Their Stories: Shana Goodwin

“When I was still on the streets, there was no waking up, just nights turning into day. I lived in my own trailer that my pimp owned. My days were spent working the streets. I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere on my own. If I was gone for more than an hour, I had to call.”

“I was mainly concerned with making money and staying away from the police. Fear and drugs were the only motivators. There was no future beyond the next trick or hit. I suppose ‘success’ was a trick with enough money that I could come in and sit down.”

“These days, I live alone in my own townhouse. I have my own car, license, and insurance; these are so important to me. Each day when I wake up, I do my meditation and get ready for work.”

“I am always concerned about the women I’ve left behind on the streets. We have a lot of work to do for them.”

“I am proud of myself! I’ll have four years clean this November and have found my voice. It is that voice and what I can do with it that makes me most proud.”

“The women from the Magdalene program are my sisters for life. We share the same experiences, empathize with each other, and love each other unconditionally. The fact that the program provides cost-free housing for two years is so important. Thistle Farms then offers economic independence for women who have never had it before.”

“This story does not belong to me, but is a universal story that belongs to every woman who has yet to receive the gift of a loving community. It is always about one woman reaching back to the next; we are a support system for one another.”

Shana Goodwin was molested by her grandfather at an early age, which set the stage for her to be an easy target for her trafficker. She survived years on the streets. She is a graduate of Magdalene, a two-year residential community in Nashville, TN that provides housing, job training, and other recovery services to women who have survived trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. She works as a sales representative for Thistle Farms, a company that creates natural bath and body products.

Photos: 1 and 7: Audrey Hall for Show of Force; 2-5: Taro Yamasaki; 6: Erin Lee