In its covert form, abuse is as treacherous as carbon monoxide poisoning — invisible, inodorous, fatal for the heart and the brain. It can lurk in crowded buses, empty hallways, anonymous browsers, and in the secrecy of bedrooms. Abuse denies agency to its survivor while arming the abuser with the violence of power.
But what happens when it’s directed at a three-year-old child who understands little about agency or violation? What happens when familial abuse unfolds in places and objects a child least expects — a doll, a parent, language learning, or a lesson in morals?
I met Jessica (pseudonym), a survivor of familial sex trafficking, and Audrey Baedke from the nonprofit REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade) to understand the invisible reality of child abuse. REST offers support services to stabilize, recover, and reclaim the lives of over 800 survivors each year across the Greater Seattle area.
