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D.C. human trafficking victim shares her story

The District is considered a hotbed for human trafficking, one of the 10 ‘busiest' cities in the country.

<p>(Photo: WUSA9) </p>

The District is considered a hotbed for human trafficking, one of the 10 ‘busiest’ cities in the country.

The Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement agencies and survivor advocates are now banding together to help identify and save local victims of the trade.

It began when 9-year-old Ashley Cacho's mother died.

“That traumatized me as a kid when she died,” Cacho said. “There was no one to tell me, 'it's ok, we're going to do this, we're going to do this.' It's like everything I knew was gone.”

She was alone and vulnerable, with virtually no other family, no adult supervision and no money. Then in stepped a friend, or so she thought.

“She told me the things that I needed to feel good at that moment, she was the only one taking care of me,” Cacho said. “She was the only one doing things for me that no one else was…and that gave me that motherly love.”

What that woman was also doing was grooming Cacho to become a sex worker.

Andrea Powell, the executive director of Fair Girls said most people would be surprised that human trafficking is so prevalent in the U.S., let alone in the nation’s capital.

“They think it happens in other countries or they see this picture of this kidnapped child who's a victim of trafficking but they don't know it could be your neighbor,” Powell said. “It could be that grumpy high school girl who looks like she doesn't have any friends, it could be that young man who works at the Chinese restaurant.”

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Cacho said her pimp began with a hint, then a comment and a little more pressure. Mix that with alcohol, and soon, 11-year-old Ashley gave in.

“Traffickers know how to exploit those vulnerabilities. They really have three strategies: one is ‘I can be your romantic partner,’ the other is ‘I can get you a better life, a job’ and the other is ‘I can be a family figure,’” Powell said.

“She kept saying, we're not going to do this forever, it's just going to be five months. It's going to be enough so we can get a place,” Cacho said. “I thought we were building together and because in my head I thought we was building together; I would have done anything.”

From 11 to 16 years old, Cacho was trafficked both online and in the streets, unable to get out.

“It’s not that simple to just leave because you changing everything you know,” Cacho said.

At 16, she was arrested for prostitution and ordered into a treatment program for child trafficking victims. That is where she learned she was a victim.

“Even though they was telling me, ‘This is who you are, this is what's going on,’ I’m like, ‘no. That's not true, I don't relate to the everyday life,’” Cacho said. “’Even though this happened to her, I’m strong. I’m not weak, I wouldn't let anyone do that to me.’”

But that was then, when she was another person.

“I've been a survivor for six years, and every day is still a challenge,” she said. “I’m stronger than I ever thought I could become.”

The first line of defense in combating human trafficking Importance of recognizing the signs. That's where communities and average people can help.

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