As a child, Mona’s home was unstable – she was abused, neglected, and without a consistent adult to rely on. Like so many of the youth RFK Community Alliance serves, she found herself in trouble because her behavior reflected the trauma and instability of her life.

Mona was referred to RFK Community Alliance’s Detention Diversion and Legacy Mentoring programs after an arrest and court hearing. Our expert teams partnered with her, offering patience and compassion, consistent support, their own lived experience, and therapeutic interventions.

At first, she couldn’t understand that the much older man she considered her boyfriend – who gave her clothes and gifts but also sold her to other adult men for sex – was exploiting and abusing her. With the support of her mentor, who shared her own experience of being trafficked along with her journey to stability, Mona came to tell her story for what it is: She is a survivor; he is a trafficker – not just of her, but many other girls too; and she has the power to change the story for herself and others. Mona’s testimony against her trafficker showed how far she’s come, but we know she still has a long way to go. We’ll be part of the support system as she builds her community, her voice, and her future.