Human trafficking survivor breaks her silence

Mother’s Day 2017 holds great significance for 37-year-old Lindsay. It was the day she began her new life free from human trafficking.

On Thursday, Lindsay broke her silence for the first time publicly, sharing the events that led up to a traumatizing seven years as a victim of sex trafficking. Her talk at Heidelberg was the final event in Human Trafficking Awareness Week.

“I’m finally in a place that I can say things out loud,” said Lindsay, who is grateful for the support of her family, the Tiffin community she now calls home and especially, Sisters in Shelter, the safe house where she went to regain her life.

Lindsay’s nightmare began after she divorced and she “fell into a dark place.” She met her trafficker in a bar. He first took her to a hotel, then to his home, where she was subjected to being drugged, repeatedly beaten and threatened for years.

“You just get stuck and you have to make certain decisions,” she said of her situation. “I was vulnerable. I had never lived a life like that.”

“I was on call to make money for him and his gang of drug dealers 24/7, and his wife set it all up.”

Essentially, Lindsay’s trafficker – Randall – stripped her of her identity. Three times she escaped, only to be discovered by Randall soon after and tortured even worse.

Although she endured this horrific life for seven years, Lindsay never lost her will to live. She remembers thinking, “I just want my life back.” Toward the end of that time, a man bought her for $500, took her to his farm where she remained safe for two months until she was well enough to go to the Sisters of Shelter safe house.

Through all of the abuse and physical and emotional damage she endured, Lindsay said she relied on her faith, praying that God would give her strength to survive and find a way to safety.

“I can’t even explain how grateful I am (to Sisters in Shelter),” she said. “They showed me how to feel again, how to live again and to want that for myself.”

Even at Sisters of Shelter, Lindsay left three times, but each time, she returned. Sister Mary Kuhlman of Sisters in Shelter said that’s common. “That’s what happens when someone is trafficked. They make bad choices.”

But today, she’s extremely proud of Lindsay and the progress she’s made – living on her own, holding down a job, taking classes in robotics and being reunited with her two children. “Sometimes I’ve wanted to pull my hair out, but I love this girl. What I’m most inspired by is her courage,” Sister Mary said.

Today, Linsday has set short-term and long-term goals. Among them, she wants to be a role model for her children and in the community. “I’m a good person. I just want to grow and move on with my life with my family and friends,” she said. Sharing her story, she added, is empowering. “It helps with healing and brings awareness (to human trafficking).”