What do you think?
Rate this book
The Slave Across the Street: The True Story of How an American Teen Survived the World of Human Trafficking
While more and more people each day become aware of the dangerous world of human trafficking, most people in the U.S. still believe this is something that happens to foreign women, men and children--not something that happens to their own.
In this powerful true story, Theresa Flores shares how her life as an All-American, blue-eyed, blond-haired 15-year-old teenager who could have been your neighbor was enslaved into the dangerous world of sex trafficking while living in an upper-middle class suburb of Detroit. Her story peels the cover off of this horrific criminal activity and gives dedicated activists as well as casual bystanders a glimpse into the underbelly of trafficking. And it all happened while living at home without her parents ever knowing about it. Involuntarily involved in a large underground criminal ring, Ms. Flores endured more as a child than most adults will ever face their entire lives.
In this book, Ms. Flores discusses how she healed the wounds of sexual servitude and offers advice to parents and professionals on preventing this from occurring again, educating and presenting significant facts on human trafficking in modern day American.
In this powerful true story, Theresa Flores shares how her life as an All-American, blue-eyed, blond-haired 15-year-old teenager who could have been your neighbor was enslaved into the dangerous world of sex trafficking while living in an upper-middle class suburb of Detroit. Her story peels the cover off of this horrific criminal activity and gives dedicated activists as well as casual bystanders a glimpse into the underbelly of trafficking. And it all happened while living at home without her parents ever knowing about it. Involuntarily involved in a large underground criminal ring, Ms. Flores endured more as a child than most adults will ever face their entire lives.
In this book, Ms. Flores discusses how she healed the wounds of sexual servitude and offers advice to parents and professionals on preventing this from occurring again, educating and presenting significant facts on human trafficking in modern day American.
183 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 481 reviews
November 15, 2012
God only knows why is that some people have to face ordeals like the one Theresa L. Flores came upon when she was only 15 years old. Some years ago, I left my young daughters (10 and 12 y/o) at a Vegas' mall for 5, 10 minutes (big mistake!) seating in the middle of the hall, in front of the Macy's entrance, among all the high class, suburban families shopping there (what could go wrong? right?) while I was going to pick up some purchases; when I came back, they told me about a couple of very strange young men looking at them and who after murmuring for a while just left; even though I didn't like it at all and knew it was very wrong, I didn't understand the real threat such an event can represent until I read Theresa's events.
Hers is a very touching story of suffering no doubt, but at the same time of strength, endurance and commitment to life. An eye opener for those who believe that "these things happen to other people" or "in other countries than the USA".
Not only the book is masterfully organized, it is also very friendly to read; I read it in less than 48 hours... I couldn't stop reading actually!
Five stars (and hats off!) for Theresa, hoping that she keeps up enlightening the world for many years to come.
Hers is a very touching story of suffering no doubt, but at the same time of strength, endurance and commitment to life. An eye opener for those who believe that "these things happen to other people" or "in other countries than the USA".
Not only the book is masterfully organized, it is also very friendly to read; I read it in less than 48 hours... I couldn't stop reading actually!
Five stars (and hats off!) for Theresa, hoping that she keeps up enlightening the world for many years to come.
Read
June 14, 2012I feel that I cannot give this book a rating because of the type of book it is. I also don't feel it proper to give it much of a review. The problem that it addresses is an important one and I think anyone who brings awareness to that deserves credit for their courage and understanding. The book reads very much like a journal and is a bit scattered (making it hard to figure out where in time you are). It is obvious that the author is not a writer and technically speaking it was not really what I am used to. It is not a fun read, it will not make you feel better and it will not lift your spirits but it may open your eyes. Regardless of whether or not you believe her is really not the point, the facts that she provides are scary and the things that she has done to create awareness should be commended. This is a taboo subject that no one wants to talk about or believe but life is not always nice and simple, it can be cruel and ugly.
January 3, 2018
Yea....I couldn't even finish this book. FIRST, let me clear that this is nothing personal against her story. What happened to her was terrifying and horrible. My thoughts and review are on her BOOK - how she told her story. I do not think the story was told well. There was lots of repetition - I felt like I read the line "tears of [insert emotion] were running down my face" at least every other chapter. Also, a little over half way through, right after they moved, I felt that it all got a little...idk, preachy? It felt condescending in parts, like I was getting a lecture or lesson. Really, the trouble with this for me is just the writing.
