“Don’t let them see me cry, they will think I’m weak.”

We pulled into the alley where there are 2 brothels/drug houses and there she is, leaning against the wall, her face void of any emotion, her eyes darting up and down the alley watching for clients and predators alike. I pull over and offer her a hot meal and condoms, she takes both but was visibly more relieved at the sight of the condoms. She had been having sex with clients with no protection because she can not afford condoms and the free government ones have run out across our province. We are the AIDS capital of the world and we have a country wide condom shortage. It’s scary.

I look into her eyes and ask her her name. ‘Blessing’. That’s her name.

As she starts to speak to me she breaks, desperately trying to hold back the tears and tells me how tired she is.

“All of me is tired. I don’t sleep, I only work, they wake me up to f$%k a client and don’t even allow me to shower after, I just have to go and do the next man who comes in the door, I don’t sleep, I hurt.” And with that the tears flow. My team members jump out of the van and pull her into their embrace and she weeps. Then she quickly pulls away, so aware that her pimp and other girls are watching.

“Don’t let them see me cry, they will think I am weak.” And with that she switches off the emotions, wipes her face and walks away.

So many people believe that our ladies and girls who are in the sex industry are there by choice. THEY ARE NOT.

This sweet Blessing doesn’t want to work, but she has no option. She is owned and no one is willing to do anything about it. It’s devastating.

Blessing is why we show up every week, Blessing is why we love so hard. Blessing is worth fighting for.

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER

#unconditionallove #extravagantgrace #hopeforthesoul #durbansextrade #sexindustry #weseeyouweloveyou @xpose.hope