At 4 Yrs Old, Natalie Became A Sex Trafficking Victim — Now, She’s A Survivor.

Every day, the InspireMore team works to share positive, uplifting stories from around the world — but this doesn’t mean we want to ignore the tragedies of the world. Rather, we aim to shine a light on those very stories in a way that raises both awareness and hope. That is why we’re collaborating with the Tim Tebow Foundation (TTF). With a focus on changing the lives of the most vulnerable communities around the world, we’re happy to spread the word about their life-changing work.

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We’ve already shared a few of their stories, and today I’m here to share another. This one is about a young woman we’ll call Natalie, though her name has been changed for her protection. Like far too many others, she and her brother were sold for sex when they were still children, something their parents did to support their drug addiction. For Natalie, this began at around 4 or 5 years old.

Each time she and her brother were taken out of their home by social services, they were sent back. Natalie would endure being trafficked for sex until the end of high school. Despite her struggles in school, she graduated. And with the help of a teacher, she earned a college scholarship.

But Natalie’s past was always right behind her. She suffered from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and disassociation. She found an escape through alcohol, and her classes became too much. She tried to become independent, but her family drained her of any resources she had to do so.

And so she enlisted in the military. She excelled briefly but was eventually put on mental health leave for depression and alcohol abuse. Without a job and living in her car with her dog, Natalie was desperate for help.

That’s when two older men offered her a helping hand. They set her up in their house in a middle-class neighborhood. She was promised a room and food until she got on her feet. But as soon as the door to her room shut, they made her a prisoner.

For months, Natalie was not allowed out of the room, even to use the bathroom or shower. She was fed alcohol for days at a time. Buyers of sex and drugs abused her endlessly. Then, one day, she was allowed out for a sandwich.

Her captors assumed she’d be too weak to escape, but she ran with every bit of energy she still had in her body. She made it outside before she fell to the ground and vomited. Neighbors took notice and called 911. This is the moment Natalie’s life changed for the better.

A social worker at the hospital she was taken to identified Natalie as a trafficking victim, admitting her into a residential recovery program. Since then, she’s become certified by a nursing program and is working to get her associate’s degree. Natalie works at the same hospital that saved her life.

Natalie’s story gives us hope. But as Tim Tebow points out in a video sharing her story, there are 40 million stories like hers, and not all of them turn out well. That’s why TTF partners with organizations both in and outside of the United States to tackle human trafficking and child exploration in three ways: Prevention, Rescue, and Survivor Care.

In taking a thorough approach, TTF is able to not only help those who are currently being trafficked, as was the case for Natalie, but they can also prevent others from even reaching that point. You can learn more about their work to end human trafficking and child exploitation on the TTF website.

There is no singular person or group who can single-handedly help survivors like Natalie. But in supporting organizations like TTF, who work tirelessly with those on the same mission, countless lives can be saved.

Before you go, watch this video to learn more about Natalie’s story.

Help Tim Tebow Foundation fight for the Most Vulnerable People around the world living in chaos and crisis.