You watch movies and hear stories about the Red Light District and know what happens on a nightly basis. But there’s a difference between knowing and physically seeing these girls’ reality. My whole life I only knew about what these girls go through. Then last night I saw my friend leave with a customer and couldn’t do anything about it.
Her name is Sarah (changed for safety reasons). She has the most beautiful heart, laugh, and smile. She’s one of those girls that the moment you meet her you know you’ll be fast friends.
The first time I met her she was such a happy girl, glowing with joy around us. It was like we were already friends. When she smiled we smiled; when she laughed we laughed.
That wasn’t the case the other night.
When my friend – Anna – and I arrived Sarah was with a customer inside the bar, so we took our seats and talked with a couple other girls. She eventually spotted us, told the guy she needed to talk with a couple friends, and sat down by us. I could tell there was something different about her. Sarah was still laughing and smiling with us but it didn’t come as naturally as it did a couple nights before. Everything came together when she leaned over to Anna and whispered in her ear that she was drunk and wanted to stay with us instead of going back to the guy. After stalling her for several minutes and speaking truth into her, she had us leave her with a kiss on the cheek and went back to the guy.
Over the course of 45 minutes Anna and I were talking and playing Jenga with another girl while at the same time catching glimpses of what was going on inside the bar. I was watching the girl who was once glowing with joy now dying from the inside out. There was no more emotion in her face; she was just going through the motions, knowing what was inevitably going to happen by the end of the night.
As the time neared for us to head back home we decided to pay at the bar so we could break up the situation and say bye to Sarah. But as we were walking Sarah stood from her seat and grabbed her purse while the guy paid a significant amount of money for his drinks. Once he realized we saw and knew what he was doing he tried playing it cool by giving us an innocent smile. Anna and I turned towards Sarah and hugged her. We kept holding her hands while telling her we’ll see her soon and that she’s beautiful and we love her. Before we left I looked into Sarah’s eyes and could hear her screaming “HELP ME! I don’t what to go!”
But I let her go. I let my friend go with a customer who I physically saw buy her for the night. I felt so helpless.
I couldn’t make it five steps from the bar before crying. I wanted to yell “That’s Daddy’s little girl you’re taking!” …but I couldn’t.
Anna and I walked arm in arm down the alley of bars with tears streaming down our face. We stopped on the street and while we were crying on each other’s shoulders we prayed.
