Jayden (whose name has been changed), is a sixteen-year-old who has been the victim of sexual exploitation since she was fourteen. Jayden was referred to the Huckleberry Advocacy and Response Team (HART) by a medical provider who suspected Jayden had been trafficked due to the number of times she requested testing for sexually transmitted infections. Jayden, understandably, was scared, angry, and feeling hopeless when she first met with her HART case manager, Kailey.
Kailey talked with Jayden about her options, including the option of leaving the Bay Area and her trafficker, and what it would take to make that option a reality. Through ongoing conversations with her case manager, Jayden was able to learn new self-advocacy skills, rethink her future, and, most importantly, experience a relationship with a trusted, caring adult. It was through these conversations that Jayden found the strength to leave her life of exploitation and begin a new path. She found a housing placement outside of the Bay Area, away from her trafficker. Today, Jayden has hope for her future and is developing the skills she needs to pursue a brighter path.