**Edited slightly**
**Edited slightly**
August 5, 2013
This book had a lot of potential - what a very interesting and relatively unknown topic to delve into and to try to inform people about. Unfortunately, the book is very poorly-written. It lacks proper transitions, which sometimes makes it hard to follow. There are times when the story does not go in chronological order, and it's like the author expects you to read her mind to figure out where she is in the span of time. It is also mostly written in cliches. I don't know how many times the author uses the phrase "hell on earth" or references "meeting the devil." It's ok once in a while, but the cliches are absolute overkill in this book. Finally, I have a problem with the author's tone. Some of the writing comes across as condescending to the reader, and there are moments when the author comes across as defensive. Also, toward the end of the book, she continuously references the fact that "nobody saved her," though she's spent the entire rest of the book explaining why she didn't let people who reached out to her (a therapist, a police officer) help her. The book almost reads like a personal confession in which the author is trying to convince herself that she did the right thing, that she didn't have a choice, that it was everyone else's fault that this happened to her. I'm certainly not saying it was HER fault; but it wasn't her teachers' faults, the policeman's fault, her parents' faults either. And it seems she is trying to make that claim. Overall, I found the book infuriating to read. I stuck it out to the end b/c it's short and I was interested in the topic. But I don't recommend this book. I'm sure there are better books out there on the subject of sex slavery. Don't waste your time with this poor piece of writing.
June 6, 2016
This is not the sort of book you expect to "enjoy" exactly. But I liked it well enough. It starts very slowly as the horrible tale of the author's suffering is book-ended by essays explaining her actions and defending herself and her parents.
I thought much of that was not necessary, at least not for me. The narrative itself shows that she was defrauded, coerced, and completely overwhelmed by the lies and manipulation of the Chaldean criminal organization in Detroit. Regardless of how another woman might have reacted--someone in her 30s, for example, the child in these stories could see no way out.
As a father of a 13-year-old daughter, I found some of the early chapters more terrifying than any fiction. This is a valuable account.
I disagree with the author's insistence that no one else tried to help her. She defends her parents who should have discovered their daughter's late-night absences, but she accuses teachers and security guards at the high school who, in my opinion, saw little. And the police officer confronts her, knows what's going on, and tries to get her to cooperate with an investigation. She tears up his business card. Now, decades later, she says he failed to help. I disagree. But if he should have done more--and if it would have actually worked--she should state in the book what it is that he failed to do. Because I think he did all he could given the lack of evidence. Her cooperation could have provided the evidence needed. I do NOT blame her for not cooperating. I simply disagree with her choice to blame him for doing nothing. What is it that he should have done?
Anyway, this is a good book. Certainly an eye-opener.
I thought much of that was not necessary, at least not for me. The narrative itself shows that she was defrauded, coerced, and completely overwhelmed by the lies and manipulation of the Chaldean criminal organization in Detroit. Regardless of how another woman might have reacted--someone in her 30s, for example, the child in these stories could see no way out.
As a father of a 13-year-old daughter, I found some of the early chapters more terrifying than any fiction. This is a valuable account.
I disagree with the author's insistence that no one else tried to help her. She defends her parents who should have discovered their daughter's late-night absences, but she accuses teachers and security guards at the high school who, in my opinion, saw little. And the police officer confronts her, knows what's going on, and tries to get her to cooperate with an investigation. She tears up his business card. Now, decades later, she says he failed to help. I disagree. But if he should have done more--and if it would have actually worked--she should state in the book what it is that he failed to do. Because I think he did all he could given the lack of evidence. Her cooperation could have provided the evidence needed. I do NOT blame her for not cooperating. I simply disagree with her choice to blame him for doing nothing. What is it that he should have done?
Anyway, this is a good book. Certainly an eye-opener.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2012
Flores writes of a tough issue to read let alone listen to, but a subject which I believe is the public's duty to be aware of. Florida is considered a hub for human trafficking. We have billboards along our highways advertising hotline numbers to call if you are a victim or suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking. Flores stepping forward is both brave and bold.
National Human Trafficking Resource Center Toll-Free Hotline
1-888-3737-888
Florida Abuse Hotline
1-800-96-ABUSE
National Human Trafficking Resource Center Toll-Free Hotline
1-888-3737-888
Florida Abuse Hotline
1-800-96-ABUSE
August 28, 2011
Perhaps because the author spent so much time emphasizing that doubt of this story is a form of re-victimization I feel the need to start this review with I do not doubt the veracity of the story. Nor do I doubt that Theresa felt she had no options. Nor do I doubt that this type of thing happens more often than we might believe in the United States. All that said, I can only give the book two stars. It was a quick and easy read, not due to the content but the simplisitc writing style. Perhaps the writing style was reflective of the 15 year old whose experience were being told. The commentary at the end of the book struck me as a somewhat extraneous means to attempt to validate the story. The editing in those ending commentaries was quie weak - multiple misspellings and other typographic errors. But the biggest concern that I have with the book is that it struck me as rather racist (despite the commentary, buried in the end, that this was not its intent) painting Chaldean men as evil and vicious. I don't know any Chaldean men but I can't believe that because those in this book were tied up in whatever business likened to the mafia all Chaldean men are evil and vicious - any more than all Mexican men are involved in drug cartels or all Italian men are somehow tied to the Mafia or.....It is unfortunate that the publication of this book comes at a time when the Arab world is seen in a largely negative light by Americans and that while these Arab men are not Muslim I believe this book will fuel the hatred. All in all, I found it to be a superficial presentation of a complex issue.
