Three Survivors Share Searing Personal Stories About Exploitation, Recovery, and Hope
NEW YORK CITY (September 30, 2021) – The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory today premiered its searing new anti-human-trafficking documentary, Hope: Stories of Survival. The film documents the story of three American women, Rachel, Tammy, and “T,” all of whom were sold for sex from as early as eight years old. They share their trauma of being trafficked over many years and the pain, despair, shame, and hopelessness they endured. They invite us to join them in their journeys of recovery and show us how they took back control of their destinies through empowerment, love, trust, and hope.
Arielle Curry, the Territorial Anti-Trafficking Coordinator for The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory, noted: “Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery that denies freedom to over 40 million people worldwide each year. Yet, despite its horrifically exploitative nature, it often goes unnoticed due to the perpetrators’ skill in enslaving their victims and the debilitating dependency and shame that victims feel. This powerful documentary shines a bright light on the horrors of the exploitation that human trafficking victims experience. But it also offers a lesson in hope as Rachel, Tammy, and T share stories of their journeys from darkness to light.”
Forced human labor is a multi-billion dollar industry, with sex trafficking accounting for 81 percent of it. Of its millions of victims worldwide, 75 percent are women and girls. Tragically, 25 percent are children.
“The Salvation Army has been on the front lines of combating human trafficking and helping its survivors for over a century. My team and I wanted to raise awareness of the issue and The Salvation Army’s anti-human-trafficking programs in an intimate yet impactful manner,” noted documentary director Joseph Pritchard, the Creative Services and Video Director for The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory. “In Rachel, Tammy, and T, we found three courageous, generous, and inspiring women willing to share their journeys through trauma recovery and show us how they took back control of their lives through empowerment, trust, love, and hope. I want people who see this film to join The Salvation Army in raising awareness about the horrific realities of human trafficking and lend support to its victims. But, most of all, I want to share the message of HOPE that these women discovered during their recovery process and let victims and survivors know that they are not alone.”
“Hope: Stories of Survival” premieres at The Salvation Army Greater New York Division’s Centennial Memorial Temple on Thursday, September 30, 2021. After the premiere, there will be a panel discussion with Rachel, Tammy, T, and anti-human-trafficking experts from The Salvation Army and other organizations working together to combat human and sex trafficking.
More information about the documentary is available at the website: https://hopefilm.org.
