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The hardest part of achieving a goal is starting. Being sendy means making courageous decisions to try something before you have all of the answers. This podcast will remind you of the remarkable life you are living and will give you new ideas to make your life more meaningful and exciting and give you courage to accomplish your goals by stopping the negative voices in your head and just sending it!
Becky Brouwer (00:01)
I just wanted to take a minute to tell you a little bit about this episode because it might be just a little bit sensitive for some people. Faith is a survivor of sex trafficking and although we do not go into details about the things she was required to do while she was enslaved, it might be difficult for some people to listen to her very difficult childhood which was stolen from her.
Nevertheless, faith continues to be a light to everyone around her. I am so grateful for her insights and hope you will enjoy this talk. It certainly will give you something to think about and maybe take a step to help. If you are interested in helping, she is hoping to do more advocacy at the local and national level, but needs money for travel. The organization she mentions in the show is called PACT. That's P-A-C-T.
You can find them at wearepact.org I'll put a link in the show notes if you would like to make a donation to this organization. If you would like to help victims who are being rehabilitated, please look at the organization Dahlia's Hope and I'll include a link to the organization in the show notes as well. This organization was founded by people who helped faith after she escaped her captors.
So really she was the founding member of Dahlia's Hope. She was really instrumental in designing a program for the real needs of victims. And she was able to go through this program as well. The transcript for this episode will be on sendymom.com. You can also find the video with subtitles on the Sendy Mom YouTube channel. You can find a link in the show notes. Please enjoy our conversation today.
Becky Brouwer (01:43)
The key to it actually. Forgiving myself, telling myself every day, it wasn't your fault. You were vulnerable. This person saw your vulnerability and took advantage of that. You had no control.
So something that I do also want to work on is being more myself.
meaning that I can say my yes, my no's and standing up for myself. That's an important thing.
welcome to the Sendy Mom podcast. I am Becky Brower and I am here with Faith Robles,
I am super excited to talk to you because I feel like
lot of time people have trauma in their lives. You've had a fair share of trauma in your life. But what you've decided to do as a result of having that trauma is what really inspires me and I think can inspire other people to make changes in their lives that can make their life better so that you can really feel like you have control. So with that, why don't you go ahead and tell me a little bit about yourself, your background. You can kind of tell me your story.
Thank you, Becky. It's such an honor to be part of your podcast today and talk to the world who I am and why I am here today. My name is Faith Robles. I am an indigenous Mayan. I grew up in Chiapas, Mexico. English is my third language, there have been, and until this day, there are still some barriers to get some resources.
First, I do want to mention that I experienced trauma since as a little kid. I experienced child neglect and child abuse as a little kid. From your family. From my family. So a lot of people oftentimes ask like, where is your family? Right? We'll go through there in a minute. that because I was abused as a little kid,
I was very vulnerable. Absolutely. Yeah. And a lot of people have a hard time understanding like how is it possible here? We don't see it very often, but that's what I experienced. Sure. And there was nothing that could had prevented that.
When I was 13 years old, I met this guy in a park and he had lied to me, told me lies that years later I had found out. Were you with other people when you met him or you were just... I was myself actually. So I met him, he introduced himself and...
A lot of people think that traffickers are these adult guy, but in fact, my traffic car happened to be a minor too. Okay. Well, so this is the first time that I am. Is this the first time that he had done anything like this? So is he being trafficked as well kind of, or. So no. So when he grew up in Mexico in ten and single Tlaxcala.
this tiny town and state.
Most of the guys are pimps traffickers. Okay. It's just what you grew up to be. grew up to be like in other States, like they grew up seeing drug sellings and all of that stuff in this town. It's a trafficking. Wow. They will not traffic guys, but they will traffic girls. And then there is actually a documentary that is called Tenancingo to New York And it really talks about like.
all the victims are from all over the country of Mexico. Tenancingo. Tenancingo Tlaxcala. Tenancingo is the name of the town. Tlaxcala is the state of Mexico where most of the pimps the Pedrotes are coming from. But the victims are from all over the state. Mexico. all over Mexico. So that's how like law enforcement in New York City, they started to say like.
Victims are from all over, but traffickers are from one little state. Interesting. So that's why like kids grow up seeing trafficking throughout. Yeah, it's like you grow up to be what your dad does. You do what your dad does because your dad is successful. And so you kind of grow up without even a moral compass because you feel like this is normal and this is the way that it should be. That's really interesting. So have they kind of started to lock down on this area?
So they are being, so there is actually a video where a little kid is asking, must be like between eight, 10, somewhere there. is asked like, what would you like to be when you grow up? And all he says is I want to be a pimp. want to be a padrote when I grow up, because that's what my dad does. I want to have a lot of women. Wow. Does have multiple victims. No, it's not just one. They'll have multiple at the same time.
Yeah, so it's generational. it continues. Well, it continues this cycle until somebody realizes, hey, wait a minute, this is not a good cycle. and and I hope that there's some people that get themselves out of that. So it doesn't continue. But but at the same time that it makes sense that that would happen. But it's horrible. That's terrible. Yeah, it's terrible. Like you grew up what you thinking what people grew up doing.
what they want to do and don't do what they have seen. That is normal to them. something that my trafficker said in court, your audience is the first one hearing this. He said, where I grew up is normal to do this. Like that's normal to them. there is.
