TAMPA, Fla. — January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and Tampa Bay 28 is bringing awareness to the crisis of human trafficking all month long.
Tampa Bay 28 anchor Wendy Ryan listened to a survivor share her journey in her own words how trafficking almost killed her, and how finding her voice to testify against her trafficker finally set her free.
“I was so uncomfortable. I felt like the skin on my body is going to shrivel off. That's how uncomfortable that I felt,” said Laurianna.
Laurianna’s nightmare began in 2012.
As a 20-year-old military wife, her husband was deployed overseas when a crippling medical bill arrived. Desperate, she answered a Craigslist ad for a “Companion.”
"I was like, 'Okay, this is not a big deal.' You know, I'll just go on a couple of dates. It won't be that big of a deal,” explained Laurianna.
But the promise of easy money was a lie that quickly unraveled into a trap.
“The man started asking me to do sexual favors to him,” said Laurianna.
That night, she walked into her boss’s house and found him armed with a gun. Escaping became all she could think about.
“I went to go towards the door. And as I'm walking towards the door, his friend was going towards the door. I was able to stomp on his foot and hit him in the groin just enough that I could slip my body out the door and I ran,” explained Laurianna.
Laurianna feared her trafficker would hunt her down and kill her.
“The whole way home, he kept calling me and calling me. And at that time, he had my ID. He had all my information. I had to sign a fake contract. I had to, you know, there were, like, so many things that I had done that I'm like, This guy's gonna know where I live. My life is over,” said Laurianna.
To cope with the pain and shame, Laurianna began drinking excessively. She said the trauma ran deeper, passing through generations. As a child, she suffered sexual abuse, as did her mom and her grandma.
“I think a lot of times, childhood trauma will lead us to do things that we didn't think. And maybe, if I was healed during that time, I probably wouldn't have done I wouldn't have went through what I did,” said Laurianna.
But she fought her way out with support from her husband, counseling, and faith.
“I got baptized while I was pregnant with our son. That was the best day. I'll never forget when I came out of the water and just being set free. And it was absolutely amazing. Sorry,” said Laurianna.
Then, in 2023, the DOJ told Laurianna her trafficker was convicted and asked her to speak at his sentencing.
“I'll never forget sitting there next to my other survivor warrior, and I'm holding her hand, and I said, today is going to be the best day for us because we are finally going to have... sorry... that we're finally going to be set free from everything that's happened to us,” explained Laurianna.
Here’s part of her victim impact statement in court, facing her trafficker:
“The emotional damage that has this has taken on me has been crazy. Many nights and days I would drink myself to almost death because I truly didn't know how to cope with what had happened to me. I was so close to death that fatal night! If I would have been one second later, my life would have been over. The gun was less than four-feet from me.”
But today, Laurianna is giving back by volunteering to help women in strip clubs.
“I think all of these women think, well, I'm already I'm doing sin, I'm doing sinful things, but we come in just like Jesus and say, I'm here. I want to love on you. I don't need anything from you,” said Laurianna.
“Trafficking is very complicated. So one of the main problems is they don't trust anybody. How do you trust somebody, when you've been taken advantage of for so long, right,” explained Lurlene Diaz, Executive Director of Created.
Created is a nonprofit recovery program supporting women impacted by human trafficking and sexual exploitation. At Created’s Drop-In Center women can shower and see a case manager who helps with food stamps, medical insurance, and more.
“The ladies are invited to come every single day. We help about 40 women a day, and they come for their basic needs. So they get clothing, shoes, toiletries. They'll get blankets and coats right now that it's cold,” said Diaz.
Even with that assistance, many won’t leave their trafficker, becoming dependent and believing they’re in love.
“The men actually sit on the rock outside of our fence, waiting for them. And that even brings security for the women, like I can come in, because when I go out there, he's going to be there and he's going to be waiting for me,” said Diaz.
Finally deciding to get out does not come quickly.
“It takes between 70 and 100 visits with our case manager here at this campus before somebody will receive help,” Diaz.
Created also meets with women on the streets and in correction facilities offering help and hope for new beginnings.
“We work with them during the rest of their time that they're incarcerated, and then we are the ones who pick them up, when they get released from jail,” said Diaz.
So when women are ready, they’re in good hands.
“There's tremendous healing components that are offered now to people that are highly effective, and people are getting their lives back,” Diaz.
Laurianna has found healing as well.
“I'm no longer that person that was upset about what happened to me. I'm not. I've turned it into glory. I've turned it into. The Lord's given me grace, and I'm just very thankful for that,” said Laurianna.
Laurianna’s trafficker is now serving 36 years behind bars. She prays he never hurts anyone else again.
Share Your Story with Wendy
Tampa Bay 28 Anchor Wendy Ryan is dedicated to helping our neighbors navigate the important topic of mental health. For years, she’s been connecting people to resources, listening to their challenges, and sharing their stories to decrease the stigma. You can connect with Wendy by using the form below.
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