“Hailey,” who was nine at the time, was swimming in her local community swimming pool down the street from her home in S...

“Hailey,” who was nine at the time, was swimming in her local community swimming pool down the street from her home in S...

“Hailey,” who was nine at the time, was swimming in her local community swimming pool down the street from her home in South America when her neighbor, who was an adult male, followed her into the bathroom.⁠ ⁠ This male predator, whom Hailey trusted as her neighbor, then exploited her in the restroom, which began a vicious cycle of Hailey being trafficked, from one offender to the next. ⁠ ⁠ One afternoon, a member of the community saw that Hailey was frequenting the bathroom and noticed the strange behavior of her coming and going nature. This individual notified local authorities, and Hailey was identified as a victim of child trafficking. Shortly after the community member notified authorities, Hailey was rescued and placed into an aftercare facility near her home. ⁠ ⁠ O.U.R. and anti-trafficking NGO @libertasinternational were able to combine their efforts to support Hailey as she healed in the aftercare facility. They taught Hailey about her rights and values and continued to support her in any way that she needed. ⁠ ⁠ Upon transitioning out of the aftercare facility, Hailey returned home with her family with a newfound understanding of her rights and what she could do should she ever feel uncomfortable. When she returned home to her neighborhood, there was a 19 year old boy who told Hailey, now 12, that he wanted to be her boyfriend. Even at such a young age, because of the guidance she received in the aftercare home, Hailey intuitively knew this was wrong and turned to someone she trusted for help. Local police were able to intervene, and the young male was removed from Hailey’s vicinity.⁠ ⁠ As she continues to grow, Hailey is now aware of her rights and boundaries and can act accordingly. O.U.R. is so incredibly grateful to see Hailey doing so well. O.U.R. will continue to be in contact with her and provide support as needed.⁠ ⁠

“Hailey,” who was nine at the time, was swimming in her local community swimming pool down the street from her home in S... was originally published here https://www.instagram.com/p/CNdQKAwlCnT