I had never even thought about that. You think that you're born with a certain moral compass, that you understand that you should not harm other people, but really that's kind of nurtured into people. Like one way or the other, you're either nurtured to believe that every person is good and we need to treat everyone kindly and whatever. And that's the whole golden rule. It hadn't even occurred to me that there are people that are actually being taught.
to use other people and that that is a good way to live. And so how do you re-educate people like that? It's really tough. Actually, somebody this week asked me the same question. She was like another survivor. She was like, don't you think we need to educate the perpetrators? And I said, look, they have to recognize that they are the perpetrators and that they want to change.
Cause maybe they think of themselves as being victimized too, because they feel like this is an okay thing to do and the whole world hates them for it. well, that's something like, if you really want to find out, and this is what they tell people, if you really want to think what is going through their mind, sometimes you have to fit yourself into their shoes. Sure. And that's tough.
Because I have told people just put yourself into my shoes for 24 hours, right? Instead of criticizing me for what I went through and then then later on come and tell me how it went. exactly. And can't understand. mean, it's, it's the whole judgment thing like to judge somebody based upon what you understand. mean, even within the same family, you're going to have different thoughts and experiences and whatever that you are going to
you'll have that filter and that lens that you're looking at the world as. And so there's no way that I can be in your shoes. I really can't. but you can judge the actions of what people do. And I think that that's what it comes down to is like, there are, there are evil actions that happen. and whether you have
But it's generational. It's so complicated. Yes. It's like, how do we undo something that started many generations ago? Right. Like, there have been questions where I have asked myself why, as a little kid, I went through and experienced all of that abuse when I have had friends that didn't experience it. And it's so weird. you never experienced that? And the people are like, no. Why do you say that? I'm like.
Because when I grew up, it's something normal. Right. Where you abuse the kids of the little kid. And it doesn't matter if it's a little one. And I'm like, I see little kids. And I'm like, no. But see, your parents probably had the same experience growing up. Right? Yes. A couple of years ago, I found out.
that there has been some abuse throughout generations and I had a hard time finding out. So when did you figure out that this was wrong? The way that people were treating you? mean like even because because it probably
when you were trafficked, that was probably scary. And because you're in a different country, you don't speak the language to all of these things. So that's scary. But the way they treated you was kind of the same way that your parents or your family treated you, right? absolutely. So a lot of people have asked me, couldn't you have asked for help? Couldn't you? But what people don't understand is once as a little kid has been sexually abused, molested,
and has gone through all of that, not providing them the essentials, right? You whether you like it or not, the little kid is used to it. Yeah, yeah, exactly. then as you get these these brain, you know, like pathways where it's just like, this is what we do. This is normal and everything. Yeah. So there was nothing. The only thing that I do remember telling my trafficker when he said, this is what you're going to do.
I remember telling him, no, that's not what we do. I get angry, but then he reminded me of, you don't speak English. So then it's fear. Now it's the fear. Now it's the manipulation. Now it's like, but we have, you have to pay me back for bringing you from Mexico.
To the United States. Did you know you were gonna go to the United States like because you had this trafficker who was a minor, right? And so did he tell you I'm gonna take you away from your family. We're gonna go to the United States We're gonna live happily ever after whatever so what happened is he had lied to me so I Met him at 13 weeks later. I turned 14 years old. Okay, so he trafficked me
A couple of months later, I turned 14, took me to his home. Bad things happened there. And then he brought me to the United States. the promise was we're going to have kids, we're going to build a home. Okay. selling you that dream. Selling me a dream. And I believed him. And at the same time, I didn't want it to be at home anymore.
I was tired of all the abuse. I started to work since I was six years old. So some part of you, when you were a child, even realized that the way that people were treating you was not right. Yes. But at the same time, you accepted it because it was normal. It was hard because I didn't have somebody to support me. I didn't have no one to come over and say,
Hey, I want to help you or hey, want to. even, there is a government is like here in the United States, they have the child. What's the name? Child protective services. Yes. Okay. there is something like that in Mexico and because I had thrown away from home once and a lot of people.
will call you run away, right? But when you run away from home, it's not because you just run away. I was running away from all the abuse. Yeah, exactly. they didn't do anything. They didn't investigate it or anything like that. They could have helped me and my siblings, but they didn't. Why do think that was? Were there too many cases and so they just had to triage and pick the ones that were highest priority or?
I believe they needed more training and that's the problem. Like even here in the United States, every person has to be trauma informed. have to recognize the signs of who's a victim, who's not. Like even myself here after I was brought into the United States, like nobody knew I even existed. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. And well, in
So when you as you so you get to to New York and you think you're gonna be having this new life like as you were being brought across the border or however that happened like What were you told what what were you told was going to be happening and were you afraid at that point? So He had told me that I was going to work on a African market. Okay restaurant those that was
what I was told. Okay. So you didn't think it was strange that you were coming to the United States. They had already told you were coming and but you had this vision of what it was going to be like. Yeah. I'm going to work on a restaurant or work in this African American market. And I was even taken there. Really?
Okay, and but the market is just kind of a farce or is it is it a real market? It's a real market. Okay. Yeah. All Okay. All right. So how long were you in in this in this situation before us escaped? So it was there from October 2010. Okay.
That's when they introduced me. That's why I don't like October 28. I hate that day because that's the start of it. That's the start of it. And now I can talk about it more openly without crying. Yeah, I know. But it's been a lot of work. You should understand that she has gone through a lot of work to get to the place where she is most. Most survivors are not able to talk.
this freely so I'm so grateful to have faith here. Be my good friend and be willing to talk to me because we want to prevent this from happening to other people. Yeah. I mean, you're gonna make me cry. I You cry for me though. I cry for you. Yeah. Yeah. So then I was able to escape on April of 2014. before I turned 18.
