Surviving Abuse and Trafficking: A Story of Hope and Resilience

As a young girl, Jo Lam and her mother were perpetually abused by her father. Terrified, she ran away from home as a young teenager. Then, it got worse. She was sucked into the world of sex trafficking as a young girl on the streets. When she escaped that bubble, she found herself in a romantic relationship that turned into yet another story of abuse and trauma.

“The man actually branded me,” Lam said. “He left a mark on me.”

Lam, now 40, helps survivors and victims of trafficking heal through a nonprofit organization called Project Beauty that she founded in 2018. The initiative comprises several programs, including a clinic that provides services such as tattoo removal and makeovers for survivors who have been disfigured by their abusers.

The Crime and Its Impact

The crime has garnered national attention and spawned the creation of Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which fell on Jan. 10 this year. In Texas and across the nation, people wore blue to raise awareness about the offense and how to prevent it.

In North Texas, Lam’s staff and volunteers go to shelters and give women a spa experience, self-care goodies, and other beauty experiences. “Every day, you wake up and you look at yourself in the mirror … you have to see the markings,” she said. “I’m really, really grateful that we get to help women reclaim their identities and bodies.”

Jo Lam founded Project Beauty in 2018. Photo provided by Project Beauty.

Project Beauty: A Nonprofit Organization

Project Beauty has worked with about 14 shelters across Dallas, including transition homes, addiction centers, and a variety of others, Lam said. She said the organization started with the idea of helping survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking, but now the portfolio has grown. “A lot of those traumas, they overlap,” she said. “As we go forward, we are now really focusing on individuals dealing with crisis and trauma of any kind.”

The organization is run by fundraising efforts and donations from individuals. They received their first grant funding in 2024 and then more grants came in through community foundations, Lam said. They have a volunteer model for staffing and most of the funding is poured back into the operations, she said.

Future Plans and Goals

In 2026, Lam is looking to evolve the organization’s efforts to meet the needs of the community. With an upcoming project in late spring, Lam said, they are planning to help underprivileged girls in the Dallas area go to prom. “Going to prom is a luxury, but it shouldn’t be,” she said. “I was one of those girls that didn’t have the opportunity. My biggest hope is that every girl gets to experience magic no matter what’s happening in their life.”

A Personal Story of Abuse and Trauma

For Lam, coming to the United States from Hong Kong with her family when she was about 15 years old was not an easy journey. She recalled having to go through the struggles of not knowing the language and starting over from scratch as an immigrant. On top of that, she had to regularly deal with the abuse at home.

“It was like a ticking time bomb … we really couldn’t predict someone that had mental issues,” she said. Lam said she grew up in a household where the cops were called to her house every so often. Ultimately, as her father’s temper got worse, she fled.

She was around 16 years old at the time, and said she wanted to work and earn money. She said it felt like a good choice at the time. Then reality set in when she started getting into circles with other young girls on the streets, which led her into a sex trafficking ring.

Another Survivor’s Story

Shashikala Patel was in her early 20s when she was married off to a stranger in an arranged marriage — a common practice in India — and moved from a small village in Gujarat to Arlington. Patel, 38, was asked to work for her former husband’s motel business — housekeeping, managing the front desk — a job she did not sign up for.

Patel said she was also physically abused in that relationship and initially did not know that it was not acceptable. She was alone and did not have anyone to confide in. “I don’t have friends … I don’t have my family,” she said. “He [was] always there … I was… trapped.”

Finally, she sought out services at a Dallas shelter. There she crossed paths with Project Beauty, where Lam and the beauty angels gave her a complete makeover, which helped her gain confidence to break out of that cycle and build a life, Patel said.

Healing and Recovery

Lam recalled that during her healing journey, even on the bad days, doing a simple self-care task, like washing her hair or getting a blowout, would instantly give her a boost of confidence and make her feel better. “The core foundation to anyone breaking the cycle of abuse is rooted in self-love,” Lam said.

Conclusion

Jo Lam’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Despite facing unimaginable abuse and trauma, she has dedicated her life to helping others who have gone through similar experiences. Through Project Beauty, she is providing a safe space for survivors to heal and recover, and her work is making a tangible difference in the lives of those she serves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about human trafficking and Project Beauty:

• Q: What is human trafficking?

A: Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of people through force, coercion, or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for labor, sex, or organs.

• Q: What is Project Beauty?

A: Project Beauty is a nonprofit organization that provides services such as tattoo removal and makeovers for survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking.

• Q: How can I get involved with Project Beauty?

A: You can get involved with Project Beauty by volunteering, donating, or spreading awareness about the organization and its mission.

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