Interview with an ex-prostitute...

I had the privilege of working on a CD project with Bronwen Healy, earlier this year, called Her Past Is Not Her Future. When the project began, I had no idea how accurately that title described her story.

Once deeply addicted to heroin, she turned to prostitution. It consumed her for months.

Thankfully, God doesn’t overlook the prostitutes/drug addicts/porn addicts/porn stars/murderers/ liars/ homosexuals. He died for them. He loves them that much. He provides hope.

Bronwen is proof that there is hope for the hurting, addicted, and outcast. She currently lives in Brisbane, Australia, where she runs an organization called The Hope Foundation that brings liberty to women wanting a life change from the addiction and the sex industry through consistent Christ-centered connection and care. Lives are changed because of what God has done through Bronwen.

Here is a brief interview with her…

1. Tell us a little about your past with sex addiction.

Mine was not so much a sex addiction but sex out of necessity because of my addiction. Whether it was for money or for drugs i used sex & my sexuality as a tool to feed the ache within.

2. What caused you to turn to prostitution?

Heavy addiction to the drug heroin, a boyfriend who agreed to it, no understanding of it’s detriment to my body, soul or spirit…being at the place where my body was ‘the only thing i had left to sell.’

3. Would you say sex and prostitution controlled your life?

The addiction to the drugs and the need for money powered my capacity to allow sex & prostitution to rule my life, definitely.

4. If you were to estimate, how many sex partners did you have?

As a ‘regular’ person (before i got saved and minus prostitution) about 10.

Prostitution was every night for 12 months with anything from 3-12 clients a night…

5. Did having sex lose its “fun” when it turned into your “job”?

Yes, sex did loose it’s ‘fun’ aspect when it became my ‘job’ but on reflection i am not sure that i have ever actually known sex in it’s purest & sweetest form – one day i will.

6. What was the breaking point for you, when you felt like you had hit rock bottom?

It started with my mum showing up to the illegal brothel that i was working in, with me dressed as a prostitute (weighing 85 pounds and using up to $1,000AU worth of heroin a day – and having to do the work to get the money to do the work)…that started the journey towards wholeness. That was 1997. I didn’t get to rehab until 1999.

7. How do you use your past to bring hope to women struggling with similar issues?

In 2004 i released a book called ‘Trophy of Grace’ about my life journey, so far. That opened doors for me to speak and that revealed to me the brokenness – in and out of the church. In 2006 Hope Foundation was founded and we come alongside women wanting a life change from addiction and/or the sex industry – the women that i used to be. We meet them where they are at and show, speak and journey out hope, love, truth and freedom. It’s in the journey together that we see that authenticity changes lives. We are all in need of His grace everyday, we all need to surrender every day…all of us. That gives the women hope + reality. Life is a journey, surrender with a smile.

8. If you could speak into the life of a prostitute/stripper/sex addict reading this post, what would you tell them?

There is One who sees you, knows you, knows everything there is to know about you and loves you anyway. When He sees you He calls you “lovely”. I hope that this story of truth would breathe life to you and your situation and reveal that there IS a way out! Believe me, I know! You are loved, valued and created with a purpose.

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For more information about Bronwen and the ministry of the Hope Foundation, go to the Hope Foundation website.