Sofia looked nervous but determined. Twenty-six years old. Confident. Brilliant.
"My research began with a question," she started. "How does maternal trauma l specifically trafficking and its aftermath affect child development? But as I conducted interviews, the question evolved. It became: how do children of survivors build resilience? How do they transform inherited trauma into strength?"
She clicked through slides. Data. Quotes from interviews. Patterns she'd identified.
"What I found surprised me. Yes, children of trafficking survivors show higher rates of anxiety and hypervigilance. Yes, they carry secondary trauma. But they also demonstrate remarkable resilience. Higher empathy scores. Stronger commitment to social justice. Enhanced ability to recognize and respond to others' suffering."
