American Morning
How one woman escaped sex slavery
By Sean Callebs, CNN
She asked not to be identified. Her first name is Melissa. A victim who beat the odds.
“I thought I would be dead. I never thought I would live to be 22 or 24-years-old,” says Melissa. Her story begins when she was 17, living with another runaway, she says a pimp promised them a better life.
“He started to pay our rent. Pay our bills. Make sure that we had food in our house.” But he also – literally overnight – forced Melissa to trade sex in exchange, she tells us.
“Within a day, my whole life changed. I had to sleep with people. He would tell me where I had to be and when I had to be there.”
Human rights advocates tell us that right now there are about 25,000 young women in the United States who have been forced into sex trafficking. Along with the horror stories we hear of women brought into the U.S. from Asia, Latin America, and Europe, advocates tell us many of the young women forced into sex trafficking are runaways from right here in the United States.
Melissa’s story fits the profile. Trying to escape a broken home, she says she was sexually abused at young age. Pimps prey on women like her.
“It's a problem that's happening right here and it's happening to people’s daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. And it's plaguing every community in the United States,” says Luis CdeBaca, U.S. ambassador-at-large to fight human trafficking. He says it's time for the U.S. to step up its crackdown on sex trafficking with more aggressive investigations and prosecutions.
“For the first time now we have a combination of actors both at the federal and state level who are really clicking on this. We've got state laws that are being passed. We've got training that's being done by the Sheriff's Association, and the International Association.”
So why not just run to the police or escape? Melissa says she was stopped cold by fear, and the sad resignation this was her life.
“I was too scared to leave or to go anywhere. I had no money. I had nothing. I mean they were all that I had.”
“It's the same story over and over,” says Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Coppedge, who has made a career cracking down on the sex trafficking of minors. “The pimps almost have a handbook, the traffickers, as to how to catch a girl is the term. They will try this on 10 or 20 girls and only maybe get one that will fall for it, but it's that one who becomes the victim of sex trafficking.”
Melissa says it was an arrest for a traffic violation that eventually saved her life. The FBI convinced her to testify against her pimp and enter rehab for nine months, for therapy and drug addiction.
She's now married and hopes to start a family, something she once could not have imagined.
“All it does is take one person who actually does care and have pure motives – and give you everything that they were taught.”
Related: www.wellspringliving.org
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I’m so glad that human trafficking is being brought to the forefront. I’m appalled that something so horrific is brushed under the carpet. I don’t understand why there aren’t more amber alerts for all the children and women that are missing. Can the newspapers put out full page ads with missing people? Are there websites with pictures that can be distributed? Are there organizations that receive donations that can go out and “buy” these people’s freedoms? What can an average person do to help stop it? I am so thankful for organizations like Wellspring that reach out to help abused women.
Dude I am telling you this for your own good, sex trafficker's, pimps, and thier clients would not live to see thier day in court if I found them 1st.
If you like sex slaves so much move back to where ever it is you came from, you have no place on American soil.
How dare you say Home of the Brave, Land of the Free and show no human compassion for a woman or child degraded in the worst possible way, there will never be Legalized Prostitution in the United States, and if you happen to be an American citizen be aware that I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and will arrest you for sex traffickering abroad.
There is no excuses for barbaric behavior and by the way I'm not a Christian prune at all, I am a man who loves his mother, sisters, and daughters equally and would never condone them to such a fate while I live.
My thoughts:
– I dont believe teenagers are stupid, ignorant sometimes..yep. Let me make it clear for you...running away is the wrong option.
-If your a teenager ( under 18) and you have been sexually assaulted, what you need to do is put your social system to work, call in law enforcement and burn that groady loser who took advantage of you....not run away and give up your resources and take a chance of losing yourself in the process...duh! There are too many people out there ready to take advantage of you as you can see...Help the world help you by exposing to us these sorry a** people. Dont you dare lie about it.
– It is the responsibility of a parent or guardian to protect a minor...not solicit or take advantage of one. If you are one of those type of parents who cant seem to quite get the hang of how thats done...please call someone, and give that kid a better chance.
– How in the blithering world can you support legalizing the solicitation of a minor?...If you do, I want you to know...I'm watching for you. I enjoy knowing that I am serving my country protecting the freedoms of our people...But I aint happy your one of them.
-I understand that a grown woman does what she needs to do to survive, be it dance, strip or otherwise...especially to take care of her family... I only hope that this person finds a safe and secure future they are happy with. I cannot in good concience judge this person.
-I dont like hearing excuses and scapegoats for anyones behavior, if your not happy and refuse to put an end to it then your not living right, your just refuseing to take responsibility for yourself and do something about it...If you have the guts to get out of a situation like this young lady did....then I respect you as a person.
In closeing,
I am opposed to trying to regulate morality, it varies to much......But I respect myself enough to stand up for humanity which varies little and want to believe that those at home are the same way...
Legalizing prostitution will not solve the problem. The perpatrtors get satisfaction from the control they have over the victims.
I too am survivor of sexual abuse as a young child from my step-father. I now work in an adult male prison in Calif where I see hundreds of cases of sexual abuse where child molesters and rapists are serving their sentences on a Sensitive Needs Yard (SNY). The sad truth is a vast majority of the crimes I see are against children as young as 6 years old and the abuse has taken place over years. The sentences average 5 years with half-time. The offenders are out in less than 3 years to prey on another innocent child.
