Restore NYC is a nonprofit dedicated to restoring freedom, safety and hope for foreign-born survivors of sex trafficking by providing long-term, holistic aftercare services. We work with local and federal officials and other organizations to facilitate the prosecution of traffickers and empower survivors.

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13 year old victim from Brooklyn

June 30th, 2011

Lance Villio, staff with Restore NYC, shares his thoughts on a recent NYTimes article ( http://tiny.cc/4p4ph ) about local sexual violence and exploitation.

The recent story of a 13 year old girl from Brooklyn tortured and raped for almost a decade by four men shows how easily girls can be victimized and how perpetrators can so easily get away with such a horrendous crime for so long. As a Brooklyn resident, this crime story hits very close to home. Before this young girl even had a chance to think and dream about her future, before entering high school, before she went on her first date, she was raped, stabbed, beaten, and used for sex. This brave young child endured threats of harm to herself and her family members if she exposed the abuse.

This nightmare story is a reality for thousands of children and women, foreign and domestic, young and old. We must each take it upon ourselves to be vigilant and mindful about what is going on around us. There are resources that can help us bring to light more stories like this one. If you see something or hear something that is suspicious, you must not wait. First: 1) Call the city’s non-emergency number (311) to report your concerns. The Mayor will track these numbers, so we can account for the number of calls made regarding the problem. 2) Call your local police precinct and report. And keep calling. If the police recognize that this is a concern of their community, they will respond.

We must be the voice for these victims.