Rachel Lloyd is most certainly an inspiration, as described by Nicholas D. Kristof in his International Herald Tribune article of 25 April entitled, “American girls on the streets.” Her book, Girls Like Us, is a first-hand account of her life as a teenage prostitute, the object of human traffickers and a victim of the sex trade. Finally able to escape this life, Rachel went on to establish GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services), whose stated mission is “to empower girls and young women, ages 12-24, who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential.  GEMS is committed to ending commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking of children by changing individual lives, transforming public perception, and revolutionizing the systems and policies that impact sexually exploited youth.”

Read this brave and forceful book and join the GEMS Council of Daughters network or simply spread the word about Rachel Lloyd’s efforts to end the commercial exploitation and trafficking of girls.