I often hear the offenders say how easy prison is in n Calif.
The criminal justice system needs to be overhauled and the plea bargains need to stop. Let the punishment fit the crime.
Thanks, CNN, for making people aware of the horror of sex trafficking. Keep up the good work and maybe more girls will be helped by organizations like Wellspring Living who through the help of our Living God brings them into new life.
They create a market for it by silly laws. Supply meets demand. If you want to see the govenrment go after some one; tax evasion. Legalize, license, tax, and moniter sex workers. No other solution besides imprisoning everone in a police state will work.
As I read several of the comments I noticed a theme. Blame the fathers, christians, police and men in general. I think the blame lies with our society. We allow these terrible things to happen everyday. We allow it because we do not have the moral will to stop it. Everyone of the pimps mentioned no douht has a criminal record that should have him behind bars, but his not. Why is that? Because our society does believe in punishing bad behavior. It want to help them and in the process hurt others. The shooting in Wa of 4 police is a prime example. Until we force our elected officials to pass laws and enforce them this cycle of inhuman abuse will continue.
What a sad story but all too common. We have far too long pretended that such things don't happen here in the U.S. but they do. And now that we know, we cannot ignore what we have seen.
Just wonders what rock Benjamin just crawled out from under...
The solution to this is simply, and has been employed in numerous European countries. Amazingly enough, it is also the solution to the drug problem... legalize prostitution. By legalizing, and then regulating it, it would overnight put most, if not all pimps out of business. I know there are many that will scream bloody murder for this suggestion, and make points about the morals of society, but the simply fact of the matter is, its called the oldest profession in the world for a reason! By legalizing and regulating, it eliminates the need for pimps, creates a system that would help keep underage, abused girls out of prostitution, and would help lead to a system that would help prevent the spread of disease. A perfect example of this is Amsterdam.
I know, I know, some of you feminists out there believe that once sexism is stamped out, the need to legalize will go away. The belief that ALL WOMEN working in the sex trade industry are sexually and mentally abused little girls is quite false and prevalent. As long as we live in a society where nothing is free, there will ALWAYS be women (and men!) willing to trade sex for money. There will ALWAYS be men (and women! if you think there are NO women that would pay for sex, again, you are living in a fantasy world. And yes, I know prevalently its men paying for sex) willing to pay for sex.
And the comment that real men don't pay for sex is absurd to the EXTREME!!! If you are married, and the primary bread winner in your home, you are paying for sex! If you are dating a woman, and primarily pay for dates, then you are paying for sex (or the opportunity to have sex with her!).
It amazes me that the very people that want to end human sex trafficking ignores the very real and simply way to do it. But then again, it's the same rationale used for the "war on drugs". And we all see how successful that has been.
This is America! The land of the FREE, the home of the BRAVE! Its time we are BRAVE enough to allow people the FREEDOM to decide what they want to do with their bodies, be it sell sex, buy sex, or put things in their body. Its time our government stop trying to legalize morality, and in doing so provide support for and implicit consent of the black markets of sex and drugs.
I understand that this is a terrible danger for women. But there is a danger that is worse for Gay Men. Because being Gay is considered a "sin" What happens to Gay men generates little concern or help.
I know this from my personal experience…. And it was only for the Grace of God that I am alive. Gay men are drugged, kidnapped and locked in soundproof dungeons. They are sold for Sadistic sex. When they are beyond their usefulness they are murdered and dumped where no one will find them. This is a well organized business that is international in scope and advertized and organized through the internet. What makes this especially hideous is that “respectable” people, Police, Physicians, District Attorneys, etc. are involved in these rings that are ultimately controlled by organized crime. I can name names, give proof, and these people are well known. I would do this but it would do no good and only endanger my life. These “people” are sophisticated, well organized and financed and use technology, IR cameras, subliminal programming, and drugs that are only available to Physicians and Intelligence agencies. They are literally “under your noses” but their credentials protect them. A Sadistic Gay sex Death movie
(known as a snuff movie) can be sold for as much as $250,000 per copy.
This happens to men and women, but what is most shocking is that “respectable” and powerful people are involved in this and they get away with it EVERY DAY.
i'm so glad that CNN is bringing this issue to light. This is a huge issue in our culture today.
Thank you for covering such an eye-opening story; I hope it will help other women who find themselves in similar circumstances. I'll say it again, real men don’t pay for sex and they don’t condone those who do!
It's amazing what happens when one woman tells her story. A safeness starts to build for other women to tell their stories and before you know it, a widespread awareness and accountability is created and persecution becomes easier and more efficient with each case. This is how serial killers are found. So, publishing these stories, as scary, risky, and selfless as it is, is so necessary for human trafficking to be recognized and then stamped out. Kudos to the women with the guts to speak up. Shame on the media who won't publish it and support the importance of awareness and action.
@ benjamin:
I find it rich that you say to stay close to your father or husband who "protects" you.....many times it IS the father who started the whole process by molesting his daughter(s)..so don't even go there....
This country of ours needs to return to the law of the land instead of the jungle and hang them in public for all to see.
This is a huge issue we are facing. Thank you for brining it into the open. As a community we must look at and address this issue.
