A story about a young women who was arrested and faced 99 years in jail at just 23 years and 1 day old!
When the law your up against fails to distinguish the difference between victim and perpetrator. What chances do you have ?
"I never had my Dad, so to me he was like a father figure in a way, and I guess that's what attached me to him"
The day after your 23rd birthday, is usually a day for some spent hungover in bed, opening cards and gifts from visiting relatives or continuing on the celebrations. This was not the case for Yvette, a victim of sex trafficking.
At the age of 15, Yvette ran away from home as she had started her period and was afraid of getting pregnant by one of her relatives, who had been molestering her for years.
By the time she reached 18, Yvette had to pay the bills so started dancing at strip clubs. The next few years for Yvette consisted of drugs, alcohol and sleeping between her friends houses and hotels. Throughout her time dancing and sleeping in hotels, Yvette was approached by several 'Pimps'. Despite a blurry upbringing she was fully aware of who they were and always turned down their offers.
At 21, things got bad for Yvette when she broke up with her partner, she moved back in with her mum and became addicted to meth. One night, whilst at her mums, a women came round to visit, along with her a 16 year old girl named 'Jade'. Yvette learnt that this women was a recruiter for a Pimp, she never ever intended on becoming a prostitute but after the life she had already lived, Yvette could not see it getting any worse.
"Life felt so empty that any change seemed appealing"
It did. Over the next 2 years Yvette was beaten, bitten and brutally attacked several times by her abuser. He determined her work hours, when she ate, when she slept, who she slept with and what she was worth. Not only this, but he applied Yvette with so many drugs including Meth and Ecstasy, to keep her awake for hours allowing her to sleep with as many customers as he seemed fit.
One night he forced Yvette to set up her own friend so he could rob him and use the victims bank cards to go shopping. Yvette's friend was badly beaten in the attack.
Yvette reached her a boiling point, she could not take it any more and tried to escape, more than once. But, he threatened to kidnap and kill her younger brother or shoot up her mums house. Yvette was trapped.
Yvette's abuser put her and Jade up on sex ads, Yvette's name was 'Sexy Lil Latina'. He forced the girls to stay in hotels and sent men to sleep with them. Jade got a lucky escape when an undercover police man responded to her ad and found her alone. He rescued Jade and took her to her mums house. Yvette was not so lucky.
In October 2015, now 22 years of age, Yvette was accused of 3 felony charges related to trafficking a minor. They blamed Yvette for trafficking Jade, despite having the abuser in custody. Yvette's trial lasted a day and a half, she was sentenced to 15 years for trafficking a minor and 8 years for the robbery of her friend, not including other charges. Her abuser received 10 years for trafficking a minor and was NOT charged for the robbery of Yvette's friend.
This is a girl who ran away from home as a minor, because she feared getting impregnated by a relative. A young girl who did not have her Dad to look after her, so instead found a father figure in a 'Pimp'. A young girl who was coerced into prostitution, beaten, bitten and attacked.
Yet, in the eyes of the law this young girl was guilty, Yvette was the PIMP !
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