We were all mesmerized, heart broken and deeply moved by the love that came through while listening to David tell us about the journey he and his wife have been on during their marriage of over 30 years, as they fell in love, got married and had children, and his discovery over a period of time that his wife had been trafficked by a group when she was younger. He shared some of his wife’s story, including that she did not self-identify as a sex trafficking victim for years (which is common) and that the trauma that she suffered affected her many years into her adult life. To hear the perspective from a man who loves a woman who has been trafficked about buyers of sex is a sobering reminder of the need to address demand and share stories like this in the hopes that society’s view of buying sex as a victimless transaction will change. To hear about the pain and anger this has caused in their children, who are all boys, as they have come to learn the truth about their beloved mother’s past, helps drive home the very important point that victimization has a ripple effect on future generations.
As heart-breaking as it was to hear about David, his wife and their children’s painful journey to healing, it was equally remarkable how this husband and wife have come together united in their mission to share her, his, and their story to help educate others and bring about change.