I am appalled and angered. "There are worse things than death", is the phrase that comes to mind. Yes, their voices must be heard. We must give them a voice. The penalties for those who perpetrate these crimes must be more severe. It sickens me that so many think the captivity and rape for profit of young girls and boys should be legal. WHAT?!?!?! How ignorant are you?
young girls who find them in this situation finds no way out. But why can't we teach girls in school how they can get out this situation or who to contact.. all you need is 2 hours a year. School is spending enough classes on how their body work and what is sex, or on global warming. This girls deserve lot better. I know it is polictically incorrect to say why one particular kind of peoples are pimps. why they don't have daughter or sisters.
It is the secret keeping of this underground and evil operation which allows this to continue without much awareness. Thank you to CNN for the courage to shed some light on the dark and dangerous accounts of human trafficking.
i was also a victim of sex trafficking. but i liked it somewhat because i got 25% of the money and room and board.
Great story.....I think I know the situation and the family who literally saved her life...God is the Great Rescuer.
Real manhood is about making a difference in the lives of others, not taking life from them. To you guys who are talking about legalizing prostitution, real men don't pay for sex. Anything that's worth anything in life you have to work for. If you believe otherwise then you'll be awfully lonely at your deathbed because you haven't formed any real relationships.
I support Wellspring Living in Atlanta as a volunteer and a donor, and have been challenged and encouraged in my own faith journey by the stories I have heard from the young women going through the program. Check out http://www.wellspringliving.org and become a voice for the voiceless. This is the kind of action that makes a generational and ultimately an eternal difference. And as someone once said, anything we do without eternal significance is eternally useless.
My 14 yr old daughter came very close to being trapped by a predator who now resides in federal prison. Had it not been for another girl my daughter knew getting entrapped in a bad situation and finding out the connection we may have lost our daughter. The sex traffic "market" in our city is terrible and predators must be apprehended and imprisoned for life because the impact they have on our children stays with them for life! Thank you for bringing greater awareness through your media.
If you legalize prostitution it will do nothing to stop the child slave trade. Unless of course, that gets legalized too!
This is so sad that this goes on. Showing this story as much as possible maybe will save some girl out there from going down the same road!
Thank you so much for this piece and for shining the bright light of the media on this horrific practice. Atlanta is one of the capitals of this horror! We cannot let this practice continue in our nation and continue to be the great country we are.
If you are serious in wanting to affect change on the ground, visit http://www.wellspringliving.org (the organization listed in the article) for information on volunteer and advocacy opportunities.
Thanks for showing me this!
When I was 19, I took a train in to the city to meet up with a photographer for I photoshoot. When the train pulled in to the station, I got out with all my clothes needed for the shoot and proceeded to look around for a pay phone to see if the photographer wanted me to pick up some donuts for breakfast. This was in the late 80s, before your average person had cell phones. Anyway, it was not more than 40 seconds before someone approached me offering to give me some help. I told him that I was fine and he backed off for about 15 seconds more before he came back, offering to help me contact a relative, get me something to eat, give me a drive somewhere or to offer me a place to sleep. It was only when I told him that I lived in New York, knew exactly where I was and to F**K OFF that he left me alone. I realized how it looked to him. Here I was coming off the train, with a slew of clothes and a lost bewildered look in my face. I am sure it fit a profile for him.
thank you for exposing this horrific problem and keep them coming
what do liberals care about what goes on outside the US, sex slavery, slavery, terrorism, or what-not... they mostly wish to be isolationist, which would ultimately let the world go to hell in a handbasket. . . then once the folly came to our borders, and only then, wouldthey realize their folly of isolationism and how hard the fight to puch back the world's evil would be by then!
It amazes me that some of the other people who commented actually believe or say that these women or men get what they deserve. There is absoluetly no reason or justification for anyone to be forced to perform sexual acts!!!! Sexual trafficing, rape, sexual abuse, or any other sexual crime needs to be stopped. We as a culture need to raise awarness and adapt a no tolerance policy for such acts. We must help protect one another. I believe that no matter the reason – running away from home, doing drugs, etc.- no one deserves to be sexually abused.
Get involved with this cause, and raise awareness!
This problem is huge in our country and all over the world... very often involving children found on the streets as young as five or six years old. It doesn't get the publicity it should because it's an ugly problem. Often, children are left in that horrid situation while authorities wait for the "Big Man" on campus to enter the picture instead of arresting the pimp and freeing the girls. They are drugged and taken all over the country to meet up with the sick man who wants to violate them. They are brain washed and drugged and kept in basements tied to bunk beds in suburban America. It's simply one of the biggest tragedies and horrific crimes. Every time I see "missing children" posters in Wal-Mart, I just shudder inside thinking that what that child may be enduring. I am so glad CNN did a story... it needs a series... a big one.
Great article but honestly, it is just the tip of the iceberg. Melissa, I appreciate your courage. Brian–I agree that there are far too many folks these days running around with victim mentalities but that doesn't negate the true victim. I guess if you grow up in a "leave it to Beaver' home or live in total denial of deep dysfunction, one could say what you said. Seriously though, what do you say to a three and four year old child when an adult that outweighs them by 5 times or more then overpowers them, orders them to obey, and threatens them–what do you say, "shape up or ship out–you eat my food, you are under my roof, so if I want to rape you bend over and smile?!!!" Seriously–what are you thinking? And Jake that is rich–legalize it! So coming into the 21st century to you means brutalizing and raping children? –NO THANKS! When and Where do you think this stuff starts? Instead of sticking your heads in the sand why don't you do your homework! Your incredible denial and blantant human disregard makes the 21st century a much more scary place!!!!
