Kasey, a Trafficking Survivor, Has Made Phenomenal Strides with Her Case Manager and Substance Use Counselor

Kasey was raised in a small town just outside of New Orleans in a middle-class home with two loving parents. To avoid disrupting the happy childhood her parents hoped to provide, Kasey kept it secret when an older relative began sexually abusing her. In her teens, she felt even more ostracized when she came out as gay. When Kasey met Sarah, a woman who cared about her and wanted to be with her, she found the first confidante whom she could trust with her past and escape from her loneliness.

Kasey fell in love with Sarah, who introduced her to heroin as a way to cope with the trauma Kasey had experienced. She quickly became addicted to the drug and to her new, loving girlfriend, creating a disconnect between Kasey and her parents. As a teenager with no job, Kasey had no way to fund her addiction, and neither did her girlfriend. In pursuit of funds for their addictions, Sarah forced Kasey into prostitution, becoming her pimp. Sarah manipulated Kasey into working long hours at night meeting johns, giving her meth to keep her awake.

Heroin helped Kasey come down from the effects of meth, pushing her further into the cycle of addiction. Kasey was never given the money she earned; Sarah forcibly took the money to maintain their drug supply.

When Kasey was assaulted so violently that she was left with permanent physical health issues, she decided that was enough. She found her way to Covenant House, where she realized she could get the healing she desperately needed. Kasey recognized the deep care and compassion our staff members feel for her, and was able to accept that people truly care about her and her well-being.

At first, Kasey mainly kept to herself, but she worked hard and made phenomenal strides with her trafficking case manager to receive the help she needed to cut drugs and trafficking from her life. Over time, Kasey formed a bond with Covenant House's substance use counselor and is now a regular attendee. With the robust support system in place, Kasey has overcome massive obstacles in her addiction journey. She has been clean for the most extended period since being trafficked.

Kasey has started to make friends at Covenant House and reconnected with her parents. She has chosen to remain a resident and keep working her substance use program and continue counseling with her case manager. Despite rejecting Covenant House twice in the past, Kasey told her case manager she never forgot about our staff and always kept us in the back of her mind. In Kasey's heart, she knew there was nothing she could do to lose our love and respect. Kasey says she knew we would be here to welcome her home.