March 25, 2016
I downloaded this "book" on a whim. I couldn't have paid more than $3.99 for it (Lord, I hope not), but it's still $3.99 too much.
Immediately, I was struck by how poorly it was written. It took two people to put this together? Really? One person to dictate and one to type? But whatever, I thought, it's about kidnapping and white slavery, I can cut some slack.
I got about a third of the way through when it started to dawn on me that this story is B.S. I read some more. More B.S., but now it was just getting spread thinner and thinner.
I understand not sharing every salacious and gruesome detail, but how about ONE? There are NO details in the telling. Can I tell you how boring, "...and then he took me savagely," gets? And please, survivors of assaults of this magnitude rarely have such a high opinion of themselves (the author speaks endlessly of her "milky white skin" and "strawberry blonde hair", as well as her social privilege and her extraordinary good looks AND brains).
I could not finish this drivel, so I don't know if there was any big reveal or lesson learned in the end, but I doubt it. This is NOT a portrait of the typical "slave"; I wish it were.
Read the 1-2 star reviews on Amazon...they nail it. Save your money.
Immediately, I was struck by how poorly it was written. It took two people to put this together? Really? One person to dictate and one to type? But whatever, I thought, it's about kidnapping and white slavery, I can cut some slack.
I got about a third of the way through when it started to dawn on me that this story is B.S. I read some more. More B.S., but now it was just getting spread thinner and thinner.
I understand not sharing every salacious and gruesome detail, but how about ONE? There are NO details in the telling. Can I tell you how boring, "...and then he took me savagely," gets? And please, survivors of assaults of this magnitude rarely have such a high opinion of themselves (the author speaks endlessly of her "milky white skin" and "strawberry blonde hair", as well as her social privilege and her extraordinary good looks AND brains).
I could not finish this drivel, so I don't know if there was any big reveal or lesson learned in the end, but I doubt it. This is NOT a portrait of the typical "slave"; I wish it were.
Read the 1-2 star reviews on Amazon...they nail it. Save your money.
June 17, 2014
Something about this book just doesn't ring true. Very reminiscent of Go Ask Alice.
June 20, 2019
I had trouble with this book. The story is horrific, heart-wrenching, and soul crushing. What Flores endured for two years was simply pure evil. The idea that the perpetrators were allowed to continue, to move on to the next victim, is infuriating. I have no trouble accepting Flores's account as fact, and I applaud her courage in finding her voice and providing a voice for others. I had trouble with the inconsistencies, and it troubles me to have to say that. I have to ask myself if my acceptance of her account as fact means I cannot or should not have criticism for it. Flores offers a rebuttal to those who may attempt to question her, seeking to shut down criticism before it is offered, to shame the critic for daring to question such a painful and gut-wrenching experience. But, I find that I must. If the account did not contain these inconsistencies, it would be a stronger testimonial, so I wonder why they were allowed to remain. Why were they not edited out of dealt with? The main source of the inconsistencies comes from how Flores handles those around her who could have or should have intervened. At the end of the text where she provides analysis, she repeatedly asks for forgiveness for her family and casts blame on teachers, police officers, and counselors. At the same time, she declares that no one could have helped her; she resisted help for fear that there would be retaliation. Within the body of the account, she indicates that teachers themselves feared the Chaldean students and allowed them to act out in any way they wanted. If true, do the teachers deserve blame? I find it hard to believe that this is so. I find it difficult to accept that no educator had the courage to intervene. How Flores handles this raises questions that must be answered, and to do so, one must go to the teachers for their version of events. There is similar discrepancy with the handling of law enforcement. Again, Flores says no one could have helped her, but she casts blame on the cop that walked away from her. If true, he should be blamed, but what kind of cop would do what Flores relates. He would only intervene if she helped bring down the ring? He knew what was happening to her, but would see her continue in that situation because she wouldn't become an informant, a minor, a young woman, an informant for what was described as a significant gang. It just doesn't sound right. It needs the account of the officer. Then there is her family, whom she does not want blamed or viewed as anything but loving, at least that is what she tells us in the analysis. But, within the account, her mother sees her as a girl who is slutting around and turns her back on her on the night she is brought home by the police. There sounds like there should be blamed there. In the analysis portion of the text, she does allow one of her brothers to give a little insight into the family's side of this story, but it is not enough. This was a younger brother who could not be expected to understand what was happening or to have the tools necessary to intervene. I would have liked a chapter from her mother. I don't want to be one of those Flores identifies as her doubters, as unfair critics, as naive enablers. I don't want my questions to hurt her further. But, I have them and I can't ignore them and they do impact my assessment of this work.
