DENVER — Mel is a mother of three, a grandmother of four, and works part time with people who are intellectually and developmentally disabled. She wants people to know that she’s more than a survivor of human trafficking.
Even though those experiences were a huge part of her life, Mel is healing and moving forward.
“This healing becomes such a big responsibility on the victims of these crimes,” explained Mel, adding that resting is often part of the process. “Sometimes you get tired of this idea that because you’re a survivor and you’ve handled [human trafficking], that you can handle anything.”
Mel, who asked that Rocky Mountain PBS not use her last name, explained how she started running away from an abusive situation at home when she was 15. Two years later, she met an older man who started grooming her. The man made Mel feel loved and special.
“He started to treat me like princess. This man was giving me all this attention, and all this stuff, and he put a big diamond ring on my finger," she said. "He made me feel very secure.”
Mel said the man eventually convinced her to go with him to New York City, where she was immediately put on the street and forced to prostitute herself. “It was scary and hard. I got arrested with a bunch of other girls one night and ended up in a Bronx, New York jail.” It was in jail when Mel realized there was no way out of her situation.
“There were so many girls that were being picked up like me. We were handcuffed together, and held in a cell all weekend together, put in front of a judge, and sent back out on the street,” Mel recalled.
