Mental Health Notes

Calling Christina: Lisa Ling Speaks Out On Teen Prostitution

by Alicia Sparks, NAMI Affiliation Leader on April 1st, 2008

I stumble. I stumble a lot. When I’m bored, when I’m procrastinating, when I’m avoiding sleep - they’re all perfectly acceptable good times for a quick stumble or…um…93.

Stumbling is like the poor girl’s virtual answer to traveling the globe. Whenever I need an escape I know I can scroll my mouse to that lovely little button in the upper left corner of my computer screen and then - ah, yes… International artists’ galleries and instructions on how to survive life. Chicken parrots and, my God, why don’t they have these where I live?

Tonight’s routine stumble was different, however. Tonight, after clicking Stumble! just once, I immediately paid a surprise visit to Lisa Ling’s little corner of the virtual world - a little corner doing big things, I soon learned. This stumble was different because I didn’t quickly glance at the page before stumbling again - I stayed. And read an article. Which is the point of this post.

Yep, you know it’s important stuff when I stop at one stumble and then take the time to blog about it.

The article, Teen Prostitution…, is Ling’s account of news coverage and work she’s done regarding sex-trafficking and the lack of sufficient counseling for victims of said sex-trafficking and other related crimes, but it’s also her personal plea for one victim in particular to come forward and get help: Christina, a young girl who never received adequate counseling after multiple rapes and being controlled by a pimp for several years.

I don’t know too much about Lisa Ling. I’ve seen her on Oprah a few times (which is saying something, considering I’m not a huge Oprah fan - I just feel there’s more worthwhile things to do with one’s money than buy vehicles for audience members such as, I don’t know, feeding people - but, it’s her money) and I’m aware she’s done a variety of projects for the good of humankind. However, after pilfering through her site, it’s apparent I at least want to learn more about Ling’s endeavors, if not more about the overall damn good person she is.

So, to Lisa: I wholeheartedly agree. There needs to be more counseling resources available to teen prostitutes - to all prostitutes, really. I wish you the best of luck should you decide to pursue that, and if you need help you know where to find me. (Well, no, actually you don’t, but rock on anyway girl!)

And to Christina: Lisa wants you to call her. Please do. Please let someone help you.

In addition to visiting her Web site, you can learn more about Lisa Ling’s in-depth look into this issue on Oxygen’s Web pages for Ling’s series, Who Cares About Girls?

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POSTED IN: Criminal Psych, Current Affairs & News, Famous Folk, Inspiring News, Mental Health Advocacy, Rants & Raves, Sites of Interest, Women