January 13, 2018
I am extremely liberal person, and also passionate about ending abuse like this towards women. So, don’t think I feel good about discrediting a lot of what is written in this book. Let me begin with this: I do believe that terrible things have happened to Theresa, and I also KNOW that she has done amazing things to help girls who have found themselves in the sex trade. Now that I’ve made that clear, I’d like to explain my review of the book. The first reason I gave it one start was because it is very poorly written. That’s just a given. I don’t have to point out specific examples there. Secondly, I had a strange feeling while reading this. Things were not adding up. Theresa went with the Chaldeans to avoid naked pictures of her being shown to her parents, church, and school. Blackmail is very real, but it’s never explained how anybody got the pictures, or how she just happened to not see two guys go into the room. Furthermore, a track coach would have mentioned at some point to her parents that she was missing this many practices. Also, she claims to have had sex with, at this point, probably hundreds of men. It’s very unlikely that she would have never contracted an STD, and it seems suspicious that near the end of the book she even has this explained by a *Christian* Medical professional. In addition to this, she maintains an extremely high opinion of herself, and says “I could tell he was attracted to me because of my blonde hair and creamy white hair...” She even says that her ‘budding’ sexuality made her feel like she had a power over men, and could use them instead of use her. The final problem I have with her story is that she tries to justify not revealing the identities of her captors and abusers. She does not even help the police find them. If they did this to her, it is very likely they have continued to do this, and the one person we know of who could lead to their capture will not even share their identities to protect others from being manipulated and conned by them? It, as much as it pains me to say it, makes no sense. Other things in the story were strange as well, like her graduated boyfriend coming to school with her for a day? Or how the teachers would just let the Chaldeans pull her out of class? There are many red flags in the story that point to some of it being embellished. I’d like to make it clear that I have always supported people who came out about rape and sexual abuse, until it was proven that they were lying. I’m glad she has raised so much awareness, and commend her for doing so. I just wish the inconsistencies in the story were not so prominent. Sorry this was such a long review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2015
There are so many holes, inaccuracies and contradictions in this story. Her family and home life are all over the map. Daddy is a high executive, but she wears ragged clothes. She's pretty enough to be a fashion model but they can't afford a portfolio. Bouncing back and forth between mansion and trailer park mentality puts a big dent in the credility factor."Slave" implies that she was separated from family and friends and kept against her will. Imprisoned somehow, not allowed to live with her family and attend high school. I can somewhat believe she was blackmailed into providing sex to a bunch of guys, but I can't see her enslaved or in bondage involuntarily. In too many ways, this reads like a rough sex novel. Typically the heroine is pure hearted, very naive, gets into whatever way over her head, blundering into peril. Bad guys are rich and cruel Iraqi middle easterners who are contemptuous of women. She says she has "creamy white skin" and uses the phrase several times. (gag) In short, I ran across any number of story elements that appear with frequency in steamy bodice rippers. Do I believe her? I think something may possibly have happened but when I finally gave up reading I was disgusted with the apparent pretense on the author's part. Sex trafficking devours the minds, souls, and bodies of countless victims and this author is basically stealing the thunder of those who actually live the horror. That is utterly contemptable.
January 29, 2014
If there is one thing about which I am incredibly passionate as a community volunteer it is dealing with domestic sex trade in the US. Living in Atlanta with one of the largest underage sex trade industries in the country, I am frequently reminded how prevalent Flores' story really is.
I've had this book on my to read list for a bit, and it finally went on sale for my Nook. Flores' story is painful and very raw. She was a high school girl who had a crush on a boy, and from that crush her entire world changed as she became the victim of sex slavery in an upper class Detroit suburb.
Flores walks the reader through horrifying scenes as she recalls what two years of her high school life were like. She talks about sneaking out behind her parents' backs, avoiding police, and falling apart in school because these men threatened to kill her and her family. They held these threats over her head to make her do what they wanted to do.
