This was it.
It was now or never.
Her pimp had finally left – if only for a few minutes.
He, like most men in his line of work, also dealt drugs, so it wasn’t uncommon for him to leave his “stable” on their own from time to time. Since most girls have nowhere to go, they rarely ever attempted to run.
But tonight was different.
Tonight she’d finally decided that the risk of being caught was worth the chance at freedom.
And so, as soon as the coast was clear, she did what she had been dreaming of since the first day she entered into this hellish life – she ran.
She got as far as a local diner before the little clothing she wore became insufficient to protect her from the rain and chill of the night.
As she slipped in through the back door that led to a service staircase and away from unfriendly eyes, she took out her phone and scrolled through the contacts. The devastating realization slowly sank in that she had no one to call. The only contacts in her phone were her pimp, a few drug dealers, a handful of girls who worked the streets, and a few of her regular clients.
Browsing through the names she suddenly remembered – one of her regulars was actually a pretty nice guy. She knew it was a long shot, but since most Johns were sadistic and abusive, having one who treated her like an actual human being was a rare relief.
So, with no other option, she made the call.
She quickly told him how she had run from her pimp, that she was completely alone and needed help. She pleaded with him to pick her up and take her somewhere safe. To her surprise, he was even more compassionate and understanding than she anticipated, assuring her that everything would be ok and that he was on his way to get her. The relief that someone – anyone – would care enough about her to want to help was overwhelming. She began to weep.
When the kind John arrived and met her in the stairwell she was still weeping. He hugged her, reassured her that everything was going to be ok and that he had a car waiting. As relief rushed over her, she gladly took his coat and followed his lead out to the parking garage … where her pimp was waiting.
She barely had time to register that this man had betrayed her, much less defend herself against the immediate blows her pimp began to administer. They forced her into the car, and as the John drove them back to the motel, her pimp dealt out his punishment.
By the time they reached the motel room she was already a bloodied mess, but the abuse didn’t stop there. Instead of continuing himself, he forced the other girls to beat her mercilessly. That way, they could see first hand what would happen to them should they ever attempt to leave. And by forcing the girls to beat each other, he established their allegiance to him and shattered any sense of camaraderie they may have had with one another. Win/win for the pimp.
Once he determined the punishment was sufficient, he locked her in a dog cage for the night.
Taking pride in this ultimate display of dominance, he took a picture of her with his phone and texted it to all of his fellow slave owners.
What he didn’t know was that one of the men he sent the picture to was a police informant, who immediately forwarded the picture to local officers.
When the police arrived at the motel, the front desk manager (who was paid by the pimp to keep quiet), warned him that the police were coming. He nearly escaped, but the officers caught him as he tried to slip through a back window.
The girl in the cage was taken to a local hospital where she was treated for her broken bones and severe wounds. This girl, as unbelievable as it may seem, is considered one of the lucky ones; for there are innumerable girls who endure similar experiences but are never found.
It’s stories like this that we hear every single day at Out of Darkness, and they are the reason why the driving mission here is that – when that girl who finally found the courage to run stands shivering in a stairwell wondering who to call – she can call us.
Last year alone, hundreds of women were rescued because they called our emergency hotline number, and this is just one of the many avenues in which Out of Darkness is bringing light and hope into the dark places of Atlanta.
I’m so honored to be a part of this ministry and am currently being trained to answer the hotline, assist in rescues, and go out onto the streets to share love with victims where they are.
Please continue to pray for Out of Darkness, the Center for Global Action and for all the ministries of the Dream Center.
Please also consider supporting my time here. This is a missional, unpaid position, and I still need to raise $2,500 in order to complete my apprenticeship in Atlanta.
We are a 501(c)3 organization and all donations are tax deductible.
If you feel led to give, you can do so electronically by clicking the “SUPPORT” button on the lefthand side of this page below my picture, OR if you prefer to give via check you can mail your donation to:
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Adventures In Missions P.O. Box 742570 Atlanta, GA 30374-2570 |
Be sure to put my full name in the memo line so they know who the support is intended for.
Thank you for continuing to follow my journey!
