by Peg Brantley
—Girls Like Us, by Rachel Lloyd
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
JAYLA
I think about that image I had more than six months ago at my school bus stop. A crumpled piece of paper caught by the wind, shredding bits every time it hit the pavement. I remember identifying with it then. I wondered if my life was like that clump of paper, tossed around, wearing away at my soul, finally exposing my bones and leaving me to die. Because at that time, if felt like normal life was scraping away at me. Changing me.
Normal life.
What’s normal for me today isn’t what was normal six or seven months ago. I fully expect my definition of normal to be different a year from now. What’s normal for one person might not even be in the same world as the next person.
It all depends on the links.
A friend of mine has an uncle with cerebral palsy. Normal for him would be foreign to me. I haven’t spent much time in his world. I haven’t moved throughout his days and nights. And yet, having met him, he has a pretty good grasp on my normal. See what I mean?
The links.
I met with a couple of psychologists. Both of them were astounded at my ability to grasp reality. To grasp what’s happened to me and not be a quivering mass of neurosis and fear.
What is with these people?
It is what it is. I was a winner and a survivor going in, and I’m a winner and a survivor coming out. But one with a much greater understanding of people. I have a greater understanding of strength I didn’t know I possessed because I hadn’t had to access it before.
Has my future changed? Damn straight it has. Not only will I be going to college, I’ll be volunteering to help trafficked girls, and boys as well. I’ll be fighting to increase the penalties for both original sellers like Chris, traffickers like Daddy, and the buyers. I’ll be fighting to make sure that resources are put in place so that girls like LaTisha have a sanctuary. A choice. And to make sure they know about it.
The third psychologist brought me to my core. Although I’m strong, I might be able to use help here and there. During our session she showed me it was okay to feel vulnerable. What I think of as weakness isn’t always weak. Sometimes it’s courage in disguise.
I’ve got a way to go.
I’m a fighter. I’m smart. Rather than having bits of me scraped thin like that paper, my skin has thickened to an impenetrable toughness. I designed that thickness with faith in myself. And by design, my heart is still accessible. I hope I never have to change that.
And Mama is proud.
It has been more than six months since a 16-year-old girl from Aurora disappeared. [See Chapter Forty]
LaShaya Stine left her house at 2:30 a.m. on July 15 to meet someone, but she never returned…. Aurora police chief Nick Metz said police received information that is cause for greater concern…—Aurora teen LaShaya Stine still missing after more than six months, by Anica Padilla for Fox 31 Denver and Colorado’s Own CW2, January 16, 2017
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
Mex took a deep breath and exhaled. Did it again. Earlier he’d dug out the bottle of pills from his bag and set them on the countertop in his kitchen. If he needed them they were there.
He looked out of the floor-to-ceiling windows and watched as five deer grazed by the stream that ran across the back of his Aspen Falls home. They looked peaceful, without a care. Any sudden movement and they’d be off. Not so peaceful after all. Peace was fleeting.
Mex remembered watching a mountain lion take down a deer a few months ago. The mountain lion gained life at the expense of another.
People were worse. They didn’t need to prey on others to survive but they did so anyway.
Cade walked in behind him, tossed a sweater on his lap, and gave him a hug. “C’mon, Cowboy. Let’s go sit outside and talk for a bit. I’ve got news. You get the fire going and I’ll round us up something to sip on.”
“You round yourself up whatever you want. I want a glass of the Macallan.”
“Done.”
The doorbell rang.
“Mex? Do you mind?” Cade called from the wet bar.
“Make up your mind woman,” Mex gave her a wink. “First you have me lighting your fire and then you completely douse the mood by making me a butler.”
“You’re all things to me, Cowboy.”
Mex opened the door. Darius stood there with Sedona.
His smile toward Darius slipped to a frown when he saw his sister. “Damn,” Mex said. “The evening was going so well.”
He considered closing the door in their faces and getting back to whatever news Cade had to share. Instead, he left the door wide open and walked away.
“Pour a couple more, Cade,” Mex said as he walked through the house to the back deck. He didn’t bother to tell her who was at the door. She’d see soon enough.
The fire pit blazing, afghans stacked at the ready, the four of them sat gazing at the flames.
“Thank her,” Darius spoke into silence broken only by the crackling of the wood on the fire.
“Thank who?” Mex asked.
“Mex, damn it. You don’t have to forgive her. I don’t know if I could. But she’s trying. She can never put things right. But she’s trying.”
“You said that already.”
“Without her help, we might never have been able to save Alexis,” Darius said.
The fire waned a bit and Cade added a new log. “He’s right, you know.”
Mex shifted back into the darkness, away from the warmth of the fire.
