Survivor Perspectives: Interview with "Warrior Angel"
Over these next weeks leading up to July 30’s World Day Against Human Trafficking, ECPAT-USA will be amplifying the voices of our Survivors’ Council on how the color of their skin has impacted their experiences as trafficking survivors. This interview is with “Warrior Angel,” who was trafficked in parts of Queens and Brooklyn.
(Responses have been condensed for space.)
How have you been feeling since the death of George Floyd?
It’s mixed feelings, cause everyone is different and we don't know the truth about any person, and I wasn’t there, but it’s hurtful to know that someone was killed for no reason, that they were asking to sit up, for more air. This could happen to your own son. The good thing is that a change is going to come...It’s unfortunate that someone had to die for this, but I pray that something positive is going to come out of this in the long run.
Have you had interactions with law enforcement?
[When] I was a teenager, I was pulled over by a cop. I don’t remember if it was my plate or something, there was a legitimate reason. I did not have my license on me, and he didn’t arrest me, but he asked me if I was carrying drugs in my private parts. When I told him that I didn’t, he said, “oh, let me just have a free look.” I realized later that he didn’t have the right to do that.
When I was trafficked in Virginia, Caucasian law enforcement there tried to help me, but I was so scared because my trafficker was following me and also threatening my grandparents. They didn’t even put handcuffs on me at the time, except when they had to do it to make it look official. They said that they would drop the charges if I would call them with my abuser but I couldn’t do anything. I could tell that they felt really bad and wanted to help me, but I just couldn’t say anything.
When I later learned that I was a victim of sex trafficking, federal law enforcement helped me a lot. They helped me to get a work permit and file my immigration papers. They truly gave me an opportunity to live.
The survivors were invited to send a photo to accompany their interviews. Warrior Angel submitted a photo of one of her many hats.
What would you want law enforcement to know about victims of sex trafficking?
Education goes on both sides. They need to know everything...I had one negative experience, it was not as negative as what others experienced, but that negative experience was overwhelmed by the positive experiences that I had. You cannot get rid of law enforcement. If we had gotten rid of law enforcement, I would have been dead or something. I was an undocumented immigrant, somebody could have killed me. Those federal officers protected me. Without [names of officers], I would have been dead.
Do you see connections between race and sex trafficking?
The only thing I see as the tie is poverty because people need money...Poverty does not have a color, but who is more susceptible to poverty than the others? Minorities. Any victim that you see is always someone who is searching for money.
My parents left me with my grandparents so that I could have a better life, but I didn’t understand that. I wanted love; I wanted my mommy, my daddy...My abuser manipulated all of us, but also treated me as his own treasure. One of the girls was being sold by her uncle. My abuser was trying to turn me into one of them, he called me the “B” word, he kept harassing me. Imagine how long it took to break me in. The other girls were getting whooped, he wanted me to see what he could do to me, it was like mind control.
What do you want people to know?
We need to inform people about what [police] officers have done, will do. We need officers. Let’s show proof of the good things they have done and the negative things they have done. It’s just bad that there are good cops out there, there is a ranking system, and good cops are being bullied by the system.
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