Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew

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It is very difficult for someone who has suffered sexual abuse and exploitation to stand up and move on with her life, and even more difficult to openly share her experiences for the sake of public awareness. But for Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, this is no issue. Having endured the devastating experience of being trafficked during her teenage years, Withelma did not allow her circumstances to prevent her from speaking out so other girls may be spared from the same horrible fate.

Achievements

Why Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew is Extraordinary

It takes a great deal of courage to speak up when you have been a victim of sexual exploitation. But for "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, it’s nothing compared to the countless lives she has saved - and will save - with her story.

Spokesperson for Trafficked Children

Withelma Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, or “T” as she is more popularly known, is a children’s and women's rights activist who is best known for her courageous retelling of her sexual exploitation as a teenager, as well as her fight against the trafficking of women and children worldwide. Named the "Bravest Truth Teller" by Glamour Magazine, T was significant in spreading public awareness in the U.S. of the issue of sex trafficking, which resulted in the first-ever government funding proposal to combat human trafficking in the country.

T's work in fighting sexual exploitation and child trafficking has earned her numerous awards and recognitions. She has been named “Woman of the Year” by Glamour Magazine, received Certificates of Recognition from the Nathan Fletcher 75th District and Don Perata 9th District, recognized by the Alameda County California and Foster Youth Alliance as a community hero and leader, and an awardee of the Flag of the United States, given by Senator Chuck Grassley. These, among many other awards and accolades, prove just how significant her work has been in the fight against sexual exploitation in the United States.

“T” for Tenacity

T's nickname stands for "Tenacity" - and this perfectly describes the kind of person she is. Even as a child, T was known for her strong will and personality as she managed to live through fourteen foster homes and an abusive master over the course of seventeen years. It is also this attitude that has allowed her to speak out about her experiences without fear of what others may think of her.

Most victims of sexual abuse and exploitation are afraid to speak out, but T is remarkable in that, for the sake of others, she is willing to openly recall even her harshest moments so the public can be aware of what these victims go through. As she said in an interview:

"Sexual assault victims almost never come forward and talk about the crime... I felt like I had to do it so people would understand what these girls go through."

Having lived as a sex slave for seven years, T holds great appreciation for the concept of freedom, and this is why she fights for the freedom of sexually-exploited slaves. In her own Independence Day article, she wrote:

"Most people look at Independence Day & are excited about the fireworks, BBQ’s, & parades, yet some don’t even realize why we initially have the holiday: Freedom. Most of you know you’re free but have never lived in a position to understand what exactly that means. I encourage you in your own life to think about the freedom you have, and how you can help free the enslaved children in our country."

T's life is a remarkable inspiration, not just to victims of sexual abuse, but also to those who feel they are too far down in life to ever rise up again. Like T, who never let challenges keep her down, let us not allow our personal problems to hinder us from reaching our goals and changing the world for the better. There is always hope.

Top Reasons why Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew is Extraordinary

Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew is an advocate of the “Still Alive Initiative,” a program which helps sexually-exploited women to recover and have fresh starts.
She went from being a sex slave to one of the most successful women welfare activists in the United States.
Her activism was significant in the first-ever proposed federal funding to combat sex trafficking in the United States.
In spite of what she endured, she has now helped over 100 women recovering from sexual abuse.
She was named by Glamour Magazine as the "Bravest Truth-Teller" and the "Woman of the Year" in 2011.
She is a board member for the Human Rights Project for Girls.
She is one of the youngest and most successful women's rights activists in the world.
She is a member and supporter of the “Rebecca Project,” one of the world’s largest and most active women's rights organizations.
She was personally awarded the Flag of the United States by Senator Chuck Grassley.
She has received recognition from numerous districts in California in honour of her work in fighting sexual trafficking, exploitation and abuse.

Biography

Biography of Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew

Date of Birth: Sunday, 10 September 1989 | Born in: / Nationality: United States of America

This is why T, as she is commonly known, advocates so strongly for the reformation of child welfare services. After she was freed from sexual exploitation, she spared no time in fighting against it so all the other girls could be freed and those who may be at risk will never have to experience it for themselves. A truly courageous woman, T has made significant impacts on the issue of child welfare and sits on several advisory councils for the protection of children against sexual trafficking.

T's passion and dedication to ending sexual trafficking come directly from her own experiences when she was young. Her personal experiences have enabled her to understand what trafficked women and children are going through, and she has offered her wisdom to create welfare programs that cater to the needs of those victims.

Early, Miserable Life

Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew's beginnings were harsh and difficult. She was born in December 1989, the daughter of two drug addicts who sometimes would not even change her diapers for days. The family lived in a drug-house used by numerous addicts, with walls covered in blood and roaches roaming all around.

Not long after she was born, T's parents sent her to a foster home due to the lack of resources and time needed to care for her. By the time she was ten years old, T had been transferred across fourteen different foster homes.

T's time in the foster homes greatly shaped her views of the world. In fact, when she was finally freed from sex trafficking many years later, she recalled that the way she was treated at the foster homes contributed to how easily she succumbed to the sex traffickers. In an interview she gave many years later, T said:

"These caregivers will make statements like, You’re not my child, I don’t care what’s going on with you, as long as you’re not dead, I’ll continue to get my paycheck... This nothing-but-a-paycheck theory objectifies the youth, and the youth begin to normalize the perception that their presence is to be used for financial gain. When youth are approached by traffickers, pimps, exploiters, they don’t see much difference between their purpose of bringing finances into their foster home and bringing money to traffickers, pimps, exploiters’ stable."

