Lejla Ferizovic is a 22 year old sex trafficking survivor who has been in prison awaiting trial since her indictment in December 2019 when she was just 19 years old. 

For two and half years, Lejla has lived in prison while fear from her prior traffickers family, experienced starvation, spent 23 hours a day in her cell and had limited access to family.  She has no bond and no upcoming trial date.

On April 10th 2022, Lejla was sentenced to 70 days of lockdown where she will have only 30 minutes a day outside her cell. She will be unable to speak with her mother and have limited access to any communications at all. This comes after she was assaulted by another inmate.  

Like so many sex trafficking survivors, Lejla's life was extremely challenging before she was trafficked. Bullied at school, Lejla had few friends and struggled in relationship with her mom. Lejla's father abandoned her and left her feeling unworthy.

Lelja's struggles deepened as a teen. At 17, Lejla met an older man who convinced her they were in love.  He convinced her that her mother was trying to break them up so she ran away with him. She didn't know that he was a gang member intent on abusing and selling her for sex. After months of fear, her trafficker was arrested on other charges. Lejla was too scared his family would hurt her mom or her and felt tremendous shame, so she stayed alone on the streets.  

Lejla soon met another young man who offered her protection and support. Only, soon he and his family began trafficking her.  Lejla was forced to have sex with men in hotels while her trafficker kept the money and his family ensured she would not escape. 

On August 26, 2019, Lejla was told she had to have sex with a man who had previously purchased another young woman for sex.  Lejla did not know the man whose car she was forced to enter had felony convictions including stalking, kidnapping and domestic violence. He became violent and threatening so Lejla attempted to get out of the car.  He refused to let her get out of the car. So, her trafficker ran to the car attempting to help Lejla escape the violent attack and get out of the car.  The police charged Lejla with felony murder and robbery and did not take into account her own sexual assault or trafficking or consider that nothing was stolen.

"He was aggressive and had appeared to have a weapon in the car. I was terrified after the attack and soon fighting to get away from him. I thought he was going to kill me," says Lejla from South Fulton Prison. 

Lejla and her trafficker are accused of felony murder. Lejla could spend her life in prison. Her own trafficking has yet to be investigated. Lejla's life remains in danger while gang members associated with her traffickers know her location where she is incarcerated.

Lejla's trafficking should be taken into consideration.  Furthermore, Lejla's assertion of self defense should be given great weight. However, she has been sitting, without trial, for 2 1/ 2 years.

While in prison, Lejla is only given a small bowl of oatmeal and a baloney sandwich between 1am and 3am. This does not even meet half of the daily calorie needs she needs to be healthy. Meanwhile, she is trapped in her cell 23 hours a day and frequently is not given her anxiety medications. Now, with her lockdown, we fear for her mental stability and life.

Lejla is a poet and aspires to be a writer and advocate. She loves nature, art and hip hop, classical and jazz music. She has her whole life ahead of her and should not be punished for a crime that was a result of her own trafficking and abuse.

We need YOUR help to ensure Lejla is freed. Will you sign and share her petition today? Let's show Lejla we believe her and get her home!

Update: We have successfully found a treatment program for Lejla in Georgia who will take her if only she is granted a hearing and bond to allow her to go. There, she would be offered counseling, hot meals, support groups, full access to Karana Rising's team of advocates and a chance to safely heal while we advocate for her full release.

Learn more: www.karanarising.org or Watch Lack of Love at www.tinyurl.com/lackoflove to dive deeper into survivor justice.