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Part memoir, part polemic, Girls Like Us is the powerfully shocking-yet not uncommon-story of Rachel Lloyd, a former child sex worker. At thirteen, British-born Lloyd found herself spiraling into a life of torment and abuse. Vulnerable yet tough, she eventually ended up a victim of commercial sexual exploitation, until she broke free of the street and her pimp thanks to the help of a local church. Rachel Lloyd''s riveting survivor story is the true tale of her hard-won escape from the commercial sex industry and her bold founding of GEMS, New York City''s Girls Education and Mentoring Service, to help countless other young girls escape ''the life.'' Girls Like Us is a powerful and unforgettable story of inhuman abuse, enduring hope, and the promise of redemption. Her drive and dedication to help victimized young women will surely prove inspirational to your students; empowering them to go out and make their own impact in the world. ''Make no mistake, once you have read Rachel''s memoir you will never be able to look at the sexual exploitation of children, and the women they become, as a victimless crime. . . . Girls Like Us tells the whole story with visceral power. . . . It is a page-turner, an eye-opener, a call to action, and a moving and inspiring story. It is told throughout with wit and candor. Lucky for us there are girls and women like Rachel Lloyd.''-Huffington Post
About the author
Rachel Lloyd is the founder and executive director of GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services. The recipient of numerous fellowships and honors, including the prestigious Reebok Human Rights Award, Lloyd was a leading advocate for the Safe Harbor for Exploited Youth Act, which made New York the first state to protect, not prosecute, sexually exploited children. She lives in New York City.
