Tattoo artists help trafficking victims cover up scars of the past

(InvestigateTV) — Survivors who manage to escape sex trafficking are often left with permanent reminders of their trauma.

Branding tattoos tying them to their past.

An artist in Arizona recognized the issue and decided to help.

Gina Jernukian is a tattoo specialist who decided to get certified for removals years ago. That’s when her life changed.

“The next thing I know in a matter of three months, there were so many odd tattoos--crowns and names and just tattoos that didn’t make sense. Enough so that I started asking around--what are these? And someone told me they’re brandings. I didn’t even know that existed,” says Gina.

Gina decided to take action, reaching out to others to see how they could help these sex trafficking victims get their tattoos removed or covered.

That’s how Soul Survivor Ink was created.

Reporter Mary Coleman shows us how she’s helping survivors erase the scars of the past.

Find full InvestigateTV+ episodes here and on the InvestigateTV YouTube Channel.

Copyright 2024 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.