TRAUMATIC REMINDERS. AS. OU, IT’S JUST A BURN. THIS IS A DAY JEANETTE DIAZ HAS MARKED ON HER CALENDAR, SO THIS IS MY FIRST TIME USING THE LADDER. CAN NOT BECAUSE OF THE PAIN SHE’S FEELING NOW, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAIN SHE FELT IN THE PAST. I SIT LIKE THIS A LOT TO TRY TO HIDE MY HAND, BECAUSE I DON’T WANT SOMEBODY TO BE LIKE, OH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DIAZ HAS TATTOOS ON HER HANDS AND NECK. THEY AREN’T BY HER CHOICE. I WAS BRANDED BY A PIMP, SO I WAS THEIR PROPERTY. DIAZ WAS FORCED INTO SELLING SEX AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. HER OWN MOTHER BEGAN PIMPING HER OUT WHEN SHE WAS 12, AND FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, SHE WAS CONTROLLED BY MANY. BUT NOW IT’S TIME TO FADE AWAY. THOSE REMINDERS OF HER FORMER LIFE. EVEN THOUGH YOU’VE BEEN OUT THE LIFESTYLE, EVEN THOUGH YOU’VE GAINED YOUR FREEDOM BACK, YOU STILL LOOK AT THAT AND IT’S A CONSTANT REMINDER OF THAT PERSON THAT TRAFFICKED YOU NINE YEARS AGO. DIGNITY HEALTH METHODIST HOSPITAL BEGAN ITS HUMAN TRAFFICKING SAFE HAVEN PROGRAM. IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING WITH LIKE DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, YEARS, DECADES OF TRAUMA AND ABUSE, EXPLOITATION, THEY’RE GOING TO NEED OUR ONGOING HELP. THAT HELP COMES IN ALL FORMS, EVERYTHING FROM ANNUAL PHYSICAL EVALUATIONS TO SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT. IT ALSO INCLUDES REMOVING INK DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN SKIN. IF YOU’RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING IN THE MIRROR EVERY DAY THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOUR TRAFFICKER, OF THESE HORRENDOUS, YOU KNOW, PORTIONS OF YOUR LIFE, OBVIOUSLY, IF THAT WASN’T THERE, UM, IT WOULD BE A HUGE PIECE OF YOUR RECOVERY. THE FREE PROGRAM IS AIMED AT TRULY SETTING SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS FREE. I’VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY WHAT AN EFFECT THIS HAS AND US BEING ABLE TO TO BE A PART OF THIS WITH THESE PATIENTS. YEAH. NO, IT’S COMING RIGHT OFF FOR SURVIVORS LIKE DIAZ. I DON’T FEEL IT. THIS IS A SYMBOL OF A FRESH START. I’M EXCITED MAKING THE SYMBOLS THAT KEPT HER IN CAPTIVITY FOR SO MANY YEARS DISAPPEAR. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO NOT HAVE THESE TATTOOS ANYMORE, BECAUSE I’M TIRED OF BEING THAT OLD. JEANETTE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES THAT HAS KEPT ME IN THAT MIND FRAME OF BEING THE OLD JEANETTE AND I’M NOT JEANETTE, THE SURVIVOR. NO MORE. I’M JUST JEANETTE NOW. JASON MARKS CASEY 3 NEWS JEANETTE IS ONE OF THE SURVIVORS. WE TALKED TO FOR OUR DOCUMENTARY, ESCAPING THE BLADE, AND THAT PREMIERED EARLIER TONIGHT ON KCRA THREE AT 7:00. SCAN THIS QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT HERE TO WATCH THAT DOCUMENT. THREE. OUR TEAM SPENT A YEAR INVESTIGATING SEX TRAFFICKING IN SACRAMENTO, AND MANY OF THE VICTIMS ARE YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO OFTEN FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO ESCAPE THEIR TRAFFICKERS. WE SPOKE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, LAWMAKERS AND SURVIVORS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE FUTURE TO STOP THIS PROBLEM. WATCH OUR DOCUMENTARY, ESCAPING THE BLADE RIGHT NOW ON THE KCRA THREE APP. IT WAS REALLY COMPELLING TO SEE THE BRAVERY OF SO MANY OF THESE TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS COMING FORWARD AND TELLING THEIR STORY
Sacramento program erases tattoos that serve as painful reminders for sex trafficking survivors
Updated: 8:41 AM PDT May 23, 2024
