In 2014, at Washtenaw Community College, Rita found out that she had a name for the horrific thing that happened in her childhood. People in her neighborhood assumed that she just liked to wander each evening. But they did not know the reason that she tried so hard to stay away from home. Silenced as a child, Rita found her voice speaking out, a way to deal with the frustration of being told that the sex trafficking was all her fault as a child. Education was Rita's way to understand and to heal. Rita got her Undergraduate Degree at Eastern Michigan University and then went on to get her Master’s in Social Work from Western Michigan University with a trauma focus. Rita continues to speak out to educate others on how to watch for human trafficking in their communities. In this session, Rita will share her story to help people who work with survivors know how to assist them. She also will share some of the organizations that were helpful to her on her journey. Finally, she will share how “Healing Is Worth It” to her so that she can be a better person for herself, her family, and others she may help along the way.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Rita O'Brien is a survivor and educator with a passion for justice to educate in the communities that she was trafficked from. Rita got her Bachelors at Eastern Michigan University and went on to Western Michigan University to her Masters with a Trauma focus.