Flores' book is heartbreaking, but it is a very real look at an industry that has a presence in every part of the US. If it makes just a few people more aware of the sex slavery industry then she has done a good thing.
It is a must read, but not because it is enjoyable. Rather it is an important look at something that people do not want to discuss.
I've had this book on my to read list for a bit, and it finally went on sale for my Nook. Flores' story is painful and very raw. She was a high school girl who had a crush on a boy, and from that crush her entire world changed as she became the victim of sex slavery in an upper class Detroit suburb.
Flores walks the reader through horrifying scenes as she recalls what two years of her high school life were like. She talks about sneaking out behind her parents' backs, avoiding police, and falling apart in school because these men threatened to kill her and her family. They held these threats over her head to make her do what they wanted to do.
Flores' book is heartbreaking, but it is a very real look at an industry that has a presence in every part of the US. If it makes just a few people more aware of the sex slavery industry then she has done a good thing.
It is a must read, but not because it is enjoyable. Rather it is an important look at something that people do not want to discuss.
December 2, 2011
When I got sent this download as part of the christianaudio.com Reviewer’s Program I really didn’t want to listen to it, as I don’t like anything like this. I pushed myself though and I’m very glad I did. It is a true story about human trafficking in the United States during the 1980s, so there is distressing content. However, it has been written and narrated in such a sensitive way that I didn’t want to turn it off at times. I wanted to find out what happened. I really liked the narrator's voice and found her really easy to listen to.
Having also been a teenager in the 1980s, I can understand why the author didn’t tell anyone about what was happening. There certainly wasn’t the information around like there is today and women were made to feel that being sexually abused was their fault.
It is a hard listen, because its not nice to be told that this is happening on your doorstep. Its not nice to be challenged and made to feel uncomfortable and unsettled. I am very glad Theresa has shared this awful part of her life with the world, and I really hope it helps to save many children in the same situation.
This is not an overtly Christian book, so I am more than happy to recommend it to both non-Christians and Christians alike.”
Having also been a teenager in the 1980s, I can understand why the author didn’t tell anyone about what was happening. There certainly wasn’t the information around like there is today and women were made to feel that being sexually abused was their fault.
It is a hard listen, because its not nice to be told that this is happening on your doorstep. Its not nice to be challenged and made to feel uncomfortable and unsettled. I am very glad Theresa has shared this awful part of her life with the world, and I really hope it helps to save many children in the same situation.
This is not an overtly Christian book, so I am more than happy to recommend it to both non-Christians and Christians alike.”
July 31, 2020
I listened to this book (a library loan; I didn't pay for it) mainly because I grew up in Metro Detroit and was curious about the Chaldean Mafia angle.
The writing is terrible. The author fetishizes her own whiteness, believes that she didn't get pregnant while raped because either her body "shut the whole thing down" (to paraphrase a Republican lawmaker) or because angels told her to take a bath (yes, really), and repeatedly chides her listeners not to think poorly of the dysfunctional parents who didn't notices that she was disappearing from the house at all hours of the night.
The writing is terrible. The author fetishizes her own whiteness, believes that she didn't get pregnant while raped because either her body "shut the whole thing down" (to paraphrase a Republican lawmaker) or because angels told her to take a bath (yes, really), and repeatedly chides her listeners not to think poorly of the dysfunctional parents who didn't notices that she was disappearing from the house at all hours of the night.
October 28, 2023
An incredibly sad story!;
July 10, 2019
Absolutely devastating and enlightening on so many levels—reminds me to pay attention to what people say and listen in between the lines. Also enlightening that refugee status doesn’t mean that someone or a group of people are fragile, frail, and humble in their plight and poverty; but can very well bring with them cultural issues of cruelty and brutality served on their host country’s vulnerable.
August 19, 2020
Okay. LETS GET REAL. I first heard about this book in college(2010). We were assigned a list of books; the common theme being humanitarian issues. I expected a book that raised awareness about human trafficking issues. How do we accomplish this ? Well, her book says this to me “HI, did you know HT exists, and can happen to anyone regardless of race, socioeconomic background etc.” Um yeah, DUH. Have you ever taken a statistics class ? So she basically highlights “this happened to ME, a rich white girl”, she wrote a story because she felt like it wasn’t supposed to be happening to her ? It should just happen to all those “other people” that more fit the profile. How does that raise awareness, all you told me is that it exists... we know that or we wouldn’t even be reading this lol. Her book not only FAILS to raise awareness, but also LACKS credibility due to the amount of EFFORT she put into the writing and development of the book itself! If this was so life- altering and important to me ??? shaped my whole life ??? I definitely wouldn’t take 20 years of potentially BEAUTIFUL writing and throw an eighth grade dictionary at it. Back to HOW DO WE RAISE AWARENESS?