Yeah, which was a real blessing, right? Yes. what I, somebody had told me to talk, to go to the police or talk to them. Okay. So like, was it another victim or was it just a person? It was a person actually. Really? How did you meet this person? Like how did that encounter happen? That encounter happened in a park. Okay. Somebody saw me crying and that person offered me a ride.
And I went into the police station. I was scared and afraid. And when I arrived into the police station, I had a hard time talking. And then somebody asked, do you need help? But I didn't understood English at all. Now I remember like, yes, I remember that police officer telling me, do you need help? And I'm like, I don't know. I don't know what you're talking about. Yeah. Then somebody said Spanish and I'm like, yes.
So then a detective came to me and talked to me. And I want law enforcement to take this advice really seriously. The detective said to me, I believe you. We have been investigating these cases and we can help you. And because I was a minor, my case was taken in a different way.
They protected me a lot as a minor. Yeah. Where you have some friends that have had different experiences because they were over 18. Yes, they were over 18. They were either arrested or... And they have that trauma. Thankfully, I don't have that trauma, but I do have trauma with law enforcement. So the law enforcement in New York though, they took you seriously and that was the thing that you needed the most. And even this stranger.
that do you know who this person is? I don't. Who knew who recognized that there was a problem, like saw you crying, like how did you how were you by yourself? Had you run away at that point? I had already escaped. But you're lost, you're at the park, you don't know what to do, right? where I was. Okay. I knew where I was. Because a lot of people think all victims are held in a basement. Yeah, they never get to go out. And what a lot of people
doesn't realize that there is and there are different types of trafficking. Yes. There are ones that might be in a home. There might be ones that it's like I was taken as a food where I was taken in a car and taken to different addresses. okay. Yeah. So there are different types of trafficking or there is one where the victims are on a bar, a casino and stuff like that.
In my case, it was through delivery. Got you. Okay. Which is crazy. Yeah. Okay. It's crazy. Yeah. it makes me so angry. I'm sorry. I don't understand people that do this, you know, and it just continues to be propagated. know, like people are still in there. I mean, there's there's got to be a root to the problem and a root solution.
I mean, I'm sure it's a very complicated issue, but there are some solutions and I know you're working on some of them. Do you want to talk to us about some of the solutions that you're working on?
Yes. So something that I personally have been working with. So I want to mention that I am a member of a Survivors Council who is nationally here in the United States. We focus on different laws.
We have been working in what's the name of the organization name of the organization is wearepact.org Okay, and you can go there and what is PACT stand for? We protect all children from trafficking. Okay. Well, it's exactly what you do. Yeah And what is your organization do that? So what we do is we work on public policy legislation prevention education and we also
do trainings, we have members of our survivors council who have different experiences, such as like CSEC, labor trafficking. Okay. Like we all have to Okay, so not just sex trafficking, but also labor trafficking. maybe some of them who escaped after when they were an adult and had, you know, different experiences and are able to kind of share what their
trauma has been, but also they're healing. Yeah. So everybody, a lot of people are like, don't you know their stories? And this is something that I do want to clarify. I don't like to ask their stories. Of course not. Like, I don't know what was their experiences, but we all have different experiences, expertise and backgrounds, and we help with trainings. We also have
collaborated with hotels, industries, with transportation, including aviation. Like we do focus on a lot of stuff. That's great. Very good. Well, and there are several different organizations that also help victims getting them integrated back into society, right? That you've been the beneficiary of, but this is
kind of your focus right now because it goes to the root of the problem or some real solutions that can help at the seed, right? there's a law that you talked to me about that is coming into pass that will be a federal law to give victims support for operations they need, medical assistance,
trauma relief, know, or therapy and things like that to kind of help them. Yeah. So the thing is that there are laws, but sometimes those laws, a victim applies for something, a survivor applies for an assistance and then it gets denied. Even though she has all the requirements and then it's still denied. We need to fix those issues. takes a lot of work.
It's not easy. It's really hard. going out there, talk to legislatures and tell them like, could you sponsor this law? This is what it's going to do. And it takes months of hard work. if you see my friends and I going out there advocating for laws and looking for sponsors, it's a hard job. it is. So you do, you talk to a lot of people. I do talk to a lot of
people. So how did you learn English? That's a good question. So after I had escape, the NYPD connected me with a safe home of Catholic nuns. Okay. And then the Catholic nuns enroll me into a class in New York. I had to travel up to three hours to just get I believe like three hours of English class. Wow.
Okay. So that helped. And that's what you ultimately you were able to learn English that way. Yeah, I was able to learn that way English and something that I didn't like was I love watching TV. That's my place to escape. That's my way to decompress when I need time. And they would tell me you can't watch TV in Spanish. have to watch it in English.
But that helped me. know, like, because Robert's from Holland, right? And when he was growing up, that's how he learned English was by watching American TV shows. And, so you can't even tell he has any accent because he grew up with it, you know, like watching all these American TV shows. So there you go. Watch, watch TV and whatever language you're trying to learn.
someone had gave me George the curious monkey, the little show. yeah. Curious George. I remember there was a part in Spanish and English that was the cutest little thing. wish I could have kept that book, but I don't know where it ended up.
there was this wonderful org in New York that had access to they would get donations of books. Okay. I loved reading books. So reading, reading is my thing. Yeah. Okay. Especially when it's not too much. Right? Yeah, exactly. And reading one one thing with another. That's actually that's how I learned German too, is reading one book in German and the same book in English and going back and forth. And then once I was done, then I could speak.
fairly good German. yeah, I think that that makes a big difference. Yeah, way to do it. But but I mean, Spanish was your second language.
