From Pimp-Controlled to Purpose-Filled

“They gave me a name when the world gave me a label.” – Ari

Ari was 15 the first time she was arrested.

Not for what had been done to her, but for what she had been forced to do. Her record said “prostitution.” Her file said “repeat offender.” But the truth—hidden behind years of silence and survival—was that Ari was being trafficked.

She had been living in group homes since she was 9, and by 13, she was already running. Running from abuse. From neglect. From a system that gave her a bed, but never safety.

When she met him, he didn’t come with threats. He came with promises. A hot meal. A pair of shoes. Someone to say she mattered. He told her she was beautiful, smart, and special. Then he told her he loved her.

That “love” soon turned into control. Then violence. Then selling her body night after night to pay his bills. He took her phone. Her ID. Her freedom. Her name.

By 16, Ari had been moved from city to city—marketed online, kept compliant with fear and manipulation, and arrested multiple times. But no one ever called her what she was: a victim of human trafficking.

Until the day someone finally did.

She was 19, serving a short sentence in a women’s correctional facility when a team from Rahab’s Daughters came to host a prison outreach session. She didn’t go expecting anything. She went because it was something to do.

But as she sat quietly in the back of the room, listening to a woman describe how she had been groomed, controlled, bought, sold—and how no one believed her either—something inside Ari cracked open.

“She was telling my story… and for the first time, I didn’t feel shame. I felt understood.”

After the session, Ari asked to talk privately with the mentor. It was the first time she had ever said the words out loud: “I think I was trafficked.”

That moment changed everything.

Our team began walking alongside her immediately. We helped her connect with a survivor advocate and a reentry caseworker. We reviewed her case, provided a trauma-informed statement of support to her parole officer, and worked to have her referred to a restorative justice program for trafficking survivors.

With the right support, Ari began to rebuild—not just her life, but her identity.

She completed our mentorship program and trauma counseling. She found her voice again. And she used it—to speak at youth shelters, to lead survivor panels, to fight for change in the very system that once labeled her a criminal.

Today, Ari is 26. She works at a community center helping girls in foster care develop life skills and recognize signs of exploitation. She’s applying to college to study social work. And every time she steps into a room to share her story, she does so not as a victim, not as a criminal—but as a survivor with purpose.

“For years, the world gave me labels—delinquent, runaway, prostitute.

Rahab’s Daughters gave me something else.

They gave me my name back. And with it, a reason to rise.”

You Made This Possible

To our remarkable community of donors, partners, volunteers, prayer warriors, and friends—thank you.

Because of your faith, generosity, and fierce compassion, the past ten years have been more than milestones—they’ve been miracles in motion. Together, we’ve rescued daughters from danger, reunited families, and helped survivors transform pain into purpose.

You didn’t just support the mission. You became part of the movement.

But the work is far from over. Human trafficking continues to evolve—and so must we. As we step into a bold new chapter filled with innovation, expansion, and untold stories waiting to be rewritten, we need you more than ever.

Will you keep walking with us into the next ten years of freedom?

🟣 Give to the 10-Year Fund

Fuel rescues, survivor-led healing, housing, education, and long-term reintegration.

👉 Donate now via GiveLively

🟣 Share Why You Stand With Us

Your voice matters. Whether you’re a survivor, supporter, or someone who simply said yes, your story can spark someone else’s breakthrough.

📧 Email us: [email protected]

🟣 Bring a Training to Your Community

Trafficking hides in plain sight—churches, schools, workplaces. Let’s expose it together.

📅 Book a session: [email protected]

You are part of every rescue. Every recovery. Every rebirth.

From our hearts to yours—thank you for standing beside us, praying with us, and helping write the next chapter in the story of freedom.

With deep gratitude and unstoppable hope,

Sharmila “Sam” Wijeyakumar

Founder & COO

Rahab’s Daughters