When Angie was 14 years old, she was sexually assaulted by an older boy and it unleashed a tidal wave of destruction in her life. Instead of getting the support she needed, she began to accept people and things into her life she thought would numb the pain, but it only compounded it. Angie says of her childhood trauma, “I didn’t recognize the impact and how it made me susceptible to harmful situations.” A history of childhood sexual abuse is one of the most common vulnerabilities trafficking victims share. When sexual abuse happens, boundaries are crossed in ways that make victims more open to the tactics that traffickers use to groom and coerce them. Angie was sexually exploited on and off for the next 12 years of her life. She ran away from home, she was placed in foster care, and she rejected people who wanted to help her. Eventually, while incarcerated, she came to a place of finally being able to escape the cycle of exploitation. “I realized I didn’t want to go back, but I didn’t know how to move forward.”
In time, Angie was able to rebuild her life and experience restoration. She married, became a leader within her church, and found community in other survivors of similar lived experience. She says, “God has always been faithful to heal and restore; I knew that there was deeper healing still to uncover and explore.” Yoga played an important role in Angie’s healing journey, and she wanted to use it to help others. Through the One Purse Restore Her Dream Fund, Angie was able to complete extensive training, becoming certified as a YogaFaith Master Trainer and Level 1 Yoga Therapist.“I am able to use these skills to work with survivor leaders and allies by holding holistic healing weekends,” Angie shares, “I am also able to earn a living by providing therapeutic services and yoga classes to my community, businesses, corporations, schools, and health professionals – supporting those who are on the front lines – doing what I love.” At One Purse, we consider it an honor to come alongside survivors like Angie, providing education and vocational training that leads to healthy, sustainable lives!