It defies logic, but nine years after Jessie Foster disappeared in Las Vegas, her mother wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.
Glendene Grant told a sa国际传媒 audience Thursday she鈥檇 be selfish to wish her daughter wasn鈥檛 kidnapped and forced into prostitution. Jessiesa国际传媒 disappearance sparked awareness in Canada that has generated new prostitution laws in Jessiesa国际传媒 name.
鈥淭he truth of the matter is, I can no longer wish it never happened,鈥 Grant said in a speech to the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers Society at the Coast Capri Hotel.
鈥淢any more people just as precious as myself and my daughter are now safe because of this.鈥
As the founder of Mothers Against Trafficking Humans, the Kamloops mom has dedicated much of her life to educating people about the risks of daughters and sons becoming sex slaves. She speaks to high school students about the dangers of being lured into human trafficking, and has lobbied politicians in Ottawa.
鈥淭here are a lot of horrible people out there, and they come across as nice and wonderful as anyone,鈥 she said.
Grant believes her daughter was ensnared in a human-trafficking ring and forced to work as a prostitute before she disappeared in 2006. Jessie had told her family she was engaged to a wealthy man who lived in a posh house in Las Vegas.
Grant later found out Jessiesa国际传媒 fiance was a pimp with a prior conviction for spousal assault, and that Jessie worked for an escort agency. She was arrested for solicitation in 2005.
When she came home to Kamloops for Christmas that year, Jessie told her mom that she and her fiance had been fighting. After tearful phone calls, she abruptly went back to Las Vegas on Dec. 25.
In early March, Jessie called and told her mom her fiance had broken her jaw. She said she was coming to visit and wanted to visit Calgary for a wedding. She never made it.
The last day she was seen alive was March 28, 2006.
Grant believes her daughter was 鈥渓ove-bombed鈥 by a pimp who lavished her with clothes, trips, gifts and an engagement ring. Jessie opened up to him, so he knew the names and phone numbers of her family and friends. He used that information to threaten her and force her to work as a prostitute.
鈥淪he was a 20-year-old girl who wanted to be in love and she was in love with the idea of being in love,鈥 Grant said.
When she left Las Vegas, it appeared to be against her will. Her suitcase was missing from her hotel room, but her hair dryer, makeup and expensive curling iron were left behind.
Grantsa国际传媒 warning to parents: watch for signs that someone is grooming your daughter.
鈥淚f they鈥檙e showing up in jewelry and they鈥檙e 20 years old and they work as a waitress, theresa国际传媒 something else happening. They meet this new guy,鈥 Grant said. 鈥淭hese girls are buying everything these guys are saying. They鈥檙e falling into these traps.鈥