I was one of the millions of people who never knew this type of slavery was happening in our country until a couple of years ago. I though human trafficking and sex slavery was only something that happened in third world countries. I had no idea how much of it goes on right here in Atlanta, GA. It is a shame that young women in this country feel they have no where to go when they have conflicts – sexual abuse, mental abuse, or just plain no one who cares about them and their financial situation. Shame on America that only pimps seems to "care" about these young women. We need to create more awareness around this issue and there needs to be more outreach to young women who feel they have no other choices than to be pimped out.
CNN – great story – Please do more of these to create awareness around this issue. It is greater than the average American realizes.
Why is sexual slavery tolerated? All of us have women in our life- mom's, sisters, daughters, aunts-would we allow this to happen to one of our relatives. i can't believe that anyone would think that any of these girls deserve it. Men usually don't get raped-and they don't usually have to worry about being a victim of sexual slavery. These pimps look for girls to enslave.
I think that no female should ever again get arrested for prositution- I think that only johns and pimps should get arrested. I think that arresting a woman for prositution is the height of hypocrisy. If there were no johns-there would be no prositutes.
It makes me sick to read some of the comments from this article. These women/girls are desparate, alone and looking for help from a terrible situation. Our country has become way to liberal and accepting of things that are just WRONG
Jake, please don't say that you are suggesting that rape be legalized. This is not the same as prostitution. The difference in prostitution and human trafficking is that these women are forced to have sex...that's rape! ...and their lives (and/or families lives) are threatened if they escape. Doesn't matter what century it is. Please educate yourself before making ignorant comments like that! You too, A Smith.
I am thankful to see this article. The more that people are educated about what human trafficking really is, the more likely that potential victims can be spared. Thank you, Melissa and others for sharing your story!!
Legalizing prostitution would not help, because almost no-one – possibly no-one – wants to be a prostitute. That's why pimps have such a difficult time, and also why several European countries have laws that penalize the pimp and the customer and treat the prostitute as a victim.
In particular, I understand that prostitutes consider street prostitution especially degrading, so I propose that there be extra penalties for men who use street prostitutes. The very least society can expect is that guys use adults and lift up the phone. The best would be that anyone who uses a prostitute does time. It's not polite to say how guys without the social skills to have a relationship can manage their sex drives, you guess.
I agree completely with you Robin. If we had the help of the media even more, the knowledge of the severity of this issue would be more readily addressed. I can only hope and pray that laws continue to be set in place to help the victims of human trafficking. I also hope and pray for more donations to flow into Wellspring and other rehabilitation centers for these women.
Thank you for sharing your heart with us.
I'm incredibly grieved at the uncaring comments and the false belief that legalizing prostitution makes it non-traumatic for the women who would 'volunteer' for such a job. All you have to do is read the horrifying results in the lives of women who have given their bodies over and over again (willingly or not.) Many of the 'volunteers' would still be participating out of abject need, not because they looked in the paper and so-OH, there's my dream job-I've always wanted to be a prostitute. In China, many of the girls are from desperately poor families and see prostitution as the only job they can get. The problems associated with this are much deeper than 'just make it legal'. I know Melissa and invited her to live in our home while she healed from the devastating effects of all that was done to her. Yes, she was naive to believe she could get something for nothing, but being naive isn't a crime, enslaving someone else is. Children have a right to be safe in their own homes, crimes against people of all ages should be punished more severely, and everyone in the process of forcing someone into prostitution should be punished as well. Remember what Alexis de Tocqueville said: When America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." It's happening before our eyes. Let's join arms to stop it.
Legaliing prostitution does not bring us into the 21st century – in fact it puts us back thousands of years. In case you haven't heard – prostitution is "the wolrd's oldest profession".
This isn't a democratic/ republican issue. It isn't a Christian issue. It is a human issue. This girl – yes girl not woman – was a victim like so many other children right here in the United States. Right here in Atlanta it is 200-300 CHILDREN a month.
It is time to wake up people. Slavery was abolished here in the United States. So citizens it is time to start living in the 21st century. The buying and selling of people no matter what age is slavery – I really don't think we need to make that legal – do we?
A very courageous girl. Thank you CNN for exposing this shameful business.
Before my involvement with Wellspring Living I had no awareness of how many girls are trapped in sex-trafficking and abusive lifestyles. I feel so blessed to see lives rescued and changed...and to know that some people care and that there are people like Mary Frances Bowley who have a huge passion for helping girls who have been victimized by abuse. Hopefully more people will care. Thanks CNN for airing the story.
Wow, this is quite a story...one of many that need to be told.
Thanks for covering Melissa's story. I hope it will result in more awareness of the sex slave issue and more action on the part of our gov't and law enforcement and many other young women being set free.
Sex trafficking is a real problem. I applaud Melissa's bravery to combat this issue.
The problem begins with the heart!!!
Why was this woman not living with her father or her husband?!
Who were the people that this alleged "pimp" was paying the bills for?
It is high time for the women in "American society" to wake up to the fact that you have no physical power!
You think that you have all these "rights", but no consequences.
