Kidnapped on my second night-Shaylee's story

Welcome to 'Her Truth,' a powerful three-part series from the Injustice Unspoken Podcast. In this first episode, we bring you closer to the devastating reality of human trafficking through the voices of those who've survived it. Join Betty Frizzell, a former Chief of Police and certified human trafficking investigator, and Kristine Moreland, founder of 'The More We Love' organization, as they amplify the silenced voices of crime victims. This series focuses on human trafficking survivors Shaylee, Hannah, and Madyson, offering their unique stories of loss, redemption, and hope. In this episode, we'll delve into: 

• The staggering statistics of human trafficking globally and in Washington State. 
• The crucial mission of 'Injustice Unspoken Podcast' to bring awareness to this crisis. 
• An introduction to the incredible survivors whose journeys you will follow. 

 Every 27.6 million people worldwide are estimated to be victims of human trafficking. It's an injustice often unspoken, but today, we break the silence. Learn about the humans behind the numbers and understand the pathways to freedom and healing. Subscribe to Injustice Unspoken Podcast for more untold stories and critical discussions on crime and justice. Your support helps us give a voice to the voiceless. #HumanTrafficking #SurvivorStories #InjusticeUnspoken #Podcast #CrimeVictims #TrueCrime #Seattle #WashingtonState #BettyFrizzell #KristineMoreland #EndHumanTrafficking #Awareness #TheMoreWeLove

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Night I got kidnapped out of there. Um, somebody slid something in my ladies' drink or in my what they call a ladies' drink, and basically the gentleman there can buy you a drink. Well, when I wasn't looking, he slid something in my drink, and on camera it really it willingly looks like I left with him. And when I was able to mentally come to, I was on a plane landing at the LAX airport in California.

SPEAKER_01 0:31

Tell us a little bit about your past, Jay.

SPEAKER_02 0:34

About my past, um, I was a normal kid growing up. I did barrel racing in 4-age. Um, my dream at that point when I was younger was to be a Pierce County rodeo queen. And I wanted to do big things with the horses and the rodeo, and I was running around all the time in my little cowboy boots and wranglers, you know. It's you know, it was fun. And then at 17, um, actually, we'll go back even a little more. At 15, I ended up finding out that the lady that raised me, my birth mother, or the lady that raised me was not my birth mother. So, and it was by my biological dad that told me that spending a summer with him. So that immediately when I came back home to my mom, threw me through, I don't have to listen to you, you're not my mother. And so from there, at 17, I walked into a strip club and following somebody else who was knew the owner of Rick's, and she was actually kind of messing around with him. And I got a job there as a waitress, and my second night I got kidnapped out of there. Um, somebody slid something in my ladies' drink or in my what they call a ladies' drink, and basically the gentleman there can buy you a drink. And when I wasn't looking, he slid something in my drink, and on camera it really it willingly looks like I left with him. And when I was able to mentally come to, I was on a plane landing at the LAX airport in California. This led to two years of literally being beaten all the time if I didn't make a $3,000 minimum. Um, if it just it was just like I was injected with drugs, I was forced into prostitution. Um, and it turns out also some guy could basically afford studio time. It was pretty, pretty crazy. Um you said for two years. For two years of that. And then there was a pretty bad car accident, and that's how I got away. I was the only one that survived the car accident, and my mom went and picked me up all the way from Seattle, Washington, all the way down to California. And I just remember she just left work, she just came running, you know, just like whatever, let me get her. And so I came home and I think it was about two, three days, and then that's and I was around my son, you know, like everything felt fine, but it's just it got to the point where it's just like I just needed that drug, you know. And so, son or not, family or not, it wasn't enough to hold me back, you know. I was not done with my addiction or the street life at that point. I'd already been introduced to something else.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

There's your point, it was the introduction of it all, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:03

And so I that literally led to really 22 years of just a mess life. Like walking in here today, I'm not the same person I was, luckily, as I was for those trapped in those 22 years. Like, I was probably mostly the reason with that people lock their doors at night. Like, I just I ran amok. Prostitution, drugs, selling drugs, the cartel, the gangbangers, everything, everything. I mean, stealing cars, stealing doing like I look back on it now and I was like, that was me. Like when I look in the mirror today, like I actually have a butt today, you know? Like, what? Because I'm healthy, you know, like I'm actually very much now that I get got to know myself, I actually I enjoy my health. I enjoyed waking up and taking vitamins. I don't have to wake up.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