1. Vivid details- the accounts of her abuse were meager, and superficial. You want to save potential victims? Make them feel what you felt, make them see what you saw, be graphic, BE VULGAR FOR AWARENESS. You have no idea what “sordid details”, that you are leaving out, could actually trigger somebody into recognizing those types of interactions/ grooming/ situations! Then there’s a generic list of signs at the end of the book ??? We can google those WHERE IS YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. What can you tell us that google can’t ??? I felt her language was censored and even cavalier due to her faith, and subsequent intended audience. SOOOOO .... That, to me, was just disappointing from an intellectual perspective.
2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: know and show all that you can about the area in question, influx of migrant/ immigrant traffic, social and political hierarchies within the sex ring, victim funneling etc. After they’re done grooming us WHERE DO THESE PEOPLE GO, HOW DOES THIS PHENOMENA EXIST, HOW DO THEY DO IT ???? We wanted to know, who these people were and what the next steps were, 20 years , 4 authors later and one sorry ass attempt at police contact for you to still not figure that out ??? But this was your life ? At least give detailed coverage of the hierarchies, and sex trafficking ring in THE CITY YOU ARE COVERING....????
We, the readers, needed clarity on how gang organizations, human trafficking rings, and whatever other social-pocketed groups work together to enslave people into these rings, and how they do it!!! You glazed over all of these OPPORTUNITIES for depth like a fresh Krispy Kreme donut on a Sunday.
If you can’t tell.... waited 10 years to read this book. Was hoping for what it said “to be made aware”, and unfortunately all I was made aware of was this:
A white privileged woman piggybacked off the hatred and taboo of the Arabic community(post 9/11 attack, book was published in 07, written surely around 03/05), and the beautiful systemic brainwashing of our beloved Christian/ catholic communities to sell books. Let’s demonize the Arabs, talk about why the church is so great, and GUESS WHAT, you bought half of America because we���re bandwagoning morons that eat faith, and distraction for breakfast.
DISAPPOINTED, want to take hours of my life back,
Just NO.
Side note: I’m no hater and I love giving credit where it’s due. HATE your book; LOVE your skills as a business woman though, good shit. Politics, and salesmanship on point !!!
1. Vivid details- the accounts of her abuse were meager, and superficial. You want to save potential victims? Make them feel what you felt, make them see what you saw, be graphic, BE VULGAR FOR AWARENESS. You have no idea what “sordid details”, that you are leaving out, could actually trigger somebody into recognizing those types of interactions/ grooming/ situations! Then there’s a generic list of signs at the end of the book ??? We can google those WHERE IS YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. What can you tell us that google can’t ??? I felt her language was censored and even cavalier due to her faith, and subsequent intended audience. SOOOOO .... That, to me, was just disappointing from an intellectual perspective.
2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: know and show all that you can about the area in question, influx of migrant/ immigrant traffic, social and political hierarchies within the sex ring, victim funneling etc. After they’re done grooming us WHERE DO THESE PEOPLE GO, HOW DOES THIS PHENOMENA EXIST, HOW DO THEY DO IT ???? We wanted to know, who these people were and what the next steps were, 20 years , 4 authors later and one sorry ass attempt at police contact for you to still not figure that out ??? But this was your life ? At least give detailed coverage of the hierarchies, and sex trafficking ring in THE CITY YOU ARE COVERING....????
We, the readers, needed clarity on how gang organizations, human trafficking rings, and whatever other social-pocketed groups work together to enslave people into these rings, and how they do it!!! You glazed over all of these OPPORTUNITIES for depth like a fresh Krispy Kreme donut on a Sunday.
If you can’t tell.... waited 10 years to read this book. Was hoping for what it said “to be made aware”, and unfortunately all I was made aware of was this:
A white privileged woman piggybacked off the hatred and taboo of the Arabic community(post 9/11 attack, book was published in 07, written surely around 03/05), and the beautiful systemic brainwashing of our beloved Christian/ catholic communities to sell books. Let’s demonize the Arabs, talk about why the church is so great, and GUESS WHAT, you bought half of America because we���re bandwagoning morons that eat faith, and distraction for breakfast.
DISAPPOINTED, want to take hours of my life back,
Just NO.
Side note: I’m no hater and I love giving credit where it’s due. HATE your book; LOVE your skills as a business woman though, good shit. Politics, and salesmanship on point !!!
