Eva's Story
We partner with McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center to educate and assist at-risk youth and survivors in the greater Syracuse, NY area through a five-module trafficking prevention curriculum. Your advocacy & donations during Dressember not only help to provide rescue & aftercare but also to keep at-risk populations from being trafficked in the first place. Learn more about our partnerships here.
As a young girl at the age of 10 years old, I was innocent, lost, sexually/ physically/ emotionally abused, alone and forced into the street life. At the age of 10 years old, a man moved in with us. He never really spoke to me when he lived with us. My father was never around, he disowned me because of how toxic he and my mother’s relationship was. His side of the family also would address me as the “black” child which made me feel uncomfortable and rejected because of my race. My mother and her boyfriend would go out to eat and leave me at home, they would watch movies and leave me in the room, completely excluded me from all of their ventures together. I remember telling my mother how I felt and she would always say “Momma has to have a life too”. I felt I didn’t matter enough to her for her to leave him.
For 2 years I dealt with being unwanted and being excluded from daily activities so I ran away. From 12 to roughly 21 years old, I lived in the streets. I was involved with gang banging, drug dealing and being made to go out with older men to survive. Although I lived in the streets, I went to school every day. I ended up walking on the stage with advanced honors diploma at graduation.
I had been beaten so many times that I thought it was normal. I ended up in the hospital and almost died from being thrown out of a car out on the thruway (heading to my college campus) with 2 knives up to my neck. After that incident I said never again will I allow myself to be beat or sexually abused by another man ever in my life. I had so much anger in me that I lashed out on anyone who tried to help. I had trust issues, no self- esteem, and I lacked hope and faith. I became very suicidal and had 2 attempts. Luckily, throughout the triumphs and tribulations I experienced, I completed college with my Associates degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. I left the life of gangs and everything that came with it alone and finished my Bachelor’s degree.
After completing my Bachelor’s degree I began losing hope because I couldn’t find employment. I was later called by McMahon Ryan and was offered a position. Even with going into my interview with a bright red sweat suit and Tim boots because that was the only thing I had at the time, the Executive Director, Colleen Merced believed in me and thought I would fit the position. She taught me that survivors like us can make a big impact on the youth we serve. I am now going on 3 years with the agency and was recently promoted to program coordinator of the human trafficking department and I love everything about my job.
My clients give me drive to keep going and to not look back at the bad I’ve experienced but to see that there is still light at the end of the tunnel. We as a community just have to keep pushing and fighting this battle, because there are so many young girls out there who are living just like I did, being exploited and abused.
*Name and photo has been changed to protect the identity of the survivor