reflection 8

EleSondra jarred me with her brutally honest and raw delivery, but these same qualities made her story incredibly inspiring. As she states in her own words, she is a change-maker—“[she is] a brilliant woman who figured out that, if she had something big to offer the world, she better step up right now and do it.” Upon her visit to our classroom, I reflected on the concepts of trauma, recovery, and impactful change on a deeper level. EleSondra’s lived victimhood, suffering, and personal challenges was difficult to hear, but on the other hand, a necessity for understanding the full scope of her journey. She was born into an unstable environment with a father who was a sex trafficker himself, and a mother who fell victim to the abuse. Her safety was further jeopardized as a result of sexual abuse in and out of foster care, until she eventually “hit the streets” at the vulnerable age of 11. There were evidently a plethora of external factors beyond a child’s control subjecting her to exploitation and unimaginable trauma. I was shocked and abhorred that a 13-year-old EleSondra, despite being traumatized at the hands of abusive parenting and lack of guidance, was sentenced to prison. This is the first moment at which I reflected on yet another instance of law enforcement’s incompetence in delivering justice for victims of sex trafficking. Her ensuing crack cocaine addiction and continued prostitution, I thought, was largely a product of her dire circumstances and untreated childhood traumas. In many ways, EleSondra was a self-starter in her “recovery” process. By inward reflection at the House of Emmanuel, and the determination to face her trauma with sex trafficking head-on, she made the pivotal shift for change. Her decision to start the Wake Up Youth program to empower vulnerable and impressionable kids truly reflects her faith that with the right tools, resources, and authentic care, they can find the agency to leave dangerous situations. I realized that impactful change takes the level of faith and bravery that EleSondra demonstrated. Similarly, her involvement in the FBI’s “Precious Cargo” case in 2005, changed my outlook on other avenues for impactful change. This case demonstrated that law enforcement can be successful when paired with the empathy and insight that comes from cooperation with ex-victims. It is astutely clear that first-hand experiences and insights like EleSondra’s should inform future structural and policy transformations in law enforcement, to better combat sex trafficking cases. Among the many lessons I took away from EleSondra’s visit, I learned that trauma recovery is critical, and that impactful change must be more dynamic and empathetic. Her efforts at STARS reflects a well-rounded approach to prevent sex trafficking by providing vulnerable women with resources and education, supporting victims in the courtroom, and building a network for trauma recovery. Her strength and drive to fight sex trafficking is inspiring in itself, but I recognize that the struggle is far from complete.