Believe Me

The True Story of How a Trafficked Teen and Her Advocate Changed the Justice System and Found True Freedom.

When Andrea Powell, a longtime advocate for victims of sexual exploitation, received a letter from a desperate female inmate in Georgia's Pulaski State Prison, she had no idea that her life was about to radically change.

Tiffany Simpson, a teenage mother who'd been sex trafficked by a man twice her age, was arrested after her trafficker sold another teen girl and sentenced to thirty years for the crime. Her handwritten letter to Andrea asked, "Am I a victim of sex trafficking, or am I a prostitute?"

As their relationship grew, it became Andrea's mission to correct this miscarriage of justice and help Tiffany win her freedom. But, as she soon learned, some cases aren't so simple - and, far too often, the systems we count on to protect victims of trafficking and violence silence them instead. As Andrea found, this was far bigger than just one young woman.

This poignant and harrowing memoir brings to light the truth of what survivors endure, and how often those we villainize are themselves victims and casualties. However, the ultimate message is one of hope and love, because when compassion and truth take center stage, two people really can change the world.