 00:00:40.891 There's this awful feeling in your stomach 00:00:40.891 --> 00:00:43.337 when you know you're not wanted. 00:00:43.705 --> 00:00:46.875 I already had friends working in a strip club. 00:00:47.031 --> 00:00:48.861 They introduced me to a trafficker. 00:00:48.891 --> 00:00:51.656 I decided to run away. 00:00:51.916 --> 00:00:55.147 I might find love and care some place else. 00:00:55.496 --> 00:00:58.816 I couldn't believe how much I made in one night. 00:00:58.868 --> 00:01:02.188 I thought I could control what happened from there. 00:01:02.534 --> 00:01:04.884 He'd take pictures of us. 00:01:04.884 --> 00:01:07.726 I thought what they were doing 00:01:07.726 --> 00:01:09.151 to me was okay. 00:01:09.444 --> 00:01:11.704 I had my hair and nails done. 00:01:12.994 --> 00:01:14.774 I felt beautiful. 00:01:14.950 --> 00:01:17.880 He gave my family a computer and phones. 00:01:18.058 --> 00:01:19.831 My friends didn't have those, 00:01:19.868 --> 00:01:21.183 so I felt proud. 00:01:21.273 --> 00:01:22.825 I just didn't realize... 00:01:23.195 --> 00:01:25.715 that the person I thought was helping me, 00:01:25.745 --> 00:01:27.805 and keeping me protected, 00:01:27.835 --> 00:01:29.445 he was really my pimp. 00:01:29.720 --> 00:01:31.250 I loved her. 00:01:31.270 --> 00:01:33.270 I thought she loved me. 00:01:33.286 --> 00:01:34.866 But then he started saying 00:01:34.866 --> 00:01:35.976 "Rent's not free." 00:01:36.007 --> 00:01:40.007 I was forced to work in a nail salon. 00:01:40.064 --> 00:01:41.773 I was only twelve years old 00:01:41.773 --> 00:01:43.481 when I was first sold for sex. 00:01:43.546 --> 00:01:45.616 Mama said: "I'll be giving you 00:01:45.646 --> 00:01:47.926 to my American friend." 00:01:47.926 --> 00:01:49.676 I said "okay". 00:01:49.756 --> 00:01:52.515 But when the time came, 00:01:52.921 --> 00:01:55.276 I tried to hide from him 00:01:55.464 --> 00:01:58.347 behind the cars in the parking lot. 00:01:58.347 --> 00:02:00.301 I couldn't avoid the beatings. 00:02:00.301 --> 00:02:02.057 I begged to go home. 00:02:02.190 --> 00:02:05.384 My hands were swollen from the work. 00:02:05.424 --> 00:02:07.398 It hurt to walk. 00:02:07.858 --> 00:02:09.833 I needed to do what he wanted 00:02:09.833 --> 00:02:11.681 because he paid for me. 00:02:11.781 --> 00:02:13.984 People kept asking what was wrong 00:02:13.984 --> 00:02:16.218 I kept making up answers. 00:02:16.218 --> 00:02:18.565 I couldn't just tell my mom, because 00:02:18.595 --> 00:02:20.565 she would have just called the cops 00:02:20.565 --> 00:02:22.045 and I didn't want that. 00:02:22.125 --> 00:02:23.917 She didn't know how these people act. 00:02:23.917 --> 00:02:26.631 Then some people did call the police 00:02:26.631 --> 00:02:30.099 but they would just come and then leave 00:02:30.209 --> 00:02:32.359 and nothing would change. 00:02:32.389 --> 00:02:34.340 ...And no one could help me. 00:02:34.340 --> 00:02:37.580 I thought my life would end there. 00:02:37.937 --> 00:02:40.049 Someone called Love146. 00:02:40.049 --> 00:02:43.478 I said I wasn't going to see them, but... 00:02:43.548 --> 00:02:45.058 they kept showing up. 00:02:45.058 --> 00:02:46.581 They knew what I needed. 00:02:46.591 --> 00:02:48.527 The people were there and got us. 00:02:48.527 --> 00:02:50.973 They brought me to Love146. 00:02:50.973 --> 00:02:53.216 Talking to Love146 00:02:53.216 --> 00:02:54.786 was the first time I realized 00:02:54.786 --> 00:02:56.977 what was really happening to me. 00:02:56.977 --> 00:02:58.212 I was given.. 00:02:58.212 --> 00:02:59.747 a light, and.. 00:02:59.747 --> 00:03:01.751 a way out when I met you. 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:04.817 Now, I try to remember 00:03:04.817 --> 00:03:07.249 when I'm angry or sad 00:03:07.249 --> 00:03:09.381 that it's okay to cry. 00:03:09.381 --> 00:03:11.199 ...But everything that happened before 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:13.423 is starting to become a smaller part of my life 00:03:13.423 --> 00:03:15.657 because it's being replaced with good memories. 00:03:15.657 --> 00:03:19.572 My Love146 worker is like a mom to me. 00:03:19.881 --> 00:03:22.590 She.. showed me that... 00:03:23.936 --> 00:03:26.082 I'm deserving much more than this. 00:03:26.102 --> 00:03:29.374 When everyone else just thought I was a bad kid, 00:03:29.374 --> 00:03:30.481 she listened. 00:03:30.485 --> 00:03:33.045 I felt like it was my fault, 00:03:33.195 --> 00:03:34.205 but... 00:03:34.224 --> 00:03:36.733 Now I can explain to people how he tricked me. 00:03:36.943 --> 00:03:38.835 The hardest part 00:03:39.055 --> 00:03:41.397 is knowing that they couldn't find him. 00:03:41.472 --> 00:03:43.588 I imagine that he is just around the corner 00:03:43.588 --> 00:03:45.184 and he could shoot me. 00:03:46.642 --> 00:03:49.151 Even if there are people 00:03:49.151 --> 00:03:51.660 who continue to harm children, 00:03:52.084 --> 00:03:55.537 there are more people who still can love 00:03:55.537 --> 00:03:57.038 children like us. 00:03:57.232 --> 00:04:00.511 I am now living independently 00:04:00.511 --> 00:04:01.962 and I feel great. 00:04:02.050 --> 00:04:04.490 Love146 valued me. 00:04:04.967 --> 00:04:07.443 It was here that I become strong. 00:04:07.992 --> 00:04:10.334 It was here that I learned how to be loved 00:04:10.434 --> 00:04:13.750 and how to love myself and other people. 00:04:13.909 --> 00:04:16.409 I learned to stand on my own two feet. 00:04:16.532 --> 00:04:19.058 I'm not just another statistic. 00:04:19.275 --> 00:04:21.109 I'm not ready to give up. 00:04:21.150 --> 00:04:23.393 I still gave fight left in me. 00:04:24.023 --> 00:04:26.754 I'm gonna make it.