Jordan's Story

Part 1

Help us SpringForward

Jordan was the oldest of three. With her mom and step-dad working evenings, she was often charged with taking care of her two pre-school aged sisters after school. This difficult and large responsibility tended to come with few rewards and a lot of criticism.

When Jordan turned 15 she started leaving home regularly. Life there felt overwhelming and isolating. She was often faced with a painful feeling that she wasn’t she part of the family. Born to a different father, her mom’s first husband, Jordan looked different than her sisters. To her mom, Jordan reminded her of a failed relationship, which created an unhealthy family dynamic. ​

On Saturdays, Jordan would take the bus and escape to the mall, roaming around the beautiful stores. One day, an outgoing guy with a great smile followed her. He introduced himself as Mac and told her how beautiful she was. He insisted she have lunch with him in the food court.

Flattered by his attention, and admittedly hungry, she agreed to join him.​

Part 2

Meetings at the mall with Mac became a weekly event. He made Jordan feel special, introducing her to his friends as his girlfriend. He always got her a gift - a heart necklace, new sneakers, or makeup.

Jordan’s new clothes and jewelry aroused suspicion at home, but she refused to reveal information about her new boyfriend. Mac wanted their relationship to be just between them. Jordan’s parents responded by restricting her activity, but the relationship deepened.

Over the next year, conflict in the family escalated, turning physical. Jordan responded by leaving home almost every weekend, saying she was with friends, but often staying with Mac. He would say he understood her, reminding her, “They shouldn’t be treating you that way. I’ve got your back, you belong with me.”

Mac did so much for Jordan - buying her gifts, letting her stay over, getting her food. So when he asked her to help, just this once, to cover the rent, she agreed. Jordan didn’t want to do it, but she tried telling herself a few revealing photos this one time wouldn’t be a big deal. "Just this once” turned into more frequent requests, and later, into demands.
​
By age 17, Jordan was being trafficked weekly in St. Paul’s East metro region. At 2 a.m. a police raid resulted in her being transported to Children’s Hospital. Physically and emotionally depleted, she confessed to a hospital social worker what had been going on, but refused to provide her parents’ contact information. With nowhere else to go, Jordan was brought to 180 Degrees’ Brittany’s Place.​

Part 3

Jordan arrived at Brittany’s Place emotionally shut down. Understandably, after almost two years of being trafficked for sex, she didn’t trust adults, she didn’t trust anyone. For the first week, Jordan mostly slept. Her body was tired. She mostly kept to herself, but showed up for all the family-style meals. She was hungry.

The transition to 180 Degrees' Brittany’s Place wasn’t easy. She missed Mac – he was her first boyfriend, and he had become her family. He would be furious that she broke their secret. However, as her body and mind had time to start healing and experiencing safety, she started to process things differently.

Jordan was new to relationships. She thought what she had been experiencing was love. However, gathering with staff and other girls at Brittany’s Place each week in a “Healthy Relationships” group, Jordan’s perspective changed. She learned the traits of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

​Working with a mental health counselor, Jordan agreed to re-connect with her mom. 

Brittany’s Place’ Parent Liaison provided an important extra support system. Jordan expressed her feelings of isolation in the family and her mom expressed her frustration and fear about not parenting effectively. They started getting to the root of the unhealthy  behavior in the family.

Jordan’s trafficking experience will leave life-long scars. However, she has found hope discovering personal strengths and capabilities. Jordan returned home and she and her mom continue to access support each week from Brittany’s Place Case Manager. Jordan’s proud of her personal goals and creating new, healthy relationships.

---

​
Thank you for following along with Jordan's story of resilience and healing.

Your gift right now will support youth like Jordan who are experiencing crisis and need a safe space to stay.

Will you help us reach our goal of $10,000? A gift today will plant the seeds for a brighter tomorrow for teens like Jordan. ​

Donate Now