“The girls describe it in terms of, ‘the day that I was sold was the day my God died.” --Matt Friedman, international health professional and trafficking expert “I trusted my friend. I didn’t know any better. They drugged us with something you take with bread. I never came back from there… When I refused to have sex they beat me for days. They threatened to bury me alive.” -- Anita, sold at age 12 “The first night they forced me to have sex. When I refused, they held me down, beat me and raped me. I was seven years old. -- Gina, who was raped by 14 men on her first day in the brothel. She is now dying of AIDS. “They used to catch me by the hair, bang my head against the wall and throw me on the ground. They would try anything to make me have sex… they beat me with a stick and sometimes hit me with aluminum rods. -- Jyoti, rescued at age 16 “I would not wish that life on an enemy. It was pure hell. It would be better to hang yourself and die.” -- Sita, sold at age 15 “The people of my village hold me in contempt. They treat me badly. People don’t understand that I was tricked and that I suffered a lot. -- Meena, who returned to her village after being rescued at age 14 “I am not actually a victim. I am a survivor working as a strong activist against trafficking. I will live and work to help others and eventually die here.” -- Anita, who now lives in a shelter for rescued child sex slaves “I’m not scared to go (back) inside those brothels. Even if they were to kill me and say, ‘Good. The bitch is dead,’ I know that some would say I died for a good cause, trying to help others.” -- Maili Lama, rescue officer for Maiti Nepal, sold at age 19, she now risks her life to free others “Now I have changed. I keep only girls who want to stay… You are asking us to reform and of course we will. After all, we are human too.” -- Mumtaz, brothel owner speaking to authorities leading a raid. That same day seven girls were liberated from hidden passageways inside her brothel. She is now in custody awaiting trial. “The brothel keepers wake up every single day committed to their work. They wake up focused on what they are doing and they are there all day, every day, 24/7. Somebody has to have the same sort of commitment to fighting the problem. -- GaryHaugen, president, International Justice Mission “First you have to learn to take them as your own child. Then you will feel the sorrow and then the strength comes out from you to protect them.” -- Anuradha Koirala, founder and director, Maiti Nepal