So how did you learn Spanish then? first of all, tell me what what was the language that you spoke? I grew up speaking native Mayan language known as chol.
And my family decided to leave Chiapas to go to Mexico and Mexico City because there weren't many resources. I grew up.
In the mountain. So, Chiapas is a beautiful state. That's where he's from. I lived like two hours away from you have no desire to go back there. It's tough to go back. Is it? Well, I can't go back to Mexico. can't? No. Let's clarify that to them because people are going to be like, what do you mean you can't go back? So, I am the responsible one.
for my traffickers to get arrested. Yeah, nobody helping me other than the law enforcement in New York. Right. And the my traffickers, the traffickers when I say traffickers, I mean, this was a family trafficking ring. And you knew all of them. knew all of them. And so you identified them yourself. And because you you're the one who went to the police. And then you told the police who it was that was
causing all of this trauma? for, and how many other victims did they have traffic? They were a lot. And personally, I don't want to say the number of their names because some of them don't want to be identified and their families have no clue what happened to them. Okay. So I respect.
Yeah, of course. Yes. But it was a lot. There were a lot. Was it over a period of time? was it was it just when you started? Like, was it that three or four years or something like that? Or had they been doing it for years? they have been doing that for many years. Okay. Yeah, they had been doing that for many years. Hmm. Yeah. Okay. And so so yeah, let's go back to learning Spanish. Yes. So that's why my traffic. You don't even speak Spanish. Well,
I had to learn Spanish in Mexico and I was bullied. It was this little skinny little one. Brown skin. They were bullying me. So I had a hard time learning Spanish. Okay. So you mean the kids were bullying you? kids were bullying me and I was discriminated.
Because you had moved from your little community and now you have to go and learn Spanish in your school. then now it's a big city. Yes. From a small town. Yeah. How old were you? I was six years old. Okay. Yeah, that's hard. It's hard. So it was, had a hard time learning Spanish. And even until this day, there are words that I am not familiar with. Okay. I even have a hard time spelling some words in Spanish.
Yeah. Yeah. Cause it just, cause in your home, you probably still spoke. Yes, I did. I spoke Ch'ol and then my trafficker prohibited me to speak in Ch'ol in my native language. Okay. So for almost four years, I didn't speak at all. So sadly I did lost it due to the PTSD and all the trauma that I went through.
Okay. So you don't really speak it anymore. I do understand that. I am getting it back. Actually. Do you want, do you want to have it back? Are you kind of going back to your roots? Yes, I am going to like, I have been working on relearning it. So in that way I can be able to educate them and talk about trafficking. Yes. How can they recognize the signs?
Because there's there's still people in that city that are pretty vulnerable. Yes. Yeah. Well, and I had another guest on I don't know if you listen to Deborah Fletcher. She talked to me about because she's from Guatemala. And she goes down there quite often to help the Mayan people down there to learn to be educated and also to have nutrition so that they they can
build stronger bodies of the children that are being born to them one of the things that I got out of that conversation was just that these women feel very vulnerable and they feel very second, third, fourth class, because first of all, you know, they're a woman and so the man, you know, takes precedence over the woman, right? But then also they don't speak Spanish and so they can't get jobs because they don't speak
the language there. And then on top of that, they are, you know, poor and whatever. And so their value to themselves is so low that they don't feel that they're valued at all, you know. And so being able to teach them even how to write their name has been a real boon to their self-confidence and so that they can start feeling a little bit more free to make choices for themselves.
Yeah. And so, so now let's talk a little bit about your journey that was 2010, right? Yes. So it's been 14 and a half years since you, you know, you were able to escape. So in that time, tell me about your kind of progression, because I know that you had a lot of medical needs that needed to be met. And so you've had some surgeries and things like that.
and also some of your psychiatric help that you needed as well. And tell me a little bit about that journey if you can, Thank you, Becky. my healing process has been upside and down like a roller coaster. Because therapy for me has been an incredible thing, but I did have to at some
point to have access to a psychiatric. Yes. And I was afraid. I was scared because I was told as a little kid, if you go to the psychiatric, you're crazy. Yeah. There was a real stigma associated with.
going to a psychiatrist. Yeah. So I went through that. I was in a lot of pain as well. And until this day, you know, like I was telling my husband, I need a hidden blanket because my back is killing me. and I'm like going through that process, having a therapist and a psychiatric was tough because
Just so you know, a lot of these therapists don't have much experience with victims of sex trafficking at all. And I arrived to this therapist who had no experience with child sex trafficking at all. And no training. And not training. So what this person did was asking me like my story and she would take notes of everything that they said. And I felt like that didn't help me that much. Right.
So I have had good therapists and bad therapists. Okay, so that didn't work. wasn't... So what do you feel like it did work? Because I know you're working with people from Mexico now, and so that's really helped, right? Right. So I have had multiple and different therapists. The first one I had from New York, she was wonderful. She's from Mexico, actually. Okay.
I had therapy with her in Spanish and the rest it was in Spanish, but they didn't understood me at all. So I was given therapy for six months. just so you know, when orgs have a limit on how long they can give therapy to a survivor. And I was given therapy for six months. Then I had an attempt to take away my life.
After the therapy was done and you didn't have to, cause it wasn't enough time. No, it wasn't. Like I was told, you're good. You no longer need therapy. I need therapy. So what was it that she did that you felt like really helped? Probably undoing the manipulation that I had to went through into understanding that I was a victim.
