Hi, my name is Tâm. I am 18 years old and come from a small village in Vietnam. I moved to the city when I was just a little girl with my family, but we struggled to make ends meet. To help provide for my family, I started working as a waitress at a local restaurant.
One day, while I was walking home from work, I was attacked by a group of men who robbed me and left me unconscious in an alleyway. When I woke up, I couldn't remember anything that had happened to me or how I had gotten back to the street where I lived. But I knew something terrible had happened.
From then on, I struggled with PTSD and anxiety. I couldn't even leave my apartment without feeling overwhelmed by fear. Eventually, I started seeing a therapist who helped me work through my trauma. But it was still hard for me to feel safe in the world.
One day, while walking through the park near my apartment, I saw a group of people gathered around a small stream. They were all laughing and having a good time. Suddenly, one of the women started stripping off her clothes and jumping into the water! It was such a liberating sight that it sparked something within me.
I decided to take a risk and start living my life again. I quit my job at the restaurant and started working as an artist's model. It felt incredible to be able to use my body in a way that made me feel empowered rather than vulnerable. And even though it was scary at first, I started going out into the world more and more, feeling stronger with every step I took.
So now when people ask me about myself, I tell them that I'm a Vietnamese lady who has been through a lot but is determined to keep moving forward. I may still have some struggles ahead of me, but I know that I can handle anything as long as I stay true to myself and keep pushing forward.