Success stories like Annie’s is just one of the reasons Leo Buscaglia Foundation supported Journey Out in 2020.
Annie is a 23 year old woman who was forced into “the Life” by a pimp who she thought was her boyfriend. Prior to her exploitation, Annie was in a Master’s program at a local university. Annie admits she was vulnerable for recruitment because she had led a sheltered life and when she went to school she was unaware of the tactics that pimps and traffickers use to lure young girls into sex trafficking and the world of commercial sexual exploitation. During the course of the relationship with her boyfriend, Annie said he romanced her and then forced her to have sex with others for money using violence and threats. After her escape from the man who was trafficking her, Annie reached out to Journey Out to attend support groups. While connected with Journey Out Annie obtained employment, and the Journey Out Case Manager connected Annie with a therapist in her neighborhood and she now receives therapy on a weekly basis. Annie stated that she was very pleased with the program and she was happy to attend groups where she felt free to talk openly about what she went through while she was being sexually exploited. Annie plans on returning to University for her Master’s degree in the near future.