Sedona stood. “I should go. Kenneth and his children have been without me long enough. I’m sorry. I should never have come here.”
Cade, standing by the fire pit shook her head. “You sit back down. Darius is right. You deserve thanks for everything you put in place to save that young girl.”
Sedona didn’t move.
“Sit, damn it,” Mex said. He waited.
Slowly, Sedona lowered herself.
Mex sniffed and took a long swallow of his scotch. “I’ll never forget what you did to my family. I can’t imagine ever forgiving you. Not only for what you did but for never saying a word to me. Never admitting the role you played. I don’t give a rat’s ass that you were strung out. That you were in love. I don’t care. You killed my family.”
Tears streamed down Sedona’s face.
“But Cade and Darius are right,” Mex choked out the words. “Without you, Alexis Halston might well have been lost forever. So thank you.” He looked directly into his sister’s eyes. “I hope you and this Maxwell guy can find happiness together. That’s all I’ve got to say. You can go now.”
Sedona stood and Cade ushered her out, arms around the beautiful woman’s shoulders.
Mex and Darius sat in silence, staring at the fire.
“You got a start on that new book of yours?” Mex asked.
“I do.”
More silence. More staring.
“I should go,” Darius said.
“Because you need to take Sedona home?”
“Yep,” Darius nodded. “That okay with you?”
“Yep.”
When Cade returned she put another log on the fire then snuggled next to him. They sat in silence, enjoying the warmth, the flames, and being near each other.
“So, do you want to hear my news?”
“I don’t know. I’m still working on the fact I said thank you to Sedona. Don’t know if I can take any more.”
“I think you can handle this.”
Mex worked to pop his neck. Release the tension. “So shoot, woman.”
“First, remember that little boy named Davie from Golden? The one whose parents didn’t want us involved, but who Jayla was in contact with?”
“Yeah.”
“He hasn’t been found and his parents are now asking for our help.”
“Okay. Tell them we’ll do what we can.”
“We’re meeting with them tomorrow. They’re driving here and should arrive in time for
lunch.”
“And?”
“I’ve received an offer on my Louisiana house.”
Mex sucked in a breath, feeling everything that had been flat in him two minutes earlier swell. He waited.
“Don’t you want to know if I accepted it?”
He waited. He knew the answer was coming.
Then she kissed him.
* * *
Author Notes
I’m plugging this in here because I don’t want you to miss it.
I’ve never researched any topic more heartbreaking, more soul-numbing, than human trafficking. While I can “wrap up” a story, it’s important to understand that for many girls, boys, and young women out in the real world, there is no wrap-up. There’s only today, tomorrow, the day after and the day after that.
Can you make a difference?
If your conscience is engaged, if you feel any kind of tug, follow it.
In the next pages you’ll see a resource list. If you are in need, seek them out. If you can avail yourself as a volunteer, seek them out. If you have funds to support a particular resource, check them out and then let your dollars make a difference.
It takes all of us, using whatever means we have available, to shine a spotlight on both the problem and the solution.
I believe in you.
<<<<>>>>
RESOURCES
Colorado Network to End Human Trafficking 1-866-455-5075
www.combathumantrafficking.org
A statewide referral network for victim service referrals from service providers and law enforcement; survivor support and case management referral; tips regarding potential trafficking situations
Child Sex Trafficking in America: A Guide for Parents and Guardians is available at www.missingkids.com/CSSTT
International Human Trafficking Institute www.theihti.org
Provides ways to join the discussion, get involved, and take action on a global level.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 www.cybertipline.com
National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888 TTY: 711 [email protected]
www.humantraffickinghotline.org
A nationwide hotline to provide support and services to victims and survivors of human trafficking. 24-hour access to report tips, seek services, ask for help. Multi-lingual.
Truckers Against Trafficking 1-888-3737-888 www.truckersagainsttrafficking.org
Educates, equips, empowers and mobilizes members of the trucking and travel plaza industry to combat domestic sex trafficking.
The following is provided by Dr. Susanne E. Jalbert.
Colorado’s Effort to Stop Human Trafficking
Acronyms and Contacts
Revised January 2017
Colorado and National Actors and Acronyms
ACOVA - A Community Organization for Victim Assistance
ADAD - Colorado Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division
Blue Sky Bridge - http://blueskybridge.org/ contact: Amber McDonald
Bridges Child Placement Agency - www.bridgescpa.com/
CANPO - is now the Colorado Nonprofit Association
CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocates
CBI - Colorado Bureau of Investigation
CC - Community Corrections
CCADV - Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence
CCASA - Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault
CCIC - Colorado Crime Information Center (at CBI)
CCVC - Colorado Crime Victim Compensation (software program)
CDAC - Colorado District Attorney's Council
COB - Colorado Outward Bound
CoNEHT – [email protected] Colorado Network to End Human Trafficking with state hotline at 1 866 455 5075 / federal hotline at 1888 363 7888
Colorado Division of the FBI – contact Ann Darr
Colorado Human Trafficking Task Force – Janet Drake, Assistant Attorney General of Colorado is the lead prosecutor in HT cases and member of the Task Force.
