Unjust circumstances put Ellie into juvenile hall. She promised that once she was free, she would defend other young women who could fall victim to unscrupulous people.

Once back in the streets, Ellie met a group of young women that rented a room in an uninviting hotel – a place with an owner known for hosting young people with no jobs, so if they are not able to pay the rent, the owner will coerce them into sexual exploitation.

Ellie rescued two women who were being exploited, but they wandered around for several days without finding a safe place where they could stay. Ellie and the two women ended up in the same place they had started. When they returned, Ellie got beaten up so badly that her face looked like one big bruise. Through Ellie the traffickers were warning all abolitionists.

Ellie told our Peru team leader, Lucy Borja, that it is urgent to have a shelter to host women rescued from sexual exploitation. So Ellie is one of the people that is helping Not For Sale to find a house that will host women rescued from sexual exploitation.