May 10, 2014
If you're a parent or interact with children in any way, you should read this book, hard as it might be. This woman graduated from the same high school I did, 4 years before I did. Like her, I was a new girl, having moved here the end of my freshman year, so I relate very strongly to that part of her story. Very few people made it easy for me to fit in and feel welcome. This story makes me even more grateful to the ones who did accept and befriend me because both my sister and I were classic targets for these types of predators.
Don't kid yourself that human trafficking is not happening in the US. The other night I learned that Michigan is the 2nd highest state for human trafficking in the US. Both girls and boys are victims. And human trafficking is likely a lot different than what you think it is. And a great piece of advice I heard: tell your kids that if someone ever threatens to hurt you (their parents) or their siblings if they tell...TELL ANYWAY! You (their parents) will NOT be hurt despite what someone has threatened.
And for God's sake, don't just stand by when you think or feel that something isn't right. Get outside of yourself and speak up - reach out - be kind. You have no idea what others are going through and you could make the difference just by showing kindness and caring.
Don't kid yourself that human trafficking is not happening in the US. The other night I learned that Michigan is the 2nd highest state for human trafficking in the US. Both girls and boys are victims. And human trafficking is likely a lot different than what you think it is. And a great piece of advice I heard: tell your kids that if someone ever threatens to hurt you (their parents) or their siblings if they tell...TELL ANYWAY! You (their parents) will NOT be hurt despite what someone has threatened.
And for God's sake, don't just stand by when you think or feel that something isn't right. Get outside of yourself and speak up - reach out - be kind. You have no idea what others are going through and you could make the difference just by showing kindness and caring.
August 21, 2017
This was an incredibly disturbing read - it is the true story of how a 15 year old girl fell prey to human trafficking in the sex trade. Theresa Flores did not meet the preconceived idea of a victim of human trafficking - she was not poor, she was not a runaway, her parents were not drug addicts nor did they abuse her and she did not live in a third world country. So how did a 15 year old all American girl who ran track, who came from a good home, had good parents and lived in the suburbs of a wealthy Michigan city become a sex slave? Sadly and scarily it happened very easily though manipulation, coercion and grooming.
Human trafficking is something we hear about more often today but in the early 80s it was thought only to occur in third world countries. This was very difficult to read not just due to the subject matter but also because having grown up in the Metro-Detroit area I was familiar with the places where Flores's ordeal took place. Soon after Flores moved with her family to Birmingham, Michigan is when the abuse began.
For those not from Michigan or familiar with the Detroit metropolitan area, Birmingham is a very affluent suburban city to the Northwest of Detroit. When you think of sex trafficking, Birmingham, Michigan would be one of the last places that you would think it could occur in. This is the whole point though, human trafficking can and does occur everywhere and it can happen to anyone. This book was an eye opener to read.
As to how Flores managed to survive, a devout Catholic she strongly believes that God's angels protected her from enduring worse. This was really the only part of her account that I took issue with - far be it from me to tell anyone that what they believe in is wrong so this is what I will say: what Flores was forced to endure goes beyond comprehension especially when you consider the fact that she was a child when this happened and that there were so many times others could have intervened to stop the abuse. It is no doubt a miracle that she not only survived but also became an upstanding member of society (she graduated college, worked as a social worker, got married, had children etc.) However, I believe that to put this all on a Devine entity is selling herself incredibly short. Somehow, after all she went through Flores's spirit was not broken and she went on to dedicate her life to helping others, that is truly remarkable and I think she deserves to give herself more credit for triumphing over seemingly insurmountable odds.
Human trafficking is something we hear about more often today but in the early 80s it was thought only to occur in third world countries. This was very difficult to read not just due to the subject matter but also because having grown up in the Metro-Detroit area I was familiar with the places where Flores's ordeal took place. Soon after Flores moved with her family to Birmingham, Michigan is when the abuse began.
For those not from Michigan or familiar with the Detroit metropolitan area, Birmingham is a very affluent suburban city to the Northwest of Detroit. When you think of sex trafficking, Birmingham, Michigan would be one of the last places that you would think it could occur in. This is the whole point though, human trafficking can and does occur everywhere and it can happen to anyone. This book was an eye opener to read.
As to how Flores managed to survive, a devout Catholic she strongly believes that God's angels protected her from enduring worse. This was really the only part of her account that I took issue with - far be it from me to tell anyone that what they believe in is wrong so this is what I will say: what Flores was forced to endure goes beyond comprehension especially when you consider the fact that she was a child when this happened and that there were so many times others could have intervened to stop the abuse. It is no doubt a miracle that she not only survived but also became an upstanding member of society (she graduated college, worked as a social worker, got married, had children etc.) However, I believe that to put this all on a Devine entity is selling herself incredibly short. Somehow, after all she went through Flores's spirit was not broken and she went on to dedicate her life to helping others, that is truly remarkable and I think she deserves to give herself more credit for triumphing over seemingly insurmountable odds.
Read
April 26, 2022I have also opted out of giving this book a rating because it doesn’t feel right to rate someone’s personal story of such a horrendous and hidden problem in our country. I applaud Theresa Flores for having the courage to share this and whether you believe her or not, that’s not the point. If it spreads awareness then it’s a job well done. Reading some of these reviews…. no wonder victims don’t speak out. People complaining that the writing isn’t descriptive enough or that she doesn’t use a more scholarly writing style,, how righteous are you? It makes me absolutely sick to my stomach what some of you armpit humans type up hidden behind your electronic screens. You’re part of the fucking problem, I hope you know that.
Summed up more appropriately with Jecca’s review below:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Summed up more appropriately with Jecca’s review below:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 13, 2018
After reading other reviews, I felt a little bit better about saying my own. Firstly, the writing is horrible. The only reason I was able to finish the book was because I kept reminding myself that the woman wasn't an author.
Okay, so now on to things that just angered me. I am able to believe that there is truth to this story since sex trafficking is real. That being said, I am super annoyed by the events that led up to the pictures being taken. Too many mistakes were made right after the other.
Also, I hated how everything got super preachy at the end. Yes, I get that the woman is religious, but I felt as if she was saying that angels were the only thing that kept her from getting pregnant, meaning that any other girl who went through this would have gotten pregnant 40 times. I disagree. A woman's body is truly magical, it stops ovulating when the woman starts feeling trauma in some way, which was stated in the book.
Okay, so now on to things that just angered me. I am able to believe that there is truth to this story since sex trafficking is real. That being said, I am super annoyed by the events that led up to the pictures being taken. Too many mistakes were made right after the other.
Also, I hated how everything got super preachy at the end. Yes, I get that the woman is religious, but I felt as if she was saying that angels were the only thing that kept her from getting pregnant, meaning that any other girl who went through this would have gotten pregnant 40 times. I disagree. A woman's body is truly magical, it stops ovulating when the woman starts feeling trauma in some way, which was stated in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2018
This book is not to be read by the faint of heart. I’m giving it 4 stars for several reasons. 1. The courage of the author. I’m so impressed by her willingness to share her horrific story to help others and as part of her own healing even amidst criticism and judgment. 2. I’ve learned something. I’m hoping I can take what I’ve learned and apply it as a Mom, friend, community member, etc. 3. Finally, I love the message of victory and redemption and hope out of a truly awful circumstance! It’s not to be read as a piece of literature but rather a story—sadly a true story that should move us all to stand up against this atrocity that occurs even in our own country.
July 7, 2018
As a requirement to learn more about sex trafficking for work, this book has opened my eyes to being a sex slave. If you believe Theresa full story or not it does bring awareness to the cruel events that can so easily happen. It is happening in everyone's neighborhood. People are always so quick to judge why didn't the person tell or call the police, it is so similar to an abusive situation. It is always way more complex and difficult then us looking in from the outside. I recommend this read even if the subject is tough.
January 23, 2019
I've learned a lot about Human Trafficking in the past year, and that it's closer to home than we tend to think. This was a powerful story about one woman's experience as a teenager surviving two years of trafficking. Her story feels like she could have been me or anyone else I grew up -- that said, especially with what I know about trafficking in Alaska, queer teens are even more at risk, Alaska Native teens are even more at risk, homeless teens are even more at risk. I'd give this book 3.5 stars.
February 23, 2023
Flores' story makes you check all of your assumptions and knee-jerk reactions. She showed how easily it was for a young well-to-do girl to be manipulated by men. How we are not as strong as we think. How we are vulnerable to those who know how to spot and prey on those weaknesses. The book itself was structured oddly and sometimes stories left out some key detail that you deduced later, but really the important thing is that this story is out in the world.
July 8, 2018
Heartbreaking. Our schools, parents and children should all be taught about human trafficking.
Read
December 6, 2019A Modern Day Slave
Oh, this book just makes me ANGRY!! What makes it even worse is that it is a true story. Slavery must be stopped once and for all!
Oh, this book just makes me ANGRY!! What makes it even worse is that it is a true story. Slavery must be stopped once and for all!
August 18, 2017
Trigger warning: Many triggers
September 7, 2020
DNF. I found the writing pretty terrible but there were other issues as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 481 reviews