Colorado Legal Services - www.coloradolegalservices.org/
Colorado Project to Comprehensively Combat Human Trafficking- http://www.combathumantrafficking.org/overview/team
COVA - Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance - www.coloradocrimevictims.org/ www.coloradocrimevictims.org/human_trafficking.html
http://newcova.civicore.com/index.cfm?section=resourceDirectory&action=searchResults
CSP - Colorado State Patrol
CV - Curriculum vitae (résumé)
CVAA - Colorado Victim Assistance Academy
DA - District Attorney
DCCV - Denver Center for Crime Victims
DCJ - Division of Criminal Justice
DOC - Department of Corrections
DOJ also USDOJ - Department of Justice
DOSS also CDHS - Department of Social Services
DPS - Department of Public Safety
DV - Domestic Violence
DVI - Domestic Violence Initiative (for Women with Disabilities)
Empowerment Program - www.empowermentprogram.org/
EVAW - Ending Violence Against Women Project
FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation
Fracre - www.fracresourcedirectory.com
Free a Child - www.facebook.com/freeachild
Focus on Family - www.focusonthefamily.com/
GRASP - http://www.graspyouth.org/staff/ Contact Michele McDaniel
HB - House Bill
I-Empathize – http://iempathize.org/
Innocence Lost Task Force – http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/vc_majorthefts/cac/innocencelost contact Sgt. Dan Steele
JBC - Joint Budget Committee (of the Legislature)
JD - Judicial District
JJDP - Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
John School Diversion Program - http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/03/21/prostitutes-clients-under-scrutiny-in-colorado/
Laboratory to Fight Trafficking - http://www.combathumantrafficking.org/
MADD - Mother's Against Drunk Driving
MHC - Mental Health Center
Mile High Ministries – contact attorney Rene Wright
NCASA - National Coalition Against Sexual Assault
NCJRS - National Criminal Justice Reference Service
NCVC - National Center for Victims of Crime
NOVA - National Organization for Victim Assistance
NVAA - National Victim Assistance Academy
NVCAP - National Victim Constitutional Amendment Passage
OVC - Office for Victims of Crime (Washington, DC)
OJJDP - Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
PD - Police Department
POMC - Parent's of Murdered Children
POST - Police Officer Standardized Training
PRAX(US) - http://www.praxus.org/
(Project) PAVE - Promoting Alternatives to Violence through Education
RAAP - Rape Assistance and Awareness Program
Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) - http://www.rmian.org/
SA - Sexual Assault
SB - Senate Bill
SAIC - Sexual Assault Interagency Council
SANE - Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners
Shared Hope sharedhope.org/ Shared Hope International based in Washington DC is dedicated to bringing an end to sex trafficking through our three-prong approach.
SO - Sheriff's Office
Summit 2 End It - http://www.init2endit.com/home.
The Lab combathumantrafficking.org /The Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking is a leading 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in Denver creating an informed social change movement to end human trafficking.
Templeton, J. E. - adr.coalliance.org/codr/fez/eserv/codr:993/RUETD00618.pdf – 2011 Thesis with excellent references
USAID – http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/democracy_and_governance/technical_areas/trafficking/
http://transition.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/gen
der_stories_archives.html#trafficking
VW - Victim Witness
VALE - Victim Assistance Law Enforcement (State and Local)
VOCA - Victim of Crime Act
VOI - Victim Outreach Information
VRW - Victim Rights Week
Women of Global Action – Attorney Patricia Medige
Please send your suggestions to the following email address:
[email protected]
Other National and International Resources
Not intended to be comprehensive
Borodkin, Rep. Alice – Former CO House of Representatives, Chair of Inter Agency
Task Force on Human Trafficking created through House Bill 1143 (See:
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=31342446&locale=en_US&trk=tyah)
California’s ETR Associates: http://www.etr.org/home (Resource for Dr. Pamela M.
Anderson’s research)
California’s UC-San Francisco program at San Francisco General Hospital – See
protocols at: www.medschool2.ucsf.edu/files/sfgh/.../SFGH2012orientationbklt-staff.pdf
Center for Women Policy Studies - http://www.sitelevel.com/query?query=Anti-trafficking&GO.x=0&GO.y=0&crid=4384cb6f559cb004 (list 60 AT resources)
Chicago Alliance against Sexual Exploitation – http://caase.org