It's a hidden problem in our communities and many shy away from talking about it, but tonight we're tackling the issue head on, human trafficking.

"Carolina Impact's" Dara Khaalid, and videographers, Marcellus Jones and Russ Hunsinger show us how one victim uses her survival story to give back and help others.

(gentle music) - [Dara] It's a sacred process for her, lighting sage, closing her eyes, and inhaling as she waves the white trail of smoke all around her body.

- [Desiree] They can expect deep relaxation- - [Dara] Then barefoot in her empty yoga studio, Desiree Eatmon spreads the earthy the aroma throughout, cleansing the space of negative energy.

- Desiree has such a wonderful calming way of leading a class.

- Let your shoulders go.

- [Dara] She takes the preparation for her weekly community yoga classes seriously, because it sets the tone for her.

- [Desiree] Roll your wrist away from each other.

- [Dara] As she guides students in a beloved practice that's helped her heal from trauma and reconnect with her own body.

- It started to feel like I was getting to know who I was.

Inhale up- - [Dara] Which was something Desiree desperately needed after surviving the unimaginable over 20 years ago.

- They put me on the phone with this scary sounding guy that said, "They're bringing you home to me, you're gonna be with me now."

And he just laughed this really creepy laugh and just kept saying, "They're bringing you home to me."

- [Dara] At just 13 years old, these were the daunting words she heard from her soon to be sex trafficker as kidnappers drove her to his Richmond, California home.

- It just felt like everything stopped and like it was me in the world and like just looking out the window, everything going by so fast, like, oh, that dread of like, I don't know what's about to happen.

- [Dara] It all started after Desiree met a couple at the hotel she was living at with her family.

They promised her a fun night out, but instead the man dropped her and the woman off in the San Francisco streets surrounded by prostitutes.

- While we were still standing there, a big police paddy wagon came and gathered all of us girls that were out there up in a circle and took us to jail.

The girl that I came with ran off.

- [Dara] Scared and alone in jail, Desiree met two older women who promised her breakfast and a ride back home once they were released the next morning.

Well, that ride home never came.

Instead, they took her to the trafficker's house where he raped her, made her call her mom to say she ran away, then forced her into sex trafficking.

- We got to the stroll like around 10:00 PM and then we would stay until 6:00 AM every day, seven days a week.

I had to give all my money that I made as soon as I made it to him so that I had no cash and couldn't run off.

- [Dara] This vicious cycle filled with violence went on for two years until Desiree had an extreme mental breakdown and called 911.

After leaving the hospital she was reunited with her family and discovered she was pregnant by her trafficker.

But she didn't let that stop her from getting her GED or graduating from college.

- With having a baby, I was very inspired to get my grown up life started.

Take your circles to the left.

- [Dara] and with that new grownup life came the discovery of yoga.

- I started out yoga for fun because I enjoyed it.

I practiced for years before I even knew that yoga was scientifically proven to heal trauma.

- [Dara] This is backed by a study published by the National Library of Medicine showing that yoga can significantly decrease PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.

Desiree didn't wanna keep these life-changing benefits to herself, so in March, over two decades after escaping sex trafficking, she launched her non-profit, Survivor Sanctuary, where she offers victims one-on-one yoga sessions, somatic movement training, and trauma recovery coaching.

- I have clients all over the world now because I do all of my appointments on Zoom, and we go over breathing techniques that can be used during panic attacks, during flashbacks, or any other difficult times.

- And I was able to speak with one of her clients who lives across the country and escaped sex trafficking at the end of last year.

For her safety, I promised to hide her identity, but here are some of the heartfelt words she shared about having someone like Desiree who understands her struggles and has the services that can support her.

- [Desiree's Client] I left with nothing, I left all of my belongings, and I know that she can relate with her group.

It's more about connecting with your emotions through your body and yoga.

- [Dara] Even on a cold, rainy fall afternoon, Desiree still works to help others.

This time she's jotting down words of wisdom from a few books she's reading, words that she plans to weave into her sessions with victims.

It's just one more way she can show them she truly cares.

And that as they continue to walk through their trauma, she'll be right there walking with them.

For "Carolina Impact," I'm Dara Khaalid.