The world of sex trafficking is both equally dangerous and abusive. Sometimes, traffickers will tattoo sex workers as a way of taking ownership. Those tattoos are painful scars for survivors, even years after they've escaped.Janette Diaz knows that pain far too well. She was trafficked by her own mother when she was just 12 years old. Diaz would spend years on the streets controlled by pimps. They not only forced her to sell her body, but they also put tattoos on her arm and neck. "I was branded by a pimp, so I was their property," Diaz said. "Even though I’ve been out of the lifestyle and even though I gained my freedom back, I still look at that, and it's a constant reminder of that person who trafficked me."But help is on the way. Nine years ago, Dignity Health Methodist Hospital began its Human Trafficking Safe Haven Program."If you have people that are dealing with days, weeks, months, years and decades of trauma for abusive exploitation, they are going to need our ongoing help," said Dr. Ron Chambers, who helps survivors in the program.The Safe Haven program gives victims access to everything from annual physical evaluations to substance use treatment. It also includes removing ink deeply embedded in the skin."If you are looking at something in the mirror every day that reminds you of your trafficker and these horrendous portions of your life, and obviously if that wasn't there, it would be a huge piece of your recovery," Chambers added.The free program is aimed at truly setting sex-trafficked survivors free."I've been blown away by what an effect this has and us being a part of this for these patients," Chambers said.For survivors like Diaz, it is a fresh start that makes the symbols that kept them in captivity disappear. "It's important to me to not have these tattoos anymore because I’m tired of being that old Janette and this is one of the biggest pieces that has kept me in that mind frame of that old Janette. And I’m not Janette the survivor anymore. I’m just Janette,” Diaz said.The story was produced in connection to the KCRA 3 Investigates documentary "Escaping The Blade" about sex trafficking in Sacramento County. Watch the full report here.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The world of sex trafficking is both equally dangerous and abusive. Sometimes, traffickers will tattoo sex workers as a way of taking ownership. Those tattoos are painful scars for survivors, even years after they've escaped.
Janette Diaz knows that pain far too well. She was trafficked by her own mother when she was just 12 years old. Diaz would spend years on the streets controlled by pimps. They not only forced her to sell her body, but they also put tattoos on her arm and neck.
"I was branded by a pimp, so I was their property," Diaz said. "Even though I’ve been out of the lifestyle and even though I gained my freedom back, I still look at that, and it's a constant reminder of that person who trafficked me."
But help is on the way. Nine years ago, Dignity Health Methodist Hospital began its Human Trafficking Safe Haven Program.
"If you have people that are dealing with days, weeks, months, years and decades of trauma for abusive exploitation, they are going to need our ongoing help," said Dr. Ron Chambers, who helps survivors in the program.
The Safe Haven program gives victims access to everything from annual physical evaluations to substance use treatment. It also includes removing ink deeply embedded in the skin.
"If you are looking at something in the mirror every day that reminds you of your trafficker and these horrendous portions of your life, and obviously if that wasn't there, it would be a huge piece of your recovery," Chambers added.
The free program is aimed at truly setting sex-trafficked survivors free.
"I've been blown away by what an effect this has and us being a part of this for these patients," Chambers said.
For survivors like Diaz, it is a fresh start that makes the symbols that kept them in captivity disappear.
"It's important to me to not have these tattoos anymore because I’m tired of being that old Janette and this is one of the biggest pieces that has kept me in that mind frame of that old Janette. And I’m not Janette the survivor anymore. I’m just Janette,” Diaz said.
The story was produced in connection to the KCRA 3 Investigates documentary "Escaping The Blade" about sex trafficking in Sacramento County. Watch the full report here.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.
