Sober & Safe: Mora's Story
At 14 years old, Mora became a victim of human trafficking. It started with an online relationship. Looking for acceptance and affection, Mora's online relationship escalated. Her "boyfriend" got her addicted to heroin. He had her perform sexual acts for men on backpage.com and at hotels in the area.
She wasn't alone. He would take her and several other girls to Buffalo and New York City to meet with men. What started out at as an innocent relationship turned violent when she realized that he was pimping out multiple women who were all reliant on him for drugs.
Mora was picked up one night during a sting operation. An advocate from Mcmahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center was called in to help get her housing for the night. The next day the advocate started working on a relationship with her and provided her with a cell phone to contact her whenever she needed.
Three weeks later she reached back out and ask for help. The advocate was able to help get her services and Mora began telling law enforcement about the activities she was involved in.
After several relapses, now 17-year-old Mora is clean and sober. She recently testified against her trafficker and he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Through the support of the advocate, Mora is continuing on the path to healing.
Mcmahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center offers a victim centered, trauma informed approach to working with victims and survivors of human trafficking. They offer case management coordination and advocacy to potential commercially sexually exploited youth. They help youth access emergency shelter, medical care, mental health counseling, and financial assistance as well as address other safety needs while working with county-wide agencies. They provide accompaniment to court, medical appointments and other essential appointments that will help them on their path to healing and freedom of exploitation. We are proud to partner with Mcmahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center and support their life-saving work.