The Decade That Tried to Control Me—And the Freedom I Took Back
This blog post was written by Liluye COO, Monica Griffin, who is an accomplished business strategist, survivor advocate, and behavioral health coach dedicated to empowering individuals affected by human trafficking.
People look at me now and see the strategist; the coach; the entrepreneur; the woman who walks in rooms and builds things from scratch.
But the Monica they see today was built by a version of me I don’t talk about often…the girl in her 20s who thought she was chasing a dream; when really she was walking straight into someone else’s control.
Let me tell you the part of my story that shaped my fight for financial freedom.
I entered the modeling world young. Bright-eyed, hungry to escape my small town, and eager for a chance, any chance, that looked like “success.”
People saw beauty. Opportunity. A golden ticket.
But what I really stepped into was a world where people could take advantage of a girl who didn’t know what “no” sounded like yet…
a girl who didn’t understand her own power…
a girl who thought being quiet meant being professional…
a girl who didn’t realize that being touched, pressured, controlled, or crossed was not the price of admission.
I didn’t have the language for exploitation back then. I only had the feeling:
“That didn’t feel right… but maybe that’s just how the industry works?”
“I don’t want to upset him… he’s the one who books my work.”
“If I speak up, I’ll lose everything I’ve worked for.”
“I guess this is normal… right?”
I was naïve. I was hopeful. I was blind to the manipulation. And, I was convinced that the discomfort I felt was part of “paying dues.”
Looking back now, I can say this with clarity:
I can see what happened to me wasn’t okay.
What I tolerated wasn’t okay.
The control, the sexual pressure, the physical intimidation; none of it was okay!
But when you’re young and broke and trying so hard to change your life, your survival instinct screams louder than your boundaries.
The Real Root of My Financial Wound
No one talks about how financial vulnerability makes exploitation easier. No one talks about how people use money as leverage…“opportunities,” “exposure,” “connections.” And, so you stay quiet…you swallow the harm…you hide your instincts. And, you keep going because you believe it’s the only way to get ahead.
I carried that financial wound for years. Money felt unsafe. Success felt conditional. And, I learned to distrust my own voice. That’s what poverty does. That’s what exploitation does. Not just to your body, but to your belief in your financial worth.
You begin to lean in and believe the lie that financial success is unsafe.
But here’s the miracle: I didn’t stay with that girl.
I healed. I grew. I rebuilt myself from the inside out. And, I learned something no one ever taught me in my 20s: financial freedom is not about how much you make. It’s about reclaiming the power that was taken from you.
It’s about learning that you deserve to feel safe with money. You deserve to be educated. You deserve an opportunity without being controlled. You deserve to build wealth without losing yourself.
This is why Liluye and I created the Pathways to Financial Healing and Prosperity program, because survivors need a different kind of financial education. Not the basic kind, but the healing, and empowering, kind. The kind that starts with, “Let’s talk about the money trauma you’ve carried in silence.”
Apply here now: https://forms.gle/gXQD9RyyeR5GrAaR8
What We Teach Survivors Is Revolutionary
We’re not just teaching credit scores and savings. We’re teaching:
• how to trust yourself with money again.
• how to navigate financial decisions without fear.
• how to recognize manipulation and coercion.
• how to build wealth with dignity.
• how to step out of survival mode and into prosperity.
• how to break cycles that began long before adulthood.
We are teaching women what I desperately wish someone had taught me at 20: you don’t have to trade your body or your silence for stability. You can build a life where no one ever has that kind of power over you again.
Why Support Matters
This work requires resources: trauma-informed financial coaching, credit repair support, business mentorship, curriculum materials, and safe spaces. None of that happens without partners who believe in this mission.
When donors support this program, they are not just funding classes, they’re helping survivors:
• rebuild financial trust.
• repair years of economic damage.
• build careers and businesses.
• protect themselves from future harm.
• access a new level of independence they were once denied.
Your investment doesn’t just change bank accounts. It changes destinies.
A Personal Call From Me to You
I’m asking for support…boldly, because I know what forgotten women become when they are given the right tools. They become leaders, mothers, entrepreneurs, homeowners, advocates, cycle-breakers, and legacy builders…women like me!
So if you’ve ever wondered where your contribution can actually change someone’s life, let me say this plainly: partner with us! Sponsor a survivor. Invest in the curriculum. Help us rewrite stories that began in control and end in freedom. Not someday. Not eventually. Today.
Because every survivor deserves what poverty and exploitation tried to steal: autonomy, safety, opportunity, and prosperity.
With your support, we’re going to make sure they get it.
To learn more about Monica’s work and our leadership: https://liluye.org/team/
For more information about Liluye or to inquire about becoming a partner, please visit: www.liluye.org/contact. Or, if you are interested in donating to Liluye, please visit: www.liluye.org/donate.