From being bound to being liberated.

When I was 18, I fell in love with a boy and I thought we would build a future together. But it soon turned out to be a destructive relationship. Against my mother`s advice, I moved with him to Austria, where I entered a world of manipulation, violence and nightclubs.

I kept away from alcohol and drugs, but escaping did not work. As I saw what effect this had on the other girls in the nightclubs.

I wanted to control the situation as far as I could.

After two years, we went to Italy because I wasn`t making enough money in Austria.

In Italy, I ended up in the escort business. But that too did not bring in enough money. Finally we returned to the Netherlands, where I could take a breath and began to realise what had been done to me. My partner dragged me further and further, to behind the windows and into the BDSM scene, where I had to dominate and torture clients – a mirror of the abuse I was subjected to at home.

This I hated, but I had no choice.

After several pregnancies and an abortion, I realised during my third pregnancy: this has to stop. My ‘partner’ took me to Romania, where I was kept under control. I was literally locked up. The house was full of cameras, no escape. A relative of my partner eventually helped me get the police and IJM involved. After a year and a half, I was freed.

That`s when my real recovery began. Through IJM, I ended up at Bright Fame.

After the first conversation, I knew: I will never go back.

They gave me confidence, love and support – something I had never known before. They are like family to me.

Now I have a home, am studying and my daughter goes to day care. We are building a hopeful future together. I celebrate Christmas and birthdays again – something I didn`t know for years. I now have a new family to do that with. In December, I got baptised – it felt like a new beginning.

My dream is to help other women in similar situations – together with Bright Fame, in their special way: human, loving and real.

A new start

How special it is that we currently get to help five women find suitable housing, especially in this time of housing shortage. We are incredibly happy for them although for them it will mean a huge change. A new place to live, making new contacts, building a new social life.

A lot of fun, but at the same time very scary. And of course we will support them where we can. Many women who want to get out and build a new life in and around Amsterdam run into several challenges. One is the extremely high rents in the free sector. With these high rents for 30 to 40 m2, it is obviously impossible to accept a normal job. This keeps many women in prostitution and, partly because of the lower income and higher living costs, we see debts soaring. In addition, social renting is also not an option due to long waiting times, around 13 years. Therefore, it is almost impossible for them to get a house in Amsterdam and they have to move to other places.

‘We rejoice with them and help where we can.’

Since their network is nil which means we from Bright Fame help them with everything. This puts a lot of extra work on our team, think moving and chores. We can always use some extra hands for that. Hence the idea to start a handyman team. So are you a handy Harry or Harriet with a heart for our target group and two right hands and occasionally available?

Then we would love to hear from you!

Many hands make light work, together ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’.

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First network meeting of the Bright Fame Businessclub.

On 10 April, the very first networking meeting of our Businessclub took place at our office in the heart of Amsterdam. A special evening where, together with ten committed entrepreneurs from all over the Netherlands, we were allowed to build hope, recovery and a new future for women leaving prostitution.

The evening was opened by Frits Rouvoet, who took the attendees through an update on Bright Fame`s work and the impact we get to make together. Afterwards, Tineke van Vulpen and Ewout van Haeften (Central Purchasing Bureau) gave an inspiring introduction about the Business Club: a platform where committed entrepreneurs and companies commit to Bright Fame`s mission.

While enjoying a delicious, authentic Romanian meal – lovingly prepared by one of the women from our network – valuable conversations ensued. Afterwards, Frits took the entrepreneurs on a walk through the neighbourhood, where he shared personal stories about what our work means to the women we are privileged to mentor.

The evening ended with drinks at the office, where there was plenty of networking and exchange.

We look back on a successful, connecting meeting that tastes like more!

Do you as an entrepreneur also want to be involved in our mission?

Join the Bright Fame Business Club!

More information and registration via Businessclub