What was what was the change though, Shay? You said, you know, you were you were trafficked at the age of 17, and you know, you said you went into the strip club, if you will, kind of willingly, but really was it just you know an unstable childhood and kind of space and then kind of some conflict when you found out that your mother wasn't your real mother that brings you into that. And then you go through this life of just I I know some of your stories, I know so that some of the things that you've done and experienced and have done to you. And you know, uh so often women don't get out of that space, Shay. They just don't, right? And and something for you shifted, something for you changed. And not only did it shift and change, but then you dug into it, and and that's what I want to hear because the women that are out on the streets right now, they they want they need to hear that. They need to hear from you.

SPEAKER_02 4:38

Turning point for that moment literally in every humanly way possible. I literally was walking down a street after a suicide attempt, and I didn't know what to do. And I ran into one of my friends that basically told me, like, I got somebody for you. I got a person, let's call him. And he was just like always that like annoying little friend, like, you don't know what you're talking about. You know, just leave me alone. Like, let me leave me alone, please, you know. And he was just like, No, I got somebody great for you to call. I think you need this person, and I just was like, whatever, dude, this is gonna be a field trip with him. You know, he's like that friend, you know. So I went with him to the Barian Transit Center, and I remember I just sat there and I was just like, I have court tomorrow. I'm just don't know what to do right now. I just got done trying to commit suicide, and then there shows up Christine, and at the time I had this little puppy with me in this little snow outfit. It was this was in November, and I remember she just walked up and gave me the biggest hug and I melted in her arms. At that point, I knew like just something, just this this is my person, this is something different. You know what I mean? I don't usually just willingly go with people when they say, Hey, come with me, I got somewhere to say for you. I'm like, yeah, okay, lady. But all that my turning point literally was meeting up with her when I was completely broken, somebody answering the phone, not just looking at me like, oh my gosh, you're the reason I locked my door at night. Instead, it was somebody opening with opening arms and just just basically just sticking beside me through every I call her all the time for the most randomest things, just so we can both share a laugh, know each other, that we love each other, and then we just kind of go on about our day, you know, like it's it was literally somebody sticking beside me and not giving up on me and just just being there. And now, oh my gosh. Now let's talk about the now.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Yeah, tell them what you do now because the full thing is. The thing is, it's then the really important piece for Shay to understand. I do stand in a space of love, undeniable love for the women I get to serve. I also come from a space that really understands, right? But I think the one thing is that you make choices and you've made some pretty incredible choices, and that's what I want the women to hear of what what is what is the now? What is the the now?

SPEAKER_02 6:59

What the now looks like is um I chair NA meetings for all the survivors at her rescue plays at the crisis center. Um I'm also a peer leader there, so I get a walk now beside other girls that come in and they're wanting the the better life. Right. Like I get to stick beside them. I actually get to do what she's done for me, I get to do now for other women. And it's not just about just being there, it's actually letting them be heard, letting them, you know, if they fall, let's stand back up, let's try again. That's right. You know, we don't need to sit there and bash you.

SPEAKER_01 7:35

You're not terrible, you're human at the end of the day. Well, Shay, I gotta say that you're better than a Pierce County rodeo queen.

SPEAKER_02 7:44

Like that. I guess my dreams do come true.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

You got a job recently, Shay. I would love for you to talk a little bit in that, but uh also I I have a comment about your about it afterwards that I want to share with you.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Um, so recently um I got a job at Dun Lumber. Good. And like we're talking about this guy is just, he's an incredible person. I met him the other day, and he actually came there to actually meet me because I missed my orientation because I couldn't get it approved on my ankle monitor. He actually showed up just wanting to say, like, hi, you know, I'm glad you're working for me, you know, like let me meet you. And oh my gosh, the point is.

