Mary is a 30-year-old Hispanic single mother of two. Originally from South America, Mary arrived in the U.S. with a trusted aunt who promised a work visa, job, and help. After escaping family violence, sexual abuse and abandonment by her parents in South America, all Mary desired was a safer and better life for her children, just like any of us would.
The work visa never appeared, and Mary and her children ended up sharing a house with 17 other people: food, space, and toilets were severely limited. Mary and her young children were forced to work all day and night for a family connected to her aunt. The family did not pay her and took everything from her.
Mary and her children were caught in a labor trafficking situation right here in a Dallas neighborhood. She didn’t speak English nor understand her rights; and when her own family started threatening her if she tried to leave, she sought out the police.
Thanks to Mosaic’s partnership with local law enforcement, Mary and her children landed safely at Mosaic House where she was safe and received counseling and legal services. Her children were enrolled in school, and they engaged in all the youth
activities and counseling offered at Mosaic House. All these services and activities helped the family begin to process and heal from the abuse and trafficking they went through.
The day Mary moved to her own apartment through Mosaic’s transitional housing program she shared a thank you letter and drawing from a counseling session. “This drawing I did in my counselor’s workshop. She has helped me a lot with her expertise and empathy”. To learn more about human trafficking here in Dallas contact Sonia Hagfors at soniah@mosaicservices.org for a Liberty in Labor presentation.
