Where Is Tanya?

January 12, 2016 I’m listening to 100.3fm Old School an interview with an author I believe of “Behind Closed Doors”  a fictional novel based on a sex trafficking survivor named Tanya. I have been raising awareness about the derogatory treatment women and men go through. Outside of Terrance Tykeem addressing child sexual abuse I haven’t been able to cover much about the men addressing these same issues affecting men.

Would like to find a way to end sexual and all exploitation of our most vulnerable members in our society. During the #BreakingTheSilence town hall, Girl’s Justice League Kyndal Clark spoke of her experience as a social caseworker in a high school in Philadelphia. She had a student name Tanya, who was the only Asian American student in an all black school. Kyndal and the schools’ dean made a home visit because of Tanya’s excessive absence from school. Language barriers kept the mother from communicating but she allowed Kyndal and the school dean to enter Tanya’s bedroom. Tanya’s room was torn apart much like Tonya had been as she laid disoriented in her bed. Tanya’s world is shattered because her mom’s boyfriend abuses her. They again questioned the mom to no prevail.

The Philadelphia Department of Human services were contacted. DHS said they couldn’t find Tanya’s address. #%&%$%#@&^*   The school kicked Tanya out and refused to let her return. Judge Lori Dumas, Court of Common Pleas, Family Division oversees the sex trafficking courts. Judge Dumas shared with us that 99% of the young girls and women who end up in her courtroom were sexually abused. These young girls and women were being charged as prostitutes but that law was changed to charge them with being trafficked.

I wonder where is Tanya? Is she still caught up in a life full of careless systems? Or worse? Systems that play a blind eye whenever possible. Her mother and her probably came here looking for a better life. Only to have one wall after another block their freedom to enjoy life.  The authoress who wrote “Behind Closed Doors” mentioned she did so to raise awareness about the dangers of glorifying the sex trade, our young women think that partying is the way. NOT!! In South L. A. the young girls/women walk around with dresses/shirts that barely cover their ass and no panties. We can do better than this if we take the time to pay attention and care versus pay attention with a blind eye.