The informant spoke in a rushed, trembling voice, recounting the horrors she had witnessed while working undercover at a nearby nightclub. “Listen,” she said, her words punctuated by tears, “there’s something terrible happening there. This is the third time I’ve seen it. Every Friday and Saturday night, around 11:00 p.m., when the crowd is high on drugs and alcohol, the police bring children with them to the club.”
Her voice cracked as she continued. “The worst was this little girl—she couldn’t have been older than seven. She came in wearing stiletto heels, a mini skirt, and a spaghetti-strap top slipping off her tiny shoulder. She didn’t know how to stand or sit. She looked nervous and lost, and someone yelled at her for not moving properly. They wanted her to dance, but she could barely walk in those heels, stumbling repeatedly. She danced to one song, and a group of women blocked me when I tried to get to her.”
The informant’s hands shook as she described these women and their cold, unflinching presence. “They’re always there, watching the kids. Their aura says, ‘I’ll kill you if I have to,’ without hesitation. Then they took this young girl and marched her upstairs to one of the private rooms with a man awaiting her.”
She paused, staring into nothing. “I’ll never forget her. That strap falling off her shoulder, oversized clothes, her little feet in those ridiculous heels—she was just a baby. They had drugged her, but she knew enough to feel the danger. She was terrified and alone.”
The organization’s executive chairperson later reflected, “Hearing that story shook me to my core. It ignited something in me—a determination to act. Sometimes, the darkness feels so overwhelming you want to close your eyes and pretend you didn’t hear. But if the community can find courage, there’s potential for healing, purpose, and even joy.”
Moved by the story, artist Jami Dix Rahn created an abstract piece to honor the little girl. She painted fragmented planes, each shaded independently, creating depth without a solid form. The result was hauntingly beautiful—a portrait of chaos that somehow conveyed hope. She created something deeply moving from the devastation, ensuring the child’s story would never be forgotten.