What you actually have is the right to stay close to, and be completely loyal and faithful to, your protectors... Daddy or Husband.
If you think you're going to go out and live on your own, make your own rules, and have "rights", then you will live with the dangerous consequences. Do not expect us men, whom you are not faithfully and loyally helping, to tax ourselves to pay protectors (e.g, cops) to pull you out of a jam that you created for yourself!
Stay close to Papa or Hubby (and make him happy with you), or defend yourself! We don't have money, nor are we willing to give it, to buy security for you while you are out pretending to have the "right" to do whatever you please, but no "consequences".
Power = Man.
"Better get on a good team" = Woman.
All the more reason to legalize it, and REGULATE prostitution!
As long as it's illegal, men will find ways around the law. And other men will find ways to enslave women, as they can't go to teh police for help, because the police are too busy judging the woman to be a bad person, and ignoring the human abuses they suffer at the hands of outlaw pimps!
For those of you that think you have the answer in legalization of prostitution....I noticed you are ALL MEN! Go figure! You have a HEART PROBLEM!!
Thank you for bringing attention to this issue. I have met young teenage girls who were caught in this same trap. There needs to be more awareness both for prevention, intervention, and prosecution of those who are victimizing these girls (and boys).
Luckily my story is not one coming out of a totally depraved and deprived childhood background. My heart goes out to these childhood victims .........some who were abused as tiny tots even on a DAILY basis!
Several men tried to abuse me during my childhood. Most of the times my intuition (or angels perhaps?) saved me from various types of molestation. I was even saved from a kidnapping at the age of 5 years! Also, I was "date" raped at the age of 17 or 18. Back then we, the child victims were "blamed" for the events that occurred to us.
Most decent men have no idea of how the worst of their male sex can use their physical and monetary powers to get the most out of their victims. Open your eyes! not every man is a decent as you are.
For example: One time (age 10) I was invited to a "play" featuring me as the "star". I was escorted into a dark barn full of kids and placed on a "stage". I knew right away something was wrong and when HE , alias "Grandpa", said that I was to "kiss" the prince... namely HIMSELF. I said "No, I am leaving right now!" The door was locked so I said. "Unlock the door, we're all leaving. I'm going to tell my mother and all you other kids go home and tell your mothers too!" He said "Please don't tell your mother". I said "OK just let me out and all the other kids too" He let us out. Unfortunately, I kept my word and did not tell my mother. I should have told her but this was the fifties and no one ever breathed a word to us about sexual molestation and how to deal with it. Instead it was a shameful thing to be a victim and no one ever talked about it. Fortunately, very soon afterwards,"Grandpa" left the neighborhood.
Next: The kidnapping story was definitely a miracle as I was a very small five year old child, no bigger than today's three year old. Yet I was "advised" by some higher power as to what to do and say to escape this potentially disastrous event. I constantly thank God for this miracle even today.
Once again, my heart goes out to all of you and I hope and pray that you will be empowered to turn the hurting into a healing. I also am hopeful that one day the perpetrators find hope that they can heal their malicious pedophilic and sexual obsessions and do something to aid the victims into reclaiming their self respect and their right to a happy life .
There is nothing more damaging to a soul than sexual abuse! We need to do whatever is necessary to stop sex trafficking, to stop pimps, and to stop the criminal justice system from further victimizing the victims, and get them to start doing their jobs and protecting the innocent!
This is heartbreaking. Thank goodness that she was able to get out. I hope that efforts to prevent this in the future are successful.
Thank you for sharing this story. As the mother of 3 daughters I am thankful to now be aware of this situation. May more be done to protect our children.
I think we all need to pause and think how horrific this is. We need to imagine if it were our family member. We would want action. I applaud those who make it their work and their passion to help stop this terrible crime and I applaud those who help the girls who have been through this rebuild their lives.
We each need to help bring awareness to the issue any way we can.
I applaud CNN for running this video and article.
Thanks
How horrible that this is an issue and that Atlanta has such a high rate of trafficking! Thank you for bringing this story to the forefront and educating people about how we can help. Spotlighting organizations that are making a difference connects volunteers and victims with the resources that are available.
I am so thankful that Melissa was bold enough to tell her story. I hope if there are others who are being exploited, they will seek help. We all need to do our part to protect our children and prosecute those who exploit them!
As you judge the people involved please consider that a knee jerk reaction usually results in a jerked knee. Most of these girls have learned to be reactive not proactive. As such many are not resourceful enough to understand or comprehend that someone would harm them in such a way. Oddly enough even those sexual molested by family members are still taken care of. The young people in these situation are battling a legacy of confusing lifestyles. Look at how you can be proactive and under gird before the cracks get bigger and swallow up these girls.
Who is more at fault the pimps or the men who pay for forced sex?
Notice who pimps go after – young girls who feel they have nothing left, no hope and no way out. How they came to this situation has many roads. The bottom line is explottion of anything is wrong. To continue to allow the dealing of young girls in the sex trade is no better than the slave trading of Afro Americans. Let's fight against sex slavery as hard as was fought against work slavery.
I'm amazed at the impact organizations like Wellspring can have on women and girls' lives. I would like to see more public awareness ad campaigns focused on how a girl is lured into trafficking and recognize trafficking victims. Too many Hollywood films glorify the oldest "profession" and fail to show the reality that for many girls this is servitude and slavery, not a job with the chance of bonuses or career advancement. Thanks for showing Melissa's story and I hope to see more news reports like this in the future.
