It was just another day for 13-year-old Mahira* in the red-light district. Her mother and siblings had just left her abusive father and now she was trapped in one of the darkest corners of the world. Men lurked in the shadows, sexually exploiting children and women without punishment. Her grandmother had also been trapped in sex trafficking, so Mahira started thinking this would be her forever, too.

But one day, Mahira saw light at the end of the tunnel. Her family was brought into an Atlas Free Network Member’s safe home. Over time, Mahira, her siblings, and her mother began to heal. She studied and developed skills to stand on her own feet. She transformed into the woman she was made to be, far away from anyone who would hurt her.

Today, Mahira completed her education and is working as a teacher in a pre-primary school.

This joyful ending isn’t common for many girls facing sex trafficking, however. Sex trafficking makes the world unsafe for 5 million women and girls around the globe—that’s 78% of all detected victims.

Every girl deserves the chance to thrive, to dream, and to live a life free from fear.

Will you help us fight sex trafficking today? Click here to help protect girls from sex trafficking with a monthly gift. For less than a dollar a day, you can make an impact that changes generations.

*Name changed to protect identity of the survivor.