A new book from an award winning advocate and survivor of human trafficking helps vulnerable populations, potential victims and those who work with them learn how to avoid falling prey to human traffickers.
In Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Lost Innocence, Modern Day Slavery and Transformation, ($13.95 Animal Media LLC Publishing, May 2015) author Barbara Amaya brings her 10 years plus of surviving horrific abuse, human trafficking, trauma, jail, drug addiction, cancer, infertility, overcoming adversity and eventual transformation to the public. Much more than a memoir or a cautionary tale, this book shares how vulnerable victims can arm themselves against violent human traffickers and what all stakeholders can do to make a real difference.“As an expert in human trafficking and trauma, I believe that this book is a must read for parents, teachers, therapists and those working in the justice system.”
Dr. Mary C. Burke, Ph.D.
Director, Doctoral Program in Counseling Psychology
Department of Psychology & Counseling
Carlow University
This timely and eye opening book doesn’t simply share why a cautionary tale is crucial to us all – it shows how a young vulnerable abused girl fell through the cracks in our society and into the waiting hands of a predatory human trafficker, and what we all can do to avoid the same fate. In Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Lost Innocence, Modern Day Slavery and Transformation Amaya shares her gritty truths including tools, tactics and resources that will help law enforcement, first responders, medical personnel, counselors, teachers, students, parents and children:
* Learn who is vulnerable to human traffickers
* What is the most effective tool young boys and girls can arm themselves with against human traffickers
* How parent’s can really help their children avoid becoming victims
* What can law enforcement, medical personnel and other first responders do when they come across possible victims of human trafficking?
“When I speak to nonprofit groups, universities and law enforcement about human trafficking, they always ask ‘Why didn’t you leave?’ and ‘Why don’t they just leave?’ says Amaya. “They want to know how to identify potential victims – what tools and tactics will get them off the streets and out of the traffickers clutches? Which approach will have the
greatest impact with the least amount of time and resources? When is it a good idea to approach a potential victim? I wrote this book to give them the answers and information they need to succeed and to help all the children and vulnerable populations out there not go through what I have.”
Barbara Amaya survived more traumatic experiences before her sixteenth birthday than most people see in an entire lifetime. A recipient of the coveted James B. Hunter Human Rights Advocacy Award her advocacy work has resulted in Safe Harbor legislation being enacted in Washington D.C. and anti-human trafficking bills being drafted with law makers from Virginia, Maryland and Florida. A sought after award winning advocate and speaker Amaya’s presented at, written for, or serves on the advisory board for several nonprofit organizations including ArtWorks For Freedom, Polaris, D.C. Stop Modern Slavery, Truckers Against Trafficking and other varied universities, prosecutors, law enforcement, and organizations in the faith based community.
Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Lost Innocence, Modern Day Slavery and Transformation ($13.95, 250 pages, 5.5 by 8.5, paperback, Distributed by Follett ISBN: 978-0-9912550-2-3) available now at: https://www.
This article was re-posted with permission from Barbara Amaya.
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Read about Barbara Amaya’s health problems that were likely due to the abuse that she experienced as a trafficking victim:
“Twice As Strong.” Cancer InCytes Volume 2, Issue 2, Winter 2013
http://www.cancerincytes.org/#!twice-as-strong/c33u
Book Alert: Nobody’s Girl – A Memoir of Lost Innocence, Modern Day Slavery, and Transformation was originally published @ Cancer inCYTES Blog and has been syndicated with permission.
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