SPEAKER_00 8:25

But this comes from a woman who couldn't leave her room without her pit bull dog next to her. Uh, went out in fear all the time and now goes to a job where it's predominantly men in a in a labor workforce without her safety dog, and and you're holding your head high and you're inspired, and you're you're thriving. How how are you able to transform in that space and be so safe and confident and and brave, really?

SPEAKER_02 8:50

Um, honestly, it took a lot of bad talk in my room in the mirror before I went. Um, hey. But really, what it took was Christine just telling me that this is gonna this is a safe spot. It's okay. And this is before I even met Mike Dunn, before I even met this amazing human. It was literally Christine saying, you know what? This is a safe spot for you. And remember, this is my person, like you know, so if she tells me something's safe, like even coming here, you guys don't understand how nervous I was. I literally got an Uber. I don't have my dog with me, I have no sisters. The guy pulls up and is like, this is the location. Where am I? Where am I? It's public is very scary after being kidnapped. So trust is a thing, too, right? But if Christine says this is safe, just come here, try this, do this. I have enough faith, trust, and love in this woman that I know she's not gonna steer me wrong.

SPEAKER_01 9:44

She's your constant.

SPEAKER_02 9:45

Yes, absolutely my constant with every meaning of it, you know.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

She's your uh human service dog. You are a pit bull.

SPEAKER_02 9:54

I can tend to be. Yeah, I can tend to be. She's definitely my emotional support animal. I'll tell you that.

SPEAKER_00 9:59

I know that we didn't get all of the the pieces of of what you've been through and what you've done, Shay. Um, and I get to have all of that all the all the time. But right now, with the little bit of time that we have left, there's women out there still today. Yes. Younger babies, girls, you know, women, and they need your voice and they need to hear um the hope from you. And if you could speak that out to them, you know, especially in the advance of uh World Cup coming, we know more girls are going to be brought in for the human trafficking. Tell them something, tell them what you need them to know today.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

Is that recovery is possible? Recovery is absolutely possible. I don't care what it doesn't matter what you've done in your past, it doesn't matter where your addiction's at right now, please just find some kind of a help. Please find reach out to a family member, reach out to somebody, treatment, whatever it is, mental health. Did you guys know that most of the women that are out there on the on the on on like the blade? Yes, on the blades, actually have either a pimp, an addiction problem, or some reason they're out there. Most likely, I can guarantee, if you walk up to a girl and we're actually able to interview them, they're not gonna tell you that they want to be out there. Nobody wants to be out there doing that work. That's right. That's not what they want. That's right. They but at the same time, when you're in that life, you don't know anything else. You don't know anything else that basically I thought I was gonna die in the game. Yeah, I did. Well, I'm glad you didn't. I'm so glad I didn't, otherwise I wouldn't be here.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Yeah, I know. I'm so glad you didn't. I'm so glad you're still here with us to to tell everybody else and to and to help people that that might not feel like they're brave, but you're very brave.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

Oh, I tell Shay all the time, I'm like, girl, you're just getting started. That's right. It's just this kind of thing of like keep going. I know that you know, there's still things that you're dealing with from, as you just said, being in the game, right? But the fact is you're dealing with it. And I think the message is that find your people, find your person. Yes, go out and and lock on to them. And and also, you know, the thing I appreciate about you, Shay, is that you hold your people accountable for that help, right? Like you you are going out there and seeking it, but you're making sure it's the right help. And I I I'm in awe. I get to uh walk alongside you now. I get to um bring other women into your space that you are empowering. The other thing I want to say uh about Shay before we let her go is that she's got a superhuman um connection to babies and dogs. And when I see somebody who can uh be so close to animals and babies, you know that the heart and the spirit is pure. And that's what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

They know when someone's out they got a really good sense when we don't.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

That's right. Yeah, she's training another dog to be a service pet now. And I don't know if she'll ever give it up, but um, to another woman who needs it. But uh Shay, thank you for rawness, your realness, your journey. Thank you for being my constant. Um, you know, I I think so often we stand on this side of maybe I was the one that helped you, but I don't think you have any clue how much you have helped me, you've guided me in this space, and I just I'm in awe.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

Just always remember there you can't go through hell without getting a few burns. It's how we treat them. That's true. So yeah. If you like this, please share, like, subscribe, and Christine. Remember to always be somebody's constant.