I see. Okay, to understand that you were manipulated and that you were a victim. That's it. So she was able to talk you through that to understand that you that this is not your fault to maybe take the responsibility away from you. Yeah, like literally like it was like, undoing you know, that you're a victim and I'm like, I just happened to go to the police station to tell them.
So there is like phases into what you go through figuring out you're a victim. Yes. Right. And for like, no, but
It's hard to undo that. took me years of crying. I forgive myself. Right. Forgiving yourself. That's right. The key to it actually. Forgiving myself, telling myself every day, it wasn't your fault. You were vulnerable. This person saw your vulnerability and took advantage of that. You had no control.
My friends always ask me, don't you believe in God? And I'm like, absolutely, I do. But I do have moments. Where were you? Right. There are things like, where were you when I was going through all of these hard times? Yeah. And you never will. I even wrote a song about it. You did?
In that song, there is a story.
I wrote it talking about God and somebody that had promised me resources and help and it didn't happen.
Your life has been well and I think a lot of people can relate to the roller coaster of even like when you talk about believing in God, you know, we go through these moments where we can see God and then we see have moments where it's like, yeah, there's nobody here for me, you know, and
And whatever belief structure that you have, know, it's the hope is what's going to bring you joy, I feel like, you know, hoping that there is going to be somebody there for you. And as you go as you're down there in those kind of hard times or whatever, if you can get that glimmer of hope, then that can carry you through until you have the belief again of whatever it is you need to believe in. Yeah.
Yeah, and I don't want to go into a discussion about faith or no, no. Am I understanding you correctly? Yes, yes. my beliefs and I are mine. Yes, right. Private. Exactly. I can mention something.
Yeah, exactly. Well, and when you talk about your, you know, your journey, like the roller coaster, whatever, too, I can see how, you know, when you're having this therapy, and you're like, Yes, I'm a victim. Yes, I'm a victim. And I am not responsible. I'm not responsible because you have this person that's that is reminding you, Hey, faith, you are not responsible for all these things that these people did you are not, you know, this, this has been done to you.
but you have a choice. So you have somebody there that's supporting you. But once that's gone, after that six months, I can see how that could just be devastating to you.
Becky Brouwer (38:21)
All right, we're about halfway through the podcast. I want to remind you that this podcast is also on our YouTube channel at Sendy Mom. You can find our website at sendymom.com and on Instagram at sendy.mom. Please subscribe, review and share this episode with people you think might need this message. Next week, I'll be talking with my good friend Lani Adamson. She has a great story about foster parenting to adoptive parenting to having to say goodbye.
She is super Sendy and making things happen in her life. I love talking to her about her projects. Be sure to tune in next Friday for her episode. So the Sendy spotlight this week is on Sacajawea. I felt she shared a few things in common with my guest Faith. Not only is she also an indigenous American, she was also kidnapped from her home and sold for sex. This was a common practice. It is a tragedy that this still happens today.
and I don't know if it will ever end until the demand completely disappears. I am really grateful to Faith and all of the survivors and warriors who are fighting to make sure that all children and humans grow up with freedom and a moral understanding that we are really all our brother's keeper. We are all meant to look after each other. So please enjoy the remainder of our conversation. We will talk a lot more about what...
actually brings Faith joy and how she is moving past her trauma.
Becky Brouwer (39:55)
So who did you rely on at that point? Did the state provide you a place to live? Were you in a home? you? So the NYPD found a...
Safe home for me, I live with Catholic nuns. right. That's right. So until this day, I'm still looking for Catholic nuns here in Utah. You know somebody that you know? Yes. They connected me with resources and stuff.
And were they there to did you make friends? mean, did you feel like you were friends with the nuns or if you that you had somebody to talk to? yes, I was. I could talk to the nuns. And even one time got angry. This story has to come up. Okay. When when after you escape, you have you go through.
You have PTSD and you don't understand what's happening and you think these guys are coming back for me. That's what I went through and one day I had.
these really bad panic attacks that I went and punched a tree okay. I felt like punching a tree before I did that. they're like, okay, let's talk. You want to talk? Punch the pillow. Okay. Like they helped me to release that emotion in a safe way. Right. And they were very patient. were very patient with me. Like remember the funny story.
yes. Yeah. The chocolate bunny. you're right with the chocolate bunny there. My lawyer, my sweet lawyer, write to me, pick me up. We're going to do the love your documents. yeah. And she was the sweetest little thing. I arrived to the Catholic nuns house with a chocolate bunny. So the nuns received me with so much love with
So much support that the first night, if you could have met me that first night, I wouldn't let you give me a hug. Yeah. I wouldn't let you like, no, right? Like, I don't care. You're not hugging me. No, no, And they offered me that first night. Would you like hot chocolate? No. But with an angry voice like, no, I don't want chocolate. Yeah. And then I came back a minute later.
Yes, I want chocolate. Of course you want chocolate. Yeah, who doesn't? I love chocolate. But it was hard because now you are in a place where there are rules. I am not used to rules. Yeah. So there are so many things that until this day I'm still learning. And I still tell people don't expect me to know this adult stuff when I am.
learning. Yeah, exactly. And well, and you had to be treated like a child, because you needed to go through that. and I feel like, in a way, you've kind of gone back to your childhood a little bit, you're like, so fun. And like, you love to laugh and like, and to play. you love playing. love playing. love and toys. And that's important. Like, that's part of our progression. And you were robbed. That was taken from you.
