My name is Jazzlyn, and I’m a survivor of human trafficking.

At four years old, a man groomed and sexually abused me.

He recruited me to live with his friends, but he continued to abuse me throughout my childhood when I visited him.

I lived under slave-like conditions, where I was exploited for hard labour and subjected to sexual and physical abuse and racism.

Around age 16, a peer raped me. I vividly remember pushing him away and saying no when he forced me up the wall, attempting to kiss me.

In my late teens, my classmate’s father deceived and sexually exploited me. He asked me to model for magazines and promised reasonable payments.

He began taking pictures of me in nature, but as time progressed, he asked me to remove my clothing. Eventually, I ended up in his living room, posing in different positions with nothing but a G-string.

I never saw my pictures in any magazine.

I speak to remind survivors that the shame and blame we feel are not ours to carry!