Edmonton, Canada

Canada · Edmonton · 2007 (location generalized to protect survivors)

At the time Tonya did not know she was being trafficked for sex. She was under the influence of drugs and does not have a clear memories of her abuse. The relationship with Emile was interwoven with their love and drugs. No one around her at the time understood that she was being trafficked. Tonya was attending Church and began to realize she could get free of her cocaine addiction. She chose to be free. We are not sure how her realization took place. "I just decided to quit," Tonya says. Family, clergy and friends from church directed her to try AADAC. She signed up for a three week program which she was not able to finish. Behaviour problems had her removed. Tonya's Mom let her stay at her place temporarily and rather warily. Earlier Mom used tough love when Tonya's drug habit and street behaviour were at her peak. Tonya asked for money to live with her old boyfriend in Nanaimo, BC to get away from Emile and people on the street. Her old boyfriend paid for her trip and supported her in Nanaimo for about three months. By then, Tonya was clean and on her way to sobriety. Becoming lonely for family and Edmonton, she moved back. After returning to Edmonton to stay with her mother for a few months, Tonya applied for AISH Benefits. In a few months she was able to rent an apartment on her own. Tonya attended St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox church I was at. The Church was close to where she was living on the street with Emile. Along with fellow parishioners and clergy we "helped" her at times by providing occasional cash for survival, and Tonya kinda befriended me. Long after Tonya was clean, and knowing that Tonya had been a prostitute (She has Hep B2), I asked her whether Emile had made her work the street to make money for the two of them. Tonya shared the above details when asked.