But okay, I do want you to tell the chocolate bunny story because it was really funny. the chocolate bunny. Okay. So one detective who got into make a minute. Got there. He said to me, I am going to connect you with a wonderful lawyer. And I thought this is a crazy one. He's lying to me. and he said, she's wonderful. She has represented here at this number. She actually has represented more than 2000 victims of trafficking. Most of us now.
were survivors, but including minors. Wow. Like that's amazing and has been very successful at it. This is kind of her life's work. Yeah. So she's very successful. Can you share her name? Her name is Lori. Lori. Thank you, Lori. Yeah. So, so she, a lot of people don't know or may have heard that finding housing for victims is hard.
The NYPD had a hard time finding a place for me. Yeah. And they found one that it was for homeless. And I was the only minor. was the scary moment of my life. Yeah. She got into that place, picked me up. I was afraid. I didn't like the food. I only had orange juice and I was so hungry. But by then I had already my jaw problem because I had attempted to escape from my traffickers and they, he found me.
and punch me in the face. So I have pain on my jaw until this day. And so sweet of her. said, are you hungry? Yes. I'm going to take you to eat. She had this cute chocolate bunny until this day is a little bunny You could see the orange carrot. Well, this is etched in your mind because this was, this was the moment.
like a changing point in your life. she was the one that
was the positive, the first one. The first person who's a lawyer who believed you. Who believed me. But also saw what your needs were, like your immediate needs. And then she was like, this is for you. And every single year she gives me a chocolate bunny.
she gave me that and then her supervisor happened to be in the office too and she got there and she's like can I take Faith shopping? And she was like yes but I need to do her documents because she's turning 18. so she waited. She went out I
I finished up whatever and it took hours of hard work because doing the documents, speak. couldn't focus. Okay, there are still times that I can't focus.
Now I am getting better at it. So she came and give me these little purse. And she had to hygiene stuff. That was the sweetest little thing. Nobody had given me anything, any hygiene stuff.
She me my first jammies, my first outfit.
So the NYPD takes me to that to drop me off at the house of the nuns. And they're like, it's a convent of nuns. Did Lori told you about it? And I said, yes, but I don't want to wake up early and then do it.
In Mexico, Catholic nuns wake up at 5 or 6 a.m. or even earlier. I don't remember. And I didn't want to wake up that early. It's not me. I don't wake up early. You're not a morning person. am not a morning person. Unless it's work. You're right. That's something that you want to do. Yeah. So I was so afraid. And I remember thinking, isn't this nice?
that nobody is touching me. Nobody's doing nothing to me. Yeah. Wow. So that's what I was thinking on our way there. And they're like, we have arrived. And they're like, okay, we're going to help you bring your stuff in. And the only thing I have in my hands on my right hand, chocolate bunny okay, you're going to be here with a sad face.
I'm like, okay. And I left the chocolate bunny on the table. you brought the chocolate bunny. Yes. Is this for sharing? And I'm like, yes. I got back. There was a small little piece and I'm like, my chocolate. Look, even sharing this stolen my chocolate. but now you get one every year. No, get it. No, I don't share.
Just for me.
did the nuns have other victims that were living there too? Yes. So they had been doing this for quite a while taking in and they could take minors. They have license to okay to help minors that was the only place that they could have found for myself.
Okay, so let's let's kind of delve a little bit more into your life now and kind of the things that you love to do. So tell me what you're super passionate about that you would love. I mean, like
actually I just, I'll ask you because I want you to talk about the embroidery and the sewing that you do so beautifully. So she did not embroider this shirt, but it's gorgeous. It's so beautiful. And your earrings too. you're listening to this, you should check out the YouTube version of it because you can see her beautiful smile and her beautiful shirt. Yeah. So at home.
my family sews by hand. I learned to do that as well. And I started to do that again last year. Is it this year? This year, this year, I wanted to make a pillowcase and I'm like, I need more practice. But I love sewing by hand. There is something that I do. I don't know if I'm the only one, but that helps me.
It takes me like six months depending on how long I work, but it can take me up to six months where I sew. It's either little flowers or I sew sequins and beads together. And they're the most beautiful. But then I pinch my fingers all the time. So they hurt a lot. Yeah. With the needles. But that helps me.
that has helped me to go through my healing process as well. I was going to say. I think that can be really therapeutic when you have like little very precise things to have to kind of focus in on, then it kind of gets your mind off of other things. So yeah. Yeah. So I love doing that stuff.
Yeah. Well, to be creative takes a lot of effort and energy, but it's very rewarding too. yes.
Beautiful. Yeah. And if you had more time, that's probably what you'd want to be spending your time doing. But who's going to pay me for that? it takes so much time. It's like a painting, you know? Yeah. What I did is hours of work. Yeah. Well, you're really an artist and I love that you have that creative outlet. You also are fabulous cook.
Yes, I love cooking. to cook and love to babysit too, right? yes, I love children. can I say? Because you're kind of a child yourself, like we talked about. and I love playing with them and it's fun actually, like to sit with a little kid. And then I'm like, I was at that age and I didn't have toys. So somebody said at work, I had a lot of toys.
And they said that I'm like, I'm happy to hear that. I don't know how it feels to have a lot of toys. Yeah. Because I didn't grow up having toys. Yeah. So what are the toys that you like to play with now? so I love 3D puzzles. that's my thing. Yeah. That's great. Yeah. So 3D puzzles is my thing.
