Giving Women a Chance

Kristy Childs tells story of sexual exploitation

Most people would have looked at Kristy Childs as a hopeless case when she came to El Centro, a social service agency, about 20 years ago. Sister Linda Roth saw her as a woman with possibilities. She told Kristy she could learn some marketable skills and enrolled her in the computer class she was teaching. Sister Linda believed in her and that was the beginning of a new life for this 36-year-old woman who had been a prostitute since age 12.

Kristy got a job at the Kansas City, Ks. Chamber of Commerce with Sister Linda's help and experienced success for the first time in her life. She took advantage of several assistance programs to get counseling, food stamps, and eventually bought a house. She knew she wanted to help other women get out of prostitution.

After a few years she started a program called Safe House in Kansas City. Mo., which assisted women who were caught in a life on the street with no way out. In 2002, with a grant from the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, she began a program in Kansas City, Kan., to help put an end to commercial sexual exploitation. She named it Veronica's Voice in memory of a young woman who was murdered after she identified the man who had sexually abused her.

"I knew my experience could give other women a chance to escape a life of trafficking and learn skills to earn a living," she said. "When they hear my story, they begin to think they can do it too."
She emphasized the fact that most women trafficked come from homes where there is physical or sexual abuse, and they run away and then become victims of sexual exploitation.

Kristy understands how hard it is to break the chains of sexual enslavement. She instills confidence in fearful women with her encouragement and takes pride when her "girls" succeed. Sister Linda gave her a chance at a better life and she wants to do that for others.