The spiral teenager got involved with the wrong guy who “became a pimp-like boyfriend who trafficked me for four years on subway Atlanta,” she said.
It was thanks to a cleaning opportunity that her life changed.
Rescued by the woman who gave her the job, Teague received “unconditional love and support”. She then earned her bachelor’s degree, worked as a business sales consultant, and married a “southern gentleman.”
Ten years after her marriage, she felt drawn to help those where she once was.
In 2000, Teague founded Victoria’s Friends. Their mission is to “individually serve women who are lost and trapped in the helplessness of working in sex businesses. As one of the few survivor-run sex outlet organizations in the country, we seek to reach, restore and equip women to help them live healthy and fulfilled lives,” according to https://www.victorias-friends.org/
“In 2021, we helped 52 candidates, 470 post-traumatic stress, grief and recovery therapy sessions, and distributed 15 scholarships ($2,500),” the founder said.
While the mission states women, Victoria’s Friends serves people from all walks of life, including men.
The association’s hotline provides resources and the team of 15 social workers come out once a month to distribute gift baskets/’love bags’.
“We go everywhere — in the backs of clubs, on Ponce de Leon, across from the Capitol, crisis pregnancy centers, local nursing homes and hospitals,” Teague said.
Victoria’s Friends offers scholarships – cars, counselling, childcare, job training, rent – which the founder says “are essential for women”.
The organization also offers emergency financial assistance for homeless people who have absolutely no options.
She is currently working on adding animal-assisted therapy.
“It makes me realize that we need to be grateful for our lives every day. The ladies are my heroes with everything they’ve been through and to be able to put their lives together and do it so well is a miracle,” Teague noted.
For more information, including the upcoming “The Healing Tree” webinar and events, visit: https://www.facebook.com/victoriasfriends
Every Sunday we write about a deserving person or about charity events such as runs, volunteer projects and other community gatherings that benefit a good cause. To submit a story for us to cover, send it to [email protected].
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