Okay, so let's let's talk a little bit about the work that you're you are doing. So we talked a little bit about PACT and how you are helping other victims to be able to find resources
What about the root of the problem in America? Because I think America is like one of the hugest like trafficking places in the world, right? Right. Thank you. Thank you so much, Becky, for asking this question. a lot of people, unfortunately, have been saying publicly that Americans are the number one of sex buyers.
I do want to say and clarify that Americans are not the only ones. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I can totally believe that. They're not. Like, if you ask me today, who were the ones who bought the child for sex? Everybody. Yeah, whoever. Everybody who is in this country. It's a global problem. It's a global problem. It's not just one ethnicity at all. It's everybody. Like,
It wasn't just an American and even I'll have to say this, even lawyers. Any kind of socio economic group, any type of profession.
Okay. So is there anything that the government can do to stop these people from wanting that? Like, what do feel like we can do to help people to be more moral?
So something that I am working with and I support is the equality model. Okay. The equality model is a law that... So there are two areas, right? There is this group of people that want prostitution to be legal, which I'm sure you have heard of that. And then here we are, me as a survivor of CSEC.
who I don't want to be legal. Right. Because as a minor, it wasn't my choice. Yeah. maybe the adult was his choice. I don't know. He's on her choice. I don't know. Yeah. Or their choice. I don't know. But we have to keep in mind that victims are being arrested. They are getting criminal records. What about the sex buyer? Yeah. Like they have to be arrested. And that's what the equality model will do.
We're not going to criminalize the victim, but you do have to have accountable that sex buyer. They have to be arrested. There has to be something that is going to take a lot of work. Okay. Yeah. And it's not going to be easy. you feel like we should have laws against prostitution. Yes, we should. Okay. But then once the
prostitute has been, you know, has gone out of this, like, especially if it's a victimized prostitute, you know, somebody that didn't have that choice, they should be able to not have that criminal record, they should have that expunged, because of the circumstances in which they were forced into this kind of lifestyle. Yeah, like there are ones personally, a lot of people ask me like, would you consider yourself?
a prostitute? No, because I was a child. Yeah, it was a minor. You were a victim. I was a victim. So no. Right. Okay. And now I kind of want to go back and go to the future a little bit and talk about what you see for yourself in the future. What what you would like to do with your life. Becky. That's a long question. So I have lots of dreams and wishes.
So right now you're getting your CNA, correct? Yeah. And tried to do communications, but the schoolwork was,
That was so hard. It was a lot. English and you have to write this amount of paper and I'm like, I'm out. Yeah, exactly. So making that decision, it's good that you go down the road and then you have to decide, you know, maybe. Yeah. I was telling a friend of mine, if I am given two options, what would you choose or what you take two or?
If I could be a consultant part time, because I love consulting for nonprofits, speaking. I said, if I could work part time as a consultant and be paid the amount that I should be paid. Yes. I wouldn't have to work full time. And then I could go back to school and learn grammar. That would be great. Yeah. A little bit more English. Although I think in the last year you have actually.
you've improved a lot since I since I met you and I don't know if it's because we're just more comfortable with each other now and I understand you better but like I understand you a lot better than I did when we first met so I think that you have made a lot of improvements. Yeah, because I keep reading your English I told somebody I have to I have to learn this is not optional.
This is something that this you have to do. Especially with the goals that you have with the legislation and things like that, you need to be well spoken. Okay, and writing a book. I do need to create my website, actually. That's my next goal to create my website. So people can book me for speaking or
or consultation. Well, Faith is a very Sendy woman because
she chose to leave She went to a park, she escaped her captors, she went to a park. noticed, somebody was looking and somebody noticed that she needed help and pointed her in the direction. we can be helpful to people like Faith by noticing what's going on
So I know you've told me before that if you see a trafficker with their victim, it's not a good idea to go and approach that person because it could end pretty badly for that person.
Yes, you should be careful because traffickers have always somebody watching them. So just call 911, tell them what you saw, take a picture. Do you think that that's what this person should have done for you? Yes. Instead of taking you in their car? taking me. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Interesting. Okay. Well, that's good information too. Yeah. Never, never put yourself in danger at all. You never know.
if the victim is being watched or anything. Yeah. Because I know somebody saw me and it was not going to end. You were lucky. I was lucky. Yeah. That they didn't come and take you and yeah. again. Yeah. Well, they found me the first time too. Like, imagine they would have found me the second time. Yeah. gosh.
I think I would like
in the future to create a law that's been out there. But I'll have to work on that with lawyers and everything in the future. I do want to write a book of my story and publish it. I don't know when, but I'm sure it's coming there. We're going to work on it. So something that I do also want to work on is being more myself.
meaning that I can say my yes, my no's and standing up for myself. That's an important thing. You're actually really good at that. I feel like you're really good at self-advocacy. yes. Yeah. Yeah. But you've had to get to that point and you're still working on it. I know that you tell me sometimes like, no, I need to ask for help. And it's like you're telling yourself that it's OK for me to ask for help. Yes. So.
Personally, if a survivor reached me out and said, Hey, I need help or I don't know where to get resources. Look, I know how to find them and everything, but faith, do you need help? I'm fine. Thank you. Yeah. Because I am not used to ask for self for my health for myself. Yeah. Right. I am not used to that.
