By Lois Lee | President
Dear Sonia,
Once again, I’d just like to thank you for always being there for me and my education, cheering me along and unbeknownst to me, eventually my own children.
I couldn’t imagine Sonia is still there and the same person Who taught me is teaching my own children.
I find great pride in my children having their education managed by you as
you so diligently worked to teach me and educate me so I could be an intelligent woman leading a fulfilling life.
Tmes get tough, but I was built tougher!
Thanks to you and some amazing women.
JANET
Janet was only 14 when she met her first pimp.
She thought he was just her “boyfriend.” She ran away with him, thinking he loved her.
But instead, he forced her to sleep with his friends.
When she refused, he beat her badly, leaving her with bruises and even broken ribs.
This went on for two years until he was arrested, and she was finally free.
With nowhere to go, Janet moved from shelter to shelter.
Then she met her second pimp on a dating app.
He seemed kind at first, paying for her hotel, food, and other things she needed.
But soon, he convinced her to sell pictures and videos of herself for money.
She had no other options, so she agreed.
At 16 years old, he talked her into moving to Ohio with him, promising a better life.
But as soon as they got there, he took her phone and changed completely.
He became violent, locking her in a room and controlling everything she did.
A few days later, he forced her into prostitution.
Janet tried to escape many times, but each time, things got worse.
He beat her badly, and once, he hit her so hard that one of her eyes swelled shut.
She felt trapped like there was no way out.
One day, she saw her chance.
She pretended she was going to do a trick but ran again instead.
She found a Domestic Violence shelter in Ohio, where she finally got the help, she needed.
From there, she was placed in a low-income apartment.
But even after finding a safe place,she still felt lost.
The weight of her past continued to haunt her, and for a long time, she felt like there was no way out.
She tried calling other organizations for help,but no one seemed to care.
They made promises, but nothing ever happened.
Then, Janet found Children of the Night.
For the first time, she felt truly supported and everything changed.
Janet was enrolled in the GED program right away, and with the help of her Children of the Night tutor, Janet earned her high school diploma in just six months, with just 39 tutoring lessons.
During these six months, Janet worked a graveyard shift as a healthcare worker and tutored right after her shift ended.
She tutored even when tired and would say to her tutor, “I have to get this done to be able to move on.”
Also, the case management team helped her update her resume and find a job as a home health aide, where she later got promoted to a direct support professional.
COTN also assisted Janet with essential needs like hygiene supplies, clothing, and obtaining her government documentation.
Case Manager Meliza assisted Janet in applying for college in Fall 2025, where Janet hopes to earn a degree in psychology.
Janet is incredibly excited about her future and can’t wait for the graduation ceremony that Children of the Night will host for all the graduates this year.
She’s so grateful for the support that has helped her get to this point and is looking forward to celebrating her success with the COTN family.
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