Alaina was 13 when she came into the St. Louis Refuge Home.
Our local law enforcement partners had responded to a tip that a young girl was being trafficked. Later that night, Alaina was removed from a hotel where she was rescued from being sold to multiple men for sex acts.
Alaina was angry and distrustful of everyone. At first, she refused to speak to the very officers who had rescued her. She was immediately taken to meet with a Crisis Aid victim advocate.
The advocate tried to help her feel safe and supported and to understand that she wasn’t in trouble. She finally began talking with the detectives and described a life that — as her mother’s addiction to heroin had advanced — had become a confusing mass of ugliness and chaos.
Alaina’s eyes were empty and she spoke detachedly about her experiences, almost as if they were something she had observed rather than lived through. Her days were a succession of hotel rooms, where she was sold to men old enough to be her father — or grandfather. Hour after hour, night after night.
As she spoke, it was clear that Alaina was very protective of her mother, repeatedly explaining that her mom loved her and “didn’t know what was happening.” She added, “Lots of people have to do horrible things to take care of their family.”
Alaina was very distraught when she found out she would be going to the Refuge instead of back to stay with her mother. When Alaina first came into the Refuge, she was quiet and withdrawn. She stayed in her room and if she talked at all, it was about her mother, who never made the time to visit her when visits were arranged through Children’s Services.
She was often involved in conflicts at school and was behind for her age because of all she had missed in recent years. But with love, support and patience Alaina began to open up. It started with her sharing her hurt with the staff about her mother’s absence to planned visits. Then Alaina started participating in healing and healthy boundaries groups in the home and engaging in activities.
Alaina since has transformed from a lost soul with lifeless eyes to a teen who exudes light and laughter. She has been with a foster family for over a year now and is thriving! She is passing ALL of her classes and has caught up to her grade level. She is also engaged in after-school activities, made the honor roll and has many plans for the future!
* The image(s) used in this blog post are stock photo(s) and are used for illustrative purposes only. They do not depict real individuals associated with Crisis Aid International.