I am so glad that CNN is covering the issue of sex trafficking in America. This was a great clip to create awareness and shed more light on this growing problem. Please do more coverage on the issue of sex trafficking!
this story is very touching! We must make the laws tougher on these PIMPS. I just can't beleive this happens in the US everyday and even worse right here in Atlanta GA!
Have you lost your mind, legalize and regulate prostitution???
This issue here isn't about public demand it's about crimminal activity,
I don't live by a Christian ethic but I will tell you this, I would never wish prostitution on my mother, sisters, daughters, or grand children.
America suffers from extreme moral decay not christian values, serial rapist aren't interested in prostitutes legal or otherwise.
The Porn Industries feed the deluded populace and makes human-trafficking acceptible to idiots like yourself, but the fact remains sex trafficking is slavery.
I am no Christian prune as you say, but I would be more than happy to place all sex offenders to death to protect my family.
We don't live in Europe and the victems & children involved are kept as slaves, there is no difference between the Serial Rapist and a Pimp.
Don't justify such poor behavior and crimes by comparing it to another country, feeding on the poor even in a 3rd world country would earn you a nasty beating if i happen to find you.
Kathy, just search online for anti-sex trafficking efforts and organizations. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find one near you. your time is more valuable than money. Find an organization near you. Do some research on it. If it's something you feel you can get behind, call them and ask ways you can get involved outside of financial giving. I'm sure they'll have ideas!
Here are some great ones to check out:
Venture expedition and their Just+Hope tours
Wellspringliving.org
Love146, Denver
Hope this helps!
For those who think that legalized prostitution would fix all of these problems, let me remind you that slavery is a huge problem in Amsterdam, where women are kidnapped and brought in to be "legal" prostitutes.
We need to stop apologizing for Johns by saying that "the women choose this lifestyle." A recent survey of 785 prostitutes from 9 different countries showed that 89% wanted to escape prostitution. No little girl grows up dreaming about being a prostitute.
If we continue to have an apologetic attitude for Johns, the demand will continue to grow. When demand is high and supply is not, more girls get forced into this lifestyle.
fr Brian:
>Young girls who run away from home and then find themselves at the mercy of some one who says that they own them are stupid....<
Why are YOU blaming the victim here?
Grow UP, get a clue, and get educated.
Some of these responses are heartbreaking.
I hope that those suggesting legalization don't understand that many, or even most, of the victims are under 18. Should child prostitution be legal?
Those over 18 are still deeply affected psychologically, mentally, and spiritually. Their experiences will haunt them for the rest of their lives, as people stand by and say "It's ok, they're making money. They've got food to eat."
Many of those who have been kidnapped or lied to are heavily drugged so that they won't fight, escape, etc. This whole situation is not ok. It's a modern form of slavery, and we should all be outraged. I will stand up as a "Christian prune" (thank you, A. Smith) and fight against anything like this being legalized. This is a tragedy.
It's sad to hear what happened to this poor girl, and yet it's amazing she's here to tell the tale...As for the whole Hollywood thing, they touched upon the horrors of this, with two movies that I've seen. One had aired on Lifetime with Mira Sorvino, Donald Sutherland, and Robert Carlyle about the horrifying world of sex trafficking. Also the movie Taken with Liam Neeson touched upon that too. Neither one glamorized any of it. In Taken they were showing how this seemingly nice guy, that the daughter of Neeson's character and her friend had met while at the airport, turned out to be a lowlife and a "spotter". The spotter would tell the traffickers where the girls had been staying and if anyone else was with them, etc. From there, the two girls were kidnapped, shot full of drugs, and pimped out. Fortunately the daughter had a father that had the resources to go overseas and rescue his daughter (he used to be a spy for the gov't). Sad to say though in real life, it doesn't always work that way. With the Mira Sorvino movie, they showed young and older women alike being either kidnapped or bought from families, and forced into prostitution. Some that tried to escape were either badly beaten or worse killed. I truly feel for these people who've had to go through such horrors, and when they're able to survive it all like Melissa did and come out on top, I feel good for them that they were able to get to a better point in life...Kelly, I'm glad to see that you've found the strength and courage to come forward as you have. It takes a lot of guts to come forward like that with your story, and I applaud you for it. As for you negative folks, you should be ashamed of yourselves. It's just like the saying "As you sow, so shall ye reap". In otherwords, Karma's a real b–ch
No one deserves to be a slave of any sort. Sometimes you have to runaway because you are being abused or being raped or both. And when you get out of there where should you go I mean I would go to the police but I am 18 I know what to do kids don't. Our society is horrible no one cares about anyone but themselves anymore. To those people who have been hurt I am truely sorry for your pain. We are only humans we make mistakes and sometimes we let people in and trust them and they hurt you and its so hard to leave. My adivice if anything like this happens to someone go to the police or to a family member.
The people on here telling these victims what they should do, feel, think, or what/who they are, makes me sick to my stomach. Pretentious indeed. I have never heard from one person in my entire life that they "want" to become a prostitute. None of these people are "wannabe" prostitutes. It's called "sexual slavery" because it is NOT CONSENSUAL. It's not their fault this happened to them, and if one of you believes they wanted to do this, you are the one who needs their head checked. And shame on you, "Brian", assuming you know everything there is to know about human trafficking, runaways and molestation. Maybe if it happened to you you'd actually think before opening your mouth.
