NEWS BAY AREA. >> HELLO. I'M SARAH SARA DONCHEY. >>> CALIFORNIA IS A HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTSPOT WITH VICTIMS FORCED INTO ALL KINDS OF HORRIBLE, UNIMAGINABLE SITUATIONS, SEXUAL SLAVERY, FORCED LABOR, HELD AGAINST THEIR WILL, BUT TONIGHT OVER A DOZEN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS WERE RESCUED HERE IN THE BAY AREA. OVER TWO WEEKS IN JULY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WORKED WITH THE FBI TO CARRY OUT 17 OPERATIONS AND ARRESTED NINE PEOPLE LINKED TO TRAFFICKING. >> THERE ARE KIDS THAT ARE LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, LIVING IN OUR STREETS AND THEY ARE NOT FOR SALE. THE BAY AREA HAS LED THE WAY IN DEVELOPING TECHNIQUES TO INVESTIGATE AND DISRUPT THIS ACTIVITY. OPERATION CROSS-COUNTRY STARTED HERE IN THE BAY AREA. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LEADING THE WAY ON THIS. >> BUT THE END OF THAT OPERATION IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY FOR THESE VICTIMS. OUR ANDREA NAKANO SPOKE WITH A SURVIVOR TURNED ADVOCATE IN SONOMA COUNTY WHO HOPES THINGS GO BETTER FOR THOSE WOMEN THAN THEY DID FOR HER. >> Reporter: ELIZABETH CUROS WAS A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING FOR NEARLY 12 YEARS BUT VICTIM NO MORE. SHE IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. >> WHEN I WAS 26, I WAS ARRESTED FOR THE LAST TIME AND I HAD A 3-MONTH-OLD BABY BOY I NEEDED TO THINK ABOUT AND AT THAT TIME I REALIZED I NEEDED TO END THE CYCLE THAT WAS WITHIN MY FAMILY. >> Reporter: ELIZABETH CUROS SAID SHE MET HER TRAFFICKER WHEN SHE WAS 16 YEARS OLD. IT BEGAN WITH A STRANGER FIRST GIVING HER COMPLIMENTS, THEN GIFTS, THEN A HOPE OF A BETTER LIFE THAN WHAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING AT HOME, BUT IT JUST LED TO A LIFE OF CRIME AND TRAUMA. >> AT THE TIME OF THE POINT OF CONTACT OF ME BEING ARRESTED THERE WAS NO SERVICES. I WAS TREATED AS A CRIMINAL AND LOOKED DOWN UPON BECAUSE, OF COURSE, I WAS AN ADDICT. I WAS SELLING DRUGS AND SMOKED MY OWN SUPPLY BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE YEARS OF TRAUMA AND BEING TRAFFICKED. >> Reporter: SHE IS APPLAUDING FBI'S LATEST OPERATION CROSS-COUNTRY THAT HELPED LOCATE FOUR CHILDREN AND 17 ADULTS. SHE FEELS THE KEY TO REACHING THE VICTIMS IS TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT TYPE OF RESOURCES. >> IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BRING ADVOCATES AND EVEN SURVIVORS TO BE PART OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE VICTIMS CAN RELATE. THEY CAN UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TALK TO SOMEBODY THAT'S IN A UNIFORM. >> Reporter: THAT'S WHY SHE CO-FOUNDED REDEMPTION HOUSE TO, GIVE VICTIMS THE SUPPORT AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND. >> ONCE THEY REALIZE LIKE THAT THE POWER IS THEIRS, ONCE THEY GET OUT OF THAT LIFE AND REALIZE THEIR POWER IS THEIRS AND THEIR VOICE IS THEIRS, THEY'LL START TO BE ABLE TO BE SET FREE FROM ALL. THAT. >> Reporter: CUROS SAID THE RESOURCES SHE WAS PROVIDED BEHIND BARS TRULY CHANGED HER LIFE. SHE NOW IS A SOCIAL WORKER WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE. WHILE HER FOCUS IS TO HELP OTHERS, SHE IS REWARDED WITH EACH VICTIM SHE SAVES. >> A LOT OF TIMES THEIR TRAFFICKERS ARE NOT PROSECUTED OR ARRESTED OR IT GOES UNNOTICED. I TELL THEM KEEP SHARING. KEEP SPEAKING ABOUT IT AND THAT WILL BE A FORM OF JUSTICE SO YOU CAN GET THAT PROPER HEALING. IT HELPS ME, TOO, WHEN I DO THIS. >> Reporter: CUROS
