A young woman who claimed she hit a point where she ‘wanted to die’ after being sex trafficked between the ages of 15 and 18 has opened up about her horrifying three-year ordeal.
Allison Heagle, now 20, claims she was just 15 years old when she was groomed by an older man in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, who she had met through work.
‘I genuinely thought I lost my mind, I couldn’t form full sentences and was always on high alert, everything became a threat,’ she said, speaking to the Daily Star. ‘In simple terms, it was very very traumatic, I was in a constant state of paralyzing fear, and I honestly hit a point where I just wanted to die.’
The 20-year-old, who now works as a server and is an aspiring singer and songwriter, alleged she was traded and sold for sex in Colorado and later in Arizona, and plied with alcohol and drugs on a daily basis so she wouldn’t fight back.
Allison Heagle, 20, claims she hit a point where she just ‘wanted to die’ after being sex trafficked between the ages of 15 and 18 has opened up about her harrowing ordeal
Allison, who clams she was sex trafficked from the ages of 15 to 18, pictured 24 days after her escape
Allison moved to Chandler, Arizona, but said the older man, who she initially thought was 21, ordered people to follow her there, where she was groomed once again.
Recalling the first time she spent an evening with the abuser, Allison claimed he snuck her through the window of his parent’s house, before giving her copious amounts of alcohol so she could ‘barely walk.’
She claims that when she eventually came around, she found herself naked and surrounded by sick.
Allison said that was when the horrifying three-year ordeal began.
She said it eventually resulted in her developing Stockholm syndrome, a psychological condition which sees many abduction victims become attached to their tormenters – no matter how badly they are treated.
‘I was in a constant state of fear, so even when I did get away the only consistent thing that I knew was my traffickers so I would always return,’ she added.
Allison, who alleged her trafficker would often get caught up in various crimes, went on to say that as a result of the grooming, she started taking the charges for his actions.
In January 2020, she was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft, theft of a vehicle, criminal trespass, ID theft, and theft control of stolen property.
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But while some of her friends eventually turned a blind eye to her problems and put it down to drug addiction, Allison’s parents never stopped looking for her and would use photos she uploaded to try and track down her location.
Allison (pictured) moved to Arizona, but said the older man, who she initially thought was 21, ordered people to follow her there, where she was groomed once again
Allison (pictured) on the day she left her house and was first assaulted by the older man
However, the turning point came when a man arrived to install cameras in an Airbnb where she was being held captive.
Realizing she was in trouble, he handed her his phone number and urged to text ‘popcorn’ and her address if she was ever in need of his help.
Two days later, that text was exchanged and he helped her escape. According to Allison, it was just in the nick of time.
Speaking of her captors, she said: ‘They were speaking in front of me about what they were going to do and being sent to Mexico or being killed were my two options.’
Now, it’s been two years Allison’s horrifying ordeal and she is back living with her family.
Now, it’s been two years Allison’s (pictured) horrifying ordeal and she is back living with her family
She has decided to speak out to warn others of the signs to look out for when it comes to a human trafficker. Among them include being offered things you don’t have or would like – such money, drugs, and a place to live.
Allison, who advised visiting humantraffickinghotline.org, said sex traffickers often offer an extravagant life and pray on those most vulnerable – from addicts to the homeless.
She went on to say that someone being trafficked is often underweight, has bruises and is constantly in the company of a man or woman.
She recently started a GoFundMe page, where she wrote, ‘I am having legal repercussions for the man that was severely abusing me and trafficking me.
‘He is currently in jail so he will not be held accountable for these same charges. Little backstory, I took the blame for what he has done and practically forced me to be involved in. I knew it would separate us.’
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