WHO WE ARE
TRAining
"Change is the end result of all true learning" ~ Leo Buscaglia
History
TIMEA NAGY
Timea Nagy immigrated to Toronto, Ontario from Budapest, Hungary with the promise of an exciting new job in 1998. The daughter of a Hungarian policewoman, Timea was held at the hands of traffickers and forced to work in the sex industry for three traumatizing months. Since her escape, she has committed her life to eradicating human trafficking, becoming a globally recognized expert in combatting modern-day slavery. Nagy developed Timea’s Cause Inc., a social enterprise fighting against human trafficking through education, awareness, recovery