Isn't it wonderful when an Amercian just like you or I watches Oprah or the news and all of a sudden proclaims themselves a licensed f***ing therapist with all the answers?
..legalize it and regulate the health aspect....time to live in the 21st century!
I applaud those of you who are sharing and being real about your own experience!
Not so much for those of you who have nothing but judgements to make.
This tragic story is being repeated daily by hundreds of thousands of women, young boys and girls all over the world.
Directly due to Christian taboos, the present laws against legal prostitution need to climb out of the medieval time zone when they were written. The Pauli Girl districts in Germany, and across Europe have ZERO crime increases, and far fewer problems with child slavery.
Legalize Prostitution across America, if Christian prunes don't like it then they could vote their minority against it and live by the majority result.
As a member of the American society, I think we have been asked so much for money and seen it used, for the most part, to line the pockets of people who don't need it; that we have become detached to the problems of the world that need our most attention. Please tell me how, as a partially disabled person who cannot give money...How can I personally help victims of human sex trafficing? I would like to make it my priority in life.
The apathy and sheer ignorance of some of these comments are truly upsetting to me. People really have no care or concern for others anymore. For some children, leaving home is their only option. Its not as if the only kids who run away from home are the ones who don't get their way. Perhaps their parents are drug addicts or sexually, physically or mentally abusing them. Not everybody lives a life in which they are free to succeed. Not everybody lives a life where they are even free to eat. This world is filled with poverty, crime and hateful people. Where is somebody to escape to when that is all that surrounds them? If you want to be ignorant and insensitve, keep it to yourself. Those comments just go to show that even if you don't have to sell yourself to sex slavery, you can still manage to be miserable.
I am a survivor of sexual abuse within the family..my father. I finally ended it at 14yo by telling him I would kill him if he touched me again. The horrible truth about sexual abuse is that it is still not brought out into the open. I believe once an abuser always an abuser and should be dealt with with that in mind. I am now 44 yo, have a 19 yo daughter and have control of my life. I didnt let it bring it down; I let it empower me. I went back to school, have a real estate license, own a home and have a life. The worst thing you can do for yourself is let it bring you down...then the abuser wins.
Are "Thiago," "Mikey R," "rick," and "Brian" suggesting that legalizing the prostitution of minors is a good idea? She was 17, correct? And therefore technically a minor?
Just wondering, do 12 year olds fall under this suggested definition of legal?
On another note, I recommend reading "Renting Lacy," published by Shared Hope International. Go to the website, make a donation and they're send you your own copy.
Brian:
Most girls who run away from home aren't doing it because Mommy and Daddy took away their dolls or Playstation. They are doing it because their fathers, uncles, brothers or so some other MALE in the family thinks the girls around them are their personal sex toys. Given the tone of some of these responses it's very obvious we are still in the grip of a misogynistic society that fails to see how easily many girls fall prey to it. I was assaulted by several men when I was in my teens, but I was fortunate enough to have family who stood by me, believed me, and taught me young how to fight, both mentally and physically, against men who would think they have the right to treat me the way they want, even when I knew I was at risk of death because I chose to fight back.
The problem is, the exploitation of at risk/in need people. These people have nothing and you're using them to fulfilll your needs. If anything that's against one's basic human rights. Regardless of class, situation, or mental state, the victims are people too. It is no different than exploiting third world countries for their resources whether they be human or material because it's cheaper.
Prostitution being legal won't solve the problem. You will still have deranged people desiring to do illegal and illicit things because by it's very nature it is illegal. With legalized prostitution you're still going to have people looking for child porn, rape, etc all because it's a forbidden pleasure that some people feel the need to satisfy.
I really don't see the problem here. She was having her rent paid and everything provided for her. She was probably a prostitute before she met her 'pimp' so all this guy dude was be a smart business man something that our American values encourage. I really don't see why this is news worthy or even worthy of wasting our tax dollars prosecuting this as a crime. We should be taxing and legalizing prostitution instead of criminalizing the people who participate in it.
No one should experience this type of situation. How sad and what a pathetic society we live in to allow or encourage this. I'm not a prude, but I feel that porn and sick people create this behavior. Sadly I don't think we will see the end of this anytime soon.
Jleb, has a good point kidnapping is a Federal crime, thus the FBI and not the local police should handle it. Also it is a CAPITAL OFFENSE meaning you can apply the DEATH PENALTY.
Having said that I could understand how you, Kelly, might not want to go public. (Which would also force the FBI to act in your denfense.)
But have you ever considered the more extereme option? Drive back and put a bullet in his head? If it even went to court, what jury or judge would begin to blame you.
Not that I am a gun nut, or even own one but this might be one of those times. If more pimps started ended up dead, rappers might stop "pimping" in their videos.
What about all of us boys who are lured into the sex slave trade; do we not have a voice too? I started pulling tricks at age 8 and didn't stop till I was almost dead at age 18.
Some of us talked of escaping so our "uncle" made us watch as he bound, gagged, raped and then killed a boy who was talking about escaping; that pretty much put an abrupt end to any of us trying to escape but it didn't stop fate as fate would later pay out when "uncle" was found dead after trying to buy some more boys for his trade.
