In Maine, trafficking survivors they look like me. They look like you. They look like your friends or your neighbors. It's not what you see in the movies. Oftentimes it's a family member or a friend who starts to gain trust over someone who is vulnerable and then uses that and exploits it in exchange for some sort of benefit for themselves." Cary Stuart At age 23, Cary met her first trafficker. "I was standing in front a hotel when this man started talking to me. I could not belief that he was interested in me. He was dressed nice and drove a black Mercedes. I was really impressed and was seriously deceived. Before I knew it, I was in his car going to NYC. He promised we would travel and he would help me with my modeling career. But none of that happened.” She agrees to go to NYC with him. When she arrives in what she thought was NYC- turns out to be Atlantic City, there she is sold and forced to prostitute herself.​​​​​​​

Cary stands in the doorway of her childhood home in Kennedy Park on East Bayside, Portland ME. After an 18-month prison sentence, Cary participated in an 8- month recovery program at Hope Rising in Maine. In recovery, she was asked to attend AAA meetings and domestic abuse support groups. At this point, it becomes clear what has happened to her is human trafficking. She then begins reading self-help books about trafficking survivors- one particular book is the Survivor Guide to learning by Racheal Lloyd. Cary quickly realized her clinical therapist, who runs the support groups, had very little experience working with trafficking survivors. Cary took it upon herself to start running the support groups using Rachel Lloyd’s guide book. She finishes the program at Hope Rising 8 months later. " I felt very proud. This felt important to me. It was during this time I could finally see myself – Self-realization. Until this point in my life, I was in constant worry about others. But now I felt I could worry about myself and help myself."

Cary reveals a feather tattoo on your left wrist, she says, it's a tattoo that covers up another tattoo her trafficker forced her to have with his name. In many instances in US, the trafficker will tattoo his name (or nickname) on the trafficking victims, signaling that they are property.

Reflections | Cary, reflects on her childhood while visiting the Maine Youth Center. Cary's childhood was spent in Department of Human Services custody. At age 14, she was committed to the Maine Youth Center. "I was held there on a tracking program till I was 18. I was the worst kid in there because, I figured, I couldn't go home. I felt like, I wasn't wanted, and nobody loved me."

Relapse | Cary, trying to dress herself while under the influence of illegal substance in her home, Biddeford, ME. Addiction to drugs and alcohol can be both a vulnerability to trafficking, and a common tactic used by traffickers to make victims more compliant. "I ended up getting really heavy into drugs when I was being exploited with my pimps. They would either dose or withhold to keep me coming back " January 2019, July 2021, and January 2022 Cary relapses. Each time she is admitted to a drug rehabilitation facially for 3 months.​​​​​​​

Recovery | Cary, during a drug relapse in her home in Biddeford, ME. "Once an addict always an addict. I'll always struggle with my addiction. I must take it one day at a time. I just feel like a part of me has died."

Recovering from Trauma | In trauma therapy Cary says, "My life has never been easy. I go to trauma therapy, woman's group once a week, and drug counseling. It's all a lot of work but I make the time because I need to be healthy for my kids. I struggle with mental illness, night terrors, post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociative personality disorder. In the life, I was torn apart and stripped of everything."

Survivor Leader | Human Trafficking Subject Matter Expert, Cary shares her story in a human trafficking prevention workshop at the Salvation Army Tools for Life Program. Tools for Life is a life and career skills series of classes. The Salvation Army Citadel Maine Corps program offers these year-round classes, job seeking skills and placement for participants in the Greater Portland, Maine community. The class topics range from stress management, finding a career, internet safety, and much more. There were many positive messages that came out of this workshop. Including, how journaling can help push past trauma and how important it is for us to take charge of our own story.

Reunion | Cary and Co-founder of the Greater Portland coalition Against Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Sgt. Tim Farris, embrace after 7 years. "Officer Farris is the man who educated me and saved my life when I was being trafficked. He wasn't giving up either. He told me I think your going to be the next girl we find dead. He said things to me that changed my life forever and made me the survivor leader I am today. I would not be alive if not for him. He did everything in his power. I've waited years to see him again and thank him. He said I'm done locking up the criminals and want to help the victims! Changed my whole perspective. What a deep much needed reunited, thanks, grateful. I love this man. He saved my life."

Cary nulls her 4-week old son, Jay, to sleep in her living room, Biddeford, Maine.

Cary's 4-week old son Jay in Biddeford, Maine.

Cary holds her new born baby, Jay, while trying on shoes at Just Love Worldwide, Portland, Maine. ​​​​"In the life, I went from one monster to the next I was torn apart and stripped of everything. I went days without food. I was locked in rooms, kept in a brothel, had to work casinos, craigslist, back page, and worked the track. The men buying sex they knew I was not there of my own free will, but they didn't give a shit. I was forced to sell my body to 10-15 men per night. Where was I going to go? I had nobody and no way out. Or at least that's how I felt. It seems like everyone that seemed to care just wanted to hurt me. There was always evil lurking."

Cary and her 1 year old son, Jay, play in the living room, Biddeford, Maine.

Cary applies her makeup in the living room mirror before leaving to trauma therapy, Biddeford, Maine. "In the life, I was torn apart and stripped of everything. My pride my self worth, dignity, no values no morals, I had lost all hope. Never lose hope that is the worst thing anyone can ever do to themselves. I found my purpose in everything I went through. Helping other women, educating the community, trying to get bills passed at the State House to better help women coming out of the life, advocating, mentoring, and training police to better identify victims with respect has become my purpose."

Cary and her son, Tristin, play outdoors at their home, Biddeford, Maine Two-year old Tristin is Cary's second child. Tristin was born without a cochlea in his left ear. He is hearing impaired. "I had Tristin when I was 'in the life'. In the back of my mind, I think his disability is from being choked during my pregnancy till I was unconscious more times than I can remember and punched in the stomach. But docs say it's genetics. Tristin is most likely the son of one of my pimps either Ramey or King. King was the worst pimp of all. He tried to kill me a few times by strangulation and was the pimp who started drugging me. King would lock me up in a room and leave me there for days.

Tristin, Cary's two year old son, play outdoors, Biddeford, Maine

Cary and Tristin engage in play therapy during a speech session with a early intervention speech therapist.

Cary and her 4 month old son, Jay, play in the bathroom mirror, Biddeford, Maine. 'Not so sure how I did it myself. Some days were much tougher than others to get to where I am today. I just keep showing up, working on myself, growing, changing for the better, trying to overcome and understand what I've been through and who I am today. I want to live free and know who I am. There's so much of me I don't know. I want a better life and a healthier mind, body, and soul. To build a good life for me and my family. Raise a family like I should have been raised. I don't want chaos dysfunction in my life. My dream is to take what I went through and use it to help others. I have a strong faith and those are other great stories to tell.' Sex trafficking operations capture an estimated 200 to 300 Maine victims every year, according to a report produced for the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA).