We love to share stories of hope with you. We see hope in the beauty of the Sanctuary and in the transformation we see happening in the lives of survivors. It is what keeps anti-trafficking advocates going—the belief that what we do makes a difference in the lives of precious souls.
We also need to tell you the hard realities. There are staggering statistics that grieve our hearts, such as: During the pandemic, it was reported that online sexual exploitation and abuse of girls as young as 12 rose in Romania (U.S. Department of State).
Even when girls are rescued, the road ahead of them is long. There are legal battles to wage. Fear of their traffickers haunts survivors. Health issues often linger. Trust and relationships are difficult to build. Trauma takes a long time to fully recover from.
That is why we must stay the course and continue to walk alongsidesurvivors. It is not slow or simple. Yet, we believe healing can happen. We told you about Oceana, a child trafficking survivor, who went free several years ago. Our European Director gave us an update on her recently and her story spurs us on.
The Sanctuary is a place of hope for these women and girls, and we want to bring thousands more to the property.
Then, we continue to offer the aftercare they need. We hope Oceana’s story challenges you to join us in journeying with survivors as long as it takes for them to remain free.