So you're learning it and I love that you're being very deliberate about learning that that it's okay for me to ask for things too. And but you're also very service minded and I know there's a lot of victims that reach out to you and you're totally happy to help them as well with their with their needs. So yeah, I help them not financially, but at least I know where they can have access to resources and stuff and I'll tell them I will send you
information but you have to do the work. I'm not doing that for you. Sorry. They have to do So you have your boundaries too. Yes. I have to. Yeah. So tell me about your law that you want to... My law would be...
making it easier for survivors to have access to the resources that they qualify for. So it's not denied to us.
creating a law is basically creating a new trauma. It's so complicated. Well, there's so many people involved in so many opinions and emotions. And then at the same time, if they don't like it, it's not going nowhere. Then it goes nowhere. Yeah.
Creating a law, it's so hard. Like that's why you haven't written down or done much because I am focusing on other laws. Like there are laws that are priority right now. If there was a victim of trafficking and they get the criminal record for prostitution, now it can get expunged. But if it was federal, it's harder.
Interesting. So it depends on the state where you're in. the state that you are in. It depends in a lot of stuff. And a lot of survivors have been able to expunge it and some are still dealing with that. And it's hard for somebody who has a criminal record to get the job. Okay. Here's another question too, because I was just thinking about these survivors, right? If you've known this, like what we were talking about with these men who become pimps and that's what they want to be.
like these women who have been in this system for so long and then they get out of it, do they go back to it? So I believe somebody did the study that they estimated that the victim goes back seven times. Out of 10? Out of 10. Okay.
Yeah, because that's the life that they know. Yeah. So and if you don't have resources such as housing, food, the essentials, yes, you're going back because you know, going back into the life, you're going to have access to all of that stuff. I already on my episode, I think it's episode number four.
with Janetta Robinson, we did a spotlight on Harriet Tubman about the Underground Railroad, abolition and things like that. And then I talked about Faith on that episode actually, because she came to my home and gave a little fireside about two months ago maybe or something like that. And I actually have that on my YouTube channel too. So if you wanted to watch her whole fireside, you can watch that with some PowerPoint slides and things like that.
But it within that episode that on the show notes, there's a bunch of different phone numbers. Is that kind of what you would where you would send people that contact you for resources? Yeah,
and people can actually contact me through Instagram. Okay. So how do we how do we reach you on Instagram?
Okay. My Instagram is faith_01Robles and then you'll find there. Yeah. And I will, I'll, put that in the show notes as well.
So at the end of my interviews, I always like to ask some rapid fire questions. can I ask you a few questions? tell me what has brought you joy in the last 24 hours?
I was actually telling my husband yesterday night after work. was like, I want is fries. Chicken wings. That's all I wanted. So like so happy with the chicken wings and fries. That brought me so much joy. I'm like, wow.
amazing. Yes. Well, see, and I love that you're enjoying the little things, right? And recognizing it. Because it's funny how, you know, sometimes I'll ask people this question, and they'll just sit there and think about it like, I don't know, what have I done in the last 24 hours? But when you're so in tune with what brings you joy, then you can experience a lot more joy. So I love that. That's what you found brought you joy. Okay, what about Okay, you said you loved
watching TV, what is a TV show or documentary that you've watched that you really love? so these people will laugh, but I watched, I love romantic movies. And unfortunately I don't have access to Hallmark but Netflix has romantic movies and they had one in New York. Yeah. that one.
Any show that has to do with New York, I'm in. You love it. I love it. But you'd never lived there again. We know that. I lived there, but I'm here now. Yes. Definitely. Okay. So what is it? What show was that? it was meet me next Christmas.
Okay, meet me next Christmas. I love it. Okay, so what was the last really good book that you read? the last book that I read was Brene Brown. okay. Yeah, I love Brene Brown. Yeah, she's got some really good things about empathy. And is that what she was talking about?
book. I don't think I've read her book. I am reading. I actually have it in Spanish. Okay. Racing strong, believe. Okay. The book that I'm rising strong. Yeah, I so. Something like that. I'll find it and I'll put it in the show. I love that book because there are some examples that talks about the husband and her on a vacation and okay. I'm like,
So I love that book, but we have not finished it up. And I have been reading it for the last past 10 years. Okay. Yeah, that's okay. I have a few books like that too, but you just have to digest it in little bits, right? And that was one of my therapists who gave it to me.
tell me about a vacation you've been on or somewhere you would really like to go on vacation. this one I can't go. But I would love to go to Disneyland, to go to California or Florida to have coconuts, oranges, mingles, avocados. That's all I can think of. Yeah.
I love it. You want to go to Disneyland? I would love And you can't go? No, it's expensive. is expensive. You're right. Disneyland has gotten way expensive. Yeah. So then I was looking at another park that is across or nearby and it was a little bit cheaper. But I'm like, okay, maybe that one instead of Disneyland. But I do want to. I would love to go to Go to Disneyland. I love it. Yeah. And go take me a picture with Winnie the
Well, see, that's part of living your childhood again. I have a little set though. Okay. Sendy community, we need to start a GoFundMe so Faith can go to Disneyland. Time for her to be able to go to Disneyland. Okay, name one thing you try to do every day.
That's a tough question.
Try to enjoy the little things every day. Yeah, that's wonderful.
Well, Faith thank you for being a Sendy woman and
doing all that you are doing right now to try to help victims who are still in this situation. Sometimes I wonder why I was born where I was, you know? And I think that part of the reason why I'm, is because I'm able to hopefully be a resource, you know, and hopefully help people to be heard that need to be heard. And you are one of those people. And I'm grateful that you've been on my podcast. Thank you for being with me. Appreciate it.
Thank you, Becky. Sure love you. All right, thanks for joining us on Sendy mom. and we'll see you next time.