A Victim of Prostitution

When she was ten years old, T met a man who offered her a permanent place to stay, where she would be loved and cared-for. Being a naive child who knew nothing more than someone else's livelihood, she readily accepted the man's offer and went with him. Little did she know how greatly the decision would change her life.

For the next seven years, T spent her time roaming the streets, wearing mini-shorts and pink sneakers to easily be noticed by men. The man who offered to love and take care of T turned her into a prostitute, keeping the money she earned for himself and “guilt-tripping” her with the offer of a place to stay to keep her subservient.

T would often be beaten if she came home with less than one-thousand dollars in her pocket. Her food and clothes were portioned by the man, and he watched her every move to make sure she could not tell anyone else of her situation. T's life was horrible - she lived in constant fear of being beaten, so she always tried to earn as much money as she could…and only, in the end, for someone else to enjoy it.

In an interview many years later, T recalled her teenage years:

"For so long my freedom was non-existent. My every move was watched, my every conversation was observed, my clothing & food portions and options were at the mercy of another. Living in fear and terror, I had no ability to make or understand decisions & my physical self seemed to belong to everyone but me."

Turning Her Life Around

Fortunately, this all changed when T was seventeen years old. One day, a child welfare worker learned of T's plight and, with the help of the court, rescued her from the man who had made her life miserable for seven years. The worker then gave T a new home to live in, this time truly loving and taking care of her.

For T, this transition was like night and day. Never before had she experienced this kind of love and care, in which someone genuinely wanted her presence. Before, people only wanted T for the money she could bring them, but this time, someone was really there for her and to ensure her welfare. This radically changed T's perspective of life, as she began to experience the kind of life she used to only watch others live.

In an interview many years later, she expressed her joy in being free from sexual trafficking in this statement:

"In my Life now, most would believe I am free, by comparison to my life before. Yes it’s true, I’ve now found the freedom to make my own decisions as & when I choose, able to speak to anyone I feel the want to, eat until I burst if I choose, learning more so my capabilities, finding people who truly care for my best interests rather than negotiating the price they could get for me."

It was not just love and care that T received in her new home - she also gained the strength to stand up and talk about her experiences so that other young girls who have been trapped in what she was rescued from would no longer suffer. The inspiration T found from the worker who rescued her gave her the courage to let the American public know that sexual trafficking is not exclusive to third-world countries.

From then on, T began working with several children’s and women’s welfare foundations to rescue victims of sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as to raise public awareness. In 2011, she worked with “Rebecca Project,” a human rights organization focused on protecting women and children and promoting the fight against human trafficking. Because of her perseverance, that year marked the very first time the U.S. President's budget proposed funding to combat sexual trafficking in the United States.

The Bravest Truth-Teller

It was not long before T's efforts drew public attention. In 2011, she was named by Glamour Magazine as one of their "Women of the Year," which pushed her career into the spotlight. T then took advantage of her newfound popularity to further stress the importance of combating sexual trafficking in the United States. The bold retelling of her teenage experiences resulted in T being dubbed the "Bravest Truth-Teller."

T is currently studying Mass Communication and Political Science at Trinity University in Washington. Looking back at her experiences and (great fortune to escape them), she still has some struggles after her many years spent in sexual exploitation. However, as she moves forward, she believes she will truly grasp the idea of what it means to be free and help others to achieve it.

As she says in an interview:

"Freedom is something I’m still learning to fully obtain. People don’t understand how hard it is to escape the mental chains around the mind that were placed upon me. Years later for me, I am still endeavoring to truly understand that I am not a slave, and neither man nor money validates my worth. I am still distinguishing who I am from what was done to me. I am & will be something greater than what was expected."

Today, T continues her fight to free trafficked women and children in the United States, as well as her advocacy for better child welfare services. Given enough time, T believes that her goal of ending child sex trafficking entirely will come to pass. As she said in an interview:

"Personally, I feel there is so much more that can be done; these are just a few places to begin in the longer process of our federal government’s partnership with nationwide child welfare systems in their effort to end the vulnerability of this population."

Organizations and Programmes Supported

Still Alive Initiative
Human Rights Projects for Girls
National Foster Care
Youth and Alumni Policy Council
GWEN
Youth Advisory Board
Youth Development and Advocacy Program
Rebecca Project
Women's Network of Entrepreneurs

Awards and Achievements

2009: Received the “Outstanding Young Leader Award” from the Foster Club
2011: Named “Woman of the Year” by Glamour Magazine
2012: Awarded the Flag of the United States by Senator Chuck Grassley
2012: Awarded the “Do Good, Look Good” Scholarship by DoSomething.org and the Los Angeles County Probation Department Award
Awarded the AmeriCorps Scholarship
Awarded Certificates of Recognition by the California State Senate and the California State Assembly
Received the California Youth Score Award
Commended by the California & Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance
Keynote Speaker at the Alameda County District Attorneys’ H.E.A.T. Conference
Guest Speaker at the Law Day Student Luncheon of Alameda County

RESOURCES:
LinkedIn (Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew)
Glamour (Withelma “T” Ortiz-Macey: The Bravest Truth-Teller)
Don't Sell Bodies (Independence Day by Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew - Survivor)
ABC News (Foster Care and Sex Trafficking Survivor Testifies on Hill)

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