Throughout January for National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we’ll be publishing a blog series called “Letters from Survivors”—they are directly from survivors in the REST community—to you. 

“I got into the life because I was discharged from the foster care system and jail. I had nowhere to stay and nothing in my possession. I needed to get a safe place to stay and food plus clothes on my back.” - Candace

Becky came from a broken home. Her mother was a drug addict and was engaged in the sex trade—and her father was absent. So when a man entered Becky’s life when she was 18—she wanted desperately to earn and keep his love. He already had a plan for her, however. 

In the last decade, REST has grown into a critical local service provider, having engaged with over 2,500 victims and survivors of the sex trade. The survivors we’ve served have achieved thousands of self-identified goals as they’ve pursued their dreams and hopes for the future.

“I recall being confused at first what escorting was. I was in a situation where the man that I trusted and eventually loved molded me and told me how it worked. I did whatever he said.” — Kate