Isabel and Irene - The terrific Twins who beat all the odds
(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay Cullen
Next year will mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. Abolished yes but never eradicated. The modern forms of slavery are found today in sweat shops, on sugar and banana plantations, in the lives of millions of child workers and worst of all in the body and soul destroying sex industries of the world. Few know or can understand the desperation, shame, fear, guilt and terror imposed on the victims of sexual abuse and trafficking. Innocent as they are they are made believe that they are useless and expendable and worthless. Many abused in the home and then sold or fall into the sex business are the most enslaved of all. In their own minds they are enslaved to notions of powerlessness and accept their fate with resignation and docility. Enslavement extinguishes their dignity, her spirit and free will has been forced and frightened into submission and compliance.
They have no knowledge of their rights, the wrong done to them they are taught to accept this as they were given and unchangeable, it’s their destiny they are told. Many people believe that the victims are helpless and finished, scarred for life and beyond recovery. But they are wrong; many do recover and live again with purpose and meaning to their lives. We read and hear of the abduction and imprisonment of children by pedophiles and traffickers and wonder what becomes of their lives after they survive the ordeal.
In a strong supporting environment of care and understanding, their spirit is reaffirmed, strengthened and empowered to work for others and to confront and overcome abusers. With affirmation, emotional release, sharing and support a successful recovery can be had by those exploited and abused. Many survivors have gone on to live lives of service dedication and commitment to others despite what they suffered and bravely endured with courage and resilience.
Here is a true story of two of the many unknown and unseen heroes on this journey to freedom. They have met the challenge and despite the extensive abuse are making a success of their lives and are helping and empowering others.
Isabel and Irene, the children of a Filipina mother and Japanese father are the terrific twins who have beaten the odds against the child traffickers and have shown that recovery, empowerment and success is possible despite the most traumatic abuse and exploitation. The father was working as a manager inside Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) the former military naval base that Preda successfully campaigned to have closed and transformed into an economic zone thus ending an era of sexual exploitation.
The father returned to Japan and left his family with a small house and some money. The twin’s mother had a secret livein partner for years and they squandered the money on parties, drugs and gambling, soon the house was sold and they were impoverished.
Not only did the live-in partner of the mother took all the property, he took too the girls as his sex slaves. When their step brother saw this he too began to abuse them. They were helpless and scared and terrified by the threats to kill them both. Their mother did noting when they begged them to be stopped, she said they were lying. This was devastating for them and they had no way to escape. They lived in fear and terror of these child rapists there was no where to go for help. They were out of school and kept as sex slaves and missed learning about the help and protection given by Preda. But a good neighbor attended a Preda seminar and knew where to get help for the twins when the mysteriously disappeared.
When their mother and live-partner ran out of money and sold the house and all the appliances, they were living like squatters and had nothing. The mother contacted a local pimp and sold the children into a sex club in Manila. They were only 16 years-old and were turned into child prostitutes by the club and raped and given to customers. They began drinking; Isabel and her twin sister were forced to work as strippers and prostitutes. To be continued. (Fr. Shay's book, Passion and Power, An Irish missionary's fight against child sex slavery, will be published in Ireland 1 November 2006)
