It's not a pretty story, and agonizing to tell, but former victims of human trafficking put on brave faces and spoke out Thursday evening.
Members of Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking Coalition presented the first program of its kind in Callaway County at Heartland Church in Fulton, hoping those in the large turnout took something new away from the event.
Nanette Ward, coalition co-founder, gave a quick statistical rundown.
"Traffickers can be anybody. Victims can be anybody. Buyers are front and center of this issue," she said. "They can buy a cheap product. We have to keep talking about that demand."
When the organization was formed 10 years ago, the estimate was 27 million slaves around the world - slaves being victims of human trafficking who have lost all say in their lives. Now, that number is more like 46 million, Ward said.
"It's hard to know how many slaves there are, but that's the estimate," she added.
There are various kinds of trafficking. Drug trafficking is No. 1. Guns used to be second, but human trafficking - including people trafficked for labor and others sold as sex slaves - is now second.
"It's the No. 2 criminal industry in the world and the fastest growing," Ward added.
When it comes to human exploitation, 25 types of labor trafficking have been identified: Workers in hotels, construction, carnivals and factories included.
"It's comprehensive and it's complicated," Ward said.
Trafficking targets everyone: women, men, children, straight, transgender, gay. Exploiters can be strangers or family. In April DeTienne's case, it was her former husband, who is now a preacher, she said.
"I spent 12 years in a partner trafficking situation," she added. "I can tell you: Stockholm Syndrome is real."
First, he made her feel helpless, isolating her and making her feel worthless. She called this process "grooming," and said it can take place over an extended period of time.
"They tell you no one's going to love you," she said of one of the methods her husband used. "That's when the black eyes come and the broken ribs come."
Building fear in the victim is essential.
"That's how they make you do what they want you to do," DeTienne added.
She said her husband "sold" her to others.
"My trafficker probably made about a million dollars off of me, and I never saw a penny," DeTienne added. "He trafficked about 30 other women."
She was 23 when it started.
"It took me a very long time to get away," she said. "I was in my 30s. There came a point, I said, 'I'm done,' so damaged I didn't really care if I lived or not. I said, 'If you're going to kill me, just get it over with cuz I'm dead already.'"
Then she got help.
"The problem with human trafficking is this. It's not being talked about. This is the first of these kinds of events in Callaway County," she said, adding she hopes people learn and start talking.
Another survivor, "Joy," was sexually trafficked as a small child by her father and is now 50. She got away about a year ago. She said she was sold to so many people for so many reasons she described herself as a "party favor."
"If you want to know the signs, look at our eyes," she said. "Our eyes are dead. And we're all scared to death."
There's a catch phrase with this organization. If you see something, say something. Their literature says, "People are being sold. Report it. Call 888-373-7888."
That's the National Human Trafficking Hotline number. There have been instances in Fulton.
"What's going on in Fulton is going on in every community," Ward said. "Leave with an understanding that others outside these walls won't have."
Look for details of the Sept. 9 Freedom Walk in Columbia and other information at: stophumantraffickingmo.com.