Young girls who run away from home and then find themselves at the mercy of some one who says that they own them are stupid. People are not property and can not be owned. It seems that we are turning into a victim society where we need to be a victim so we do not have to accept the responsibilities that the rest of the population has. All too often I hear a young person say "I had to run away" or "my parents are too controlling." Mayebe they just want you to be a productive member of society like everyone else. So here is some advice to you wanabe prostitutes and will be sex slaves. Do not run away from home! Live under your parnet's roof and obey thier rules. Eat thier food and ask for allowance or...Go out and live on the streets and sell the only thing that you control, your body!
The reason not a lot has been done is because law enforcement is uneducated, or worse involved. You can't tell me our legislators, and lobbyists, are all decent human beings and "family men" – I guarantee a handful participate. These issues exist because there is a market for it that ranges from the most disgusting truck driver to family practice doctors and fathers. We're too tolerant of a nation and our justice system is a joke.
Chemical castration and death are the only two methods that should be in place for rapists, pimps, and child molestors. You can't be rehabilitated and you're of absolutely no use to society. When you take away someone's rights, yours should no longer exist. You hurt someone, you should not be entitled to a lawyer and the victims and their families should choose your punishment. Now that's a country I could live in and be proud of.
if the majority of these young women were sexually abused at a young age..lets start there...get the name of the abuser, call the cops and either bring criminal charge or civil charges against them and the mother,father or parent who let this person into their life . That way you have money to get on with your life...a friend of mine was molested by someone and we all got together and sued him and her mom and she got a ton of money PLUS her moms new car... the only way this cycle will stop... is nip it in the bud. the pimps are not the bad guys...it is the molester that started the cycle that needs to be punished...also the parent responsible for the youth... in every case where a step parent has been charged with a crime , the blood realitive (mom,Dad etc) needs to be charged with the same crimes...too many mothers are so worried about having a man that they PIMP there own kids out for one...they just dont see it
Kelly, you were kidnapped. That is federal crime. While the local police might not do anything, please see the FBI immediately. Kidnapping is a high priority crime for them. Good luck!
This is why I find it disgusting that the words "pimp" and "pimping" have been glamorized in our culture in recent years. There is nothing glamorous in sexual exploitation and slavery. It merely points up how misogynistic society remains after all.
Atlanta is one of the top three human-trafficking cities in the U.S. As a mental health professional working in Atlanta, I see the impact on many levels of society.
Why doesn't someone talk about the impact movies and moviestars have on this issue?
Consider the benefit if Richard Gere and Julia Roberts would speak out against human trafficking rather than glorifying human trafficking in movies like Pretty Woman.
Consider the benefit if the best hotels in Atlanta would join organizations like "A Future Not A Past" and refuse to turn a blind eye to human trafficking when they suspect it is being conducted in their hotels.
Consider the benefit if organizations like "Wellspring Living" received enough donations to provide shelter and therapy to all the women and girls in Atlanta who have been victims of human trafficking.
Consider the work that these organizations and others not mentioned have done to change local legislation to make human trafficking more difficult in Atlanta.
Still, so many people have no clue about how many women and girls are suffering...
Thank you, CNN for making more people aware of this serious problem!
I am not a survivor of sex trafficking, but I am a survivor of sexual abuse. After having gone through the onset trauma and the demons that follow all sexual assault victims, I believe all types of rape, sexual assault, abuse and trafficking should be considered a capital crime, thus punished by death. I will never get back what as taken from me and though I have persevered and am strong now, I will always have the memories. These people ALL need to be killed, period. They are living, breathing evil and are a threat to humanity. I congratulate Melissa and the others who have shared their stories in the comment section of this story.
These traffickers are child molesters. And as such, should be treated as laws currently dictate. Put the pimps in the same web sites as child molesters. Let the citizens know where they live. Let the kids know their faces and where they live.
If prostitution was legal, licensed, and regulated you could eliminate this problem. The laws have created a black market. Morality cannot be legislated against, human nature is what it is.
While we're on the subject, why isn't there more focus on the hundreds of women disapearing in Juarez? That city is the bermuda triangle of human trafficking.
This brave woman's story is a great way to get people to understand what is going on out there. So many young ladies having no other way out but to do things like this. I just hope it opens the eyes and scares the hell out of girls who think life can't get any worse. I wish you all the happiness and thank you for sharing this heart breaking story.
These Women should be pimped out if they think some random dude is gonna pay their rent for free, put food in the fridge and not ask anything in return! Nothing is free in this world! Everything has its price! DONT GET PIMPED SMACKED!
You are a brave woman Kelly. I can't imagine the cold heartedness of people capable of hurting young women and children for their own financial benefit.
What a brave woman for coming forward. I commend her. One way to hit hard at the problem is to make human trafficking, and pimping, when convicted, a life sentence. Also, the "johns" should be punished more harshly than they are.
i was kidnapped at 19 years old by being drugged and taken to another city to be beaten, raped, tortured, and worse being foced to have sex with men for money. I was so scared so i did what they told me to until i woke up one day and they were in another room with the door locked and something told me to run so i did they tried to shoot me when i ran and since that day i thank god that im still alive.The emotional pain that you feel after that kind of think is tremendious. I still see a psychiatrist today for what they did to me. Till this day the men still have not been brought to justice because the police refused to prosecute.