{"id":2164,"date":"2020-11-19T17:26:18","date_gmt":"2020-11-19T17:26:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.destinyrescue.org.au\/?p=2478"},"modified":"2022-11-21T00:40:38","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T05:40:38","slug":"malees-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.destinyrescue.org\/blog\/malees-story\/","title":{"rendered":"The girl who rescued herself: Malee\u2019s story"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Destiny Rescue\u2019s rescue agents normally bend over backward \u2013 gathering intelligence or going undercover \u2013 to find and free children being sexually exploited in brothels or bars.<\/span><\/h5>\n

But Malee, a 17-year-old girl from Thailand, is one of Destiny Rescue\u2019s few survivors to hunt out the organisation and essentially rescue herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did not want to work like this from the beginning,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

The common trap
\n<\/strong>Malee was born in a small city in northern Thailand \u2013 an area known for its mountains, waterfalls and hill tribes. Her parents raised her as a Buddhist, which is the country\u2019s dominant religion, reflected by its many towering statues of Buddha across the land.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a child, Malee lived with her grandparents. She would ease their workload because she lived under their roof. \u201cI had to take on a lot of responsibility,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Early this year, she started work at a bar in her home city to help pay for school every day. Malee\u2019s close friend, Kanda, who was like a caring, \u201colder sister\u201d, previously worked there before Destiny Rescue rescued her one night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The only reason I had to do this work is because I needed the money.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cThe only reason I had to do this work is because I needed the money,\u201d Malee says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a common reason for girls entering into the sex industry in Thailand and, in turn, becoming part of a global crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the global rights agency International Labour Organisation, one million children worldwide were being sexually exploited at any given time in 2016. Many of these children were in or near Malee\u2019s country.<\/span><\/p>\n

One door closes, another opens
\n<\/b>The worst part about working at the bar, Malee says, was feeling her stomach drop during her drive to work every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would always think about \u2026 what I would do if I had to face the kind of customer who would molest me,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

But in late March, Covid-19 stung and paralyzed the world. Along with everyone in the red-light district in Thailand, Malee was left without work after bars and brothels were required to shut their doors during the country\u2019s lockdown.<\/span><\/p>\n

During this time, Malee heard about Destiny Rescue from her close friend. Her friend was attending our reintegration program, which offered services such as trauma counseling, vocational training and \u2013 to Malee\u2019s sharp eye \u2013 financial assistance to attend school.<\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Interested in getting a stipend for her education, Malee asked her friend if she could tag along to the program one day. In June, she met the organisation\u2019s \u201cvery kind\u201d team and, a month later, signed up to our eight-week program, which included health lessons and devotions.<\/span><\/h5>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\u201cI feel good and like I am a part of their family,\u201d Malee says.<\/span><\/p>\n

The team\u2019s warm culture, she says, is now her favorite part about Destiny Rescue. They are friendly, non-judgemental and do not condemn her.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is kindness in Destiny Rescue.\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n

The entrepreneur
\n<\/b>Since beginning her path to freedom, Malee has learned about the Christian God and gospel \u2013 a previously unfamiliar religion to her. The program is not \u2018hard\u2019, Malee says, but rather it is\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cjust something challenging and new for me\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Today, Malee lives with her grandparents. She picks up many chores around the house to ensure they do not break a sweat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always help them with a willing heart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Malee\u2019s freedom plan includes education financial assistance. Because of this she currently attends high school, a fortunate education to have in the country. According to the United Nations Children\u2019s Fund, about 14 percent of Thai kids do not go to high school.<\/span><\/p>\n

Down the line, Malee wants to join the country\u2019s booming market of entrepreneurs and start a caf\u00e9 or business where people can \u201cchill out\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[This is to] ease my family\u2019s burden and help my family. Also, I hope they feel proud of my success and achievements.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the past year, Malee has broken free from working in the sex industry, learned about Christianity and experienced our team\u2019s love. Destiny Rescue\u2019s mission is to rescue children and help them stay free.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Your donations make futures in freedom possible for young girls like Malee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Names have been changed to protect identities<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n