We Got to Educate Them

Our Executive Director Patty Seaman works with women in and out of the industry on a daily basis. There are trials and triumphs but we do life with the women no matter where that takes us. Here is a ministry update from Patty and a recent interaction she had the privilege to witness.

In the past month, we had the amazing opportunity to host a “family” weekend with one of our survivors.  During that visit, we went to a local café.  As we were leaving, we had a conversation with a couple of women who were seated nearby.  They read the survivor’s shirt which said, “Girls are not for sale” and asked about it.  We explained that we work with Peace Promise to bring hope and healing to women exploited in the commercial sex industry in central Pennsylvania.   

One of the ladies mentioned how horrible it is that women are brought here from other countries and sold. Our survivor was able to look at her and explain that, yes, that is horrible, and then asked if she was aware that most of the women being exploited and trafficked in our area are local girls.  We were able to share that, contrary to the movies, many of these women once went to local schools with our own children, they shop in local stores, and they even eat at local cafés like the one we were visiting. 

When we left the survivor looked at me and said, “That was great! We got to educate them.  Honestly, I used to believe the same thing they did until it happened to me.  Now I see how I was trafficked for years without even knowing it was happening.  And these women will never realize they were just educated on sex trafficking by a survivor from their own neighborhood.

To learn more about our outreach ministry and see where you can help contact us today.

Update and Story by Patty Seaman