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Celebrating the Road to Freedom

Celebrating the Road to Freedom

Date: 2019-07-05

"The only impossible journey is the one you never begin'. So said author, philanthropist, and life coach, Tony Robbins. For many women caught in the sex industry, venturing the first step on the road to freedom is the most daunting. Even once that decision has been made, every subsequent step is fraught with a degree of fear, self-doubt and identity crisis.

Despite high rates of physical and sexual abuse, the threat of arrest and imprisonment, substance addiction, and the stigma their profession carries, exiting the industry can be an overwhelming prospect. Many of the women are hampered by their lack of education, skills or resources, a supportive community, co-dependent and abusive relationships and most are mothers and have a deep sense of isolation and alienation.

Two ladies who bravely took the first steps, and then the next, followed by many more along the route to transformation, hope and purpose with The Domino Foundation's Red Light anti-human-trafficking programme, were recently released from Red Light's 'restoration' journey. Tracey and Nonhlanhla (not their real names) have travelled with Red Light's leader, Lauren Cullen, and her team for the past few years. Both ladies have just finished writing their Matric exams and both have the dream of helping others in need. The one hopes to study to be a nurse and the other a paramedic. Tracey and Nonhlanhla will have to study part time while working to support their families.

Lauren commented, "As with other sexually-exploited survivors, we reached out to these two ladies and built sustainable relationships with them. Tracey and Nonhlanhla went through our restoration programme where we saw them journey to health and wholeness through individualised and group rehabilitation programmes. They were then supported through a reintegration programme to give them the confidence, knowledge, skills and tools to seek employment. We are so proud of them and will continue to support them in their next season of life. "

The Domino Foundation welcomes tertiary education sponsorship proposals from individuals or businesses for the two ladies and/or others in the Red Light programme. Said Lauren, "We want to partner with others in seeing survivors of sexual-exploitation getting vocational work experience as the ladies continue their journey into freedom."