CINCINNATI — Alesa Privett lived on the streets of Price Hill for over 10 years. We rode along with her as she showed us abandoned buildings she used to sleep in, now foreclosed trap houses, and the spots where she and others would buy drugs.
When on the streets, Privett’s life revolved around drugs. The goal every day was to get more money in order to get more drugs.
"Basically it’s prostituting and just manipulating people," Privett said. "I mean that’s just what you do."
She added that it was all a part of her daily life — there were no days off. Her only place of refuge was Weightless Anchor, a nonprofit in the heart of Price Hill.
"I knew it was a safe place I could come, no matter what," said Privett.
Weightless Anchor is run through Bloc Ministries and works to serve women on the streets by providing for their basic needs.
"We always have a hot meal that is served every day," said LeAnn Sanson, director of Weightless Anchor. "We have snacks and we have a big nap room, which is huge because for most of our women, it is the only safe place they have to sleep."
The nonprofit also provides clothes for women, hot showers, laundry and health care services including HIV and Hepatitis A testing, wound care safe use and harm reduction drug services. All these services strive to provide solutions to the number one issue seen by them: sex trafficking.
"In Cincinnati, we are No. 1 in the state of Ohio for sex trafficking," Sanson said. "Ohio is, it goes between No. 5 and 6 in the United States as the highest trafficked state."
Sanson said it is often people girls trust that lead them into the life. Her hope is to build a relationship with these women so one day when they’re ready she can help them get clean like she did with Privett, who is now 18 months sober.
"I called LeAnn from jail and I’m like 'LeAnn, I'm serving out in January and I don't know what to do, I don't want to go home, I don't want to go back out into that, you know can you help me?' And she’s like 'When?'" Privett said.
When we asked Privett what her life looks like now, she says it’s normal.
"My daily life is, it’s normal," Privett said. "I’m working, I got my license, and I'm doing good, I’m doing good."
Weightless Anchor is located on 979 Wells Street and is open Monday through Thursday from 1-4 p.m. Health care services are specifically available on Tuedays.
For more information, you can visit their website.
