Mélissa's mother no longer sleeps since she found out that her 18-year-old daughter is a prostitute. She does not approve of his choice and constantly fears for his safety. Despite this, she chooses to stay with her. To better protect her.
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“If I object to what she's doing, I'm just going to lose her, and I'm not going to know if she's in danger anymore. I prefer to accept what she does, stay close and be there if she needs help. Because I know that no one else is going to do it,” says Agathe (fictitious name) during an interview with our Investigation Office.
Agathe discovered, a few weeks ago, that her daughter had joined the sex industry. Although she was unemployed, Melissa bought new clothes and came home with luxurious items. And one morning, his mother discovered wads of cash in his backpack.
These are all clues that may suggest that a young person has entered the sex industry and is vulnerable to sexual exploitation, explained the interview experts in a file produced by our Office. investigation and broadcast JE at the end of November.
“I confronted her. And then, she told me,” she recalls, describing this moment as a “nightmare”.
Agathe has always advocated transparency and honesty in her relationship with her daughter. She prefers to be in the know, so that she can react if something happens. But faced with her daughter's choice, the mother feels helpless.
“She is very young. I'm afraid it will harm her, that it will fuck her up. She is a girl with a lot of character, she is resourceful. You have to let it go. I trust him, I have no choice,” she laments.
Agathe knows her daughter and her head is tough. She lets her do it, without approving her choice. She knows it will be impossible to change her mind. It therefore favors discussion, trust, respect and exchange. Even if sometimes, these moments raise uncomfortable emotions for the mother.
“The other time, she was talking with a customer. He said he was 50 years old… I kind of started having a panic attack. I'm afraid for her. But I stay close to reassure myself,” she expresses.
Agathe also fears for the future.
“For her, it’s the right path. But I wish she would have taken a different path. I wonder how she's going to do it…it's so rewarding what she does. How will she live on a salary of $18 an hour when she returns to earth? she asks.
Agathe is also afraid of the judgment of others. Mélissa's father and brother have cut ties with her since they learned what she was doing. She fears that her daughter's job could have repercussions on her work, as she runs a small online company.
Despite everything, Agathe will never deny her daughter. She set boundaries; she refuses, among other things, to allow her daughter to receive clients at home. “As long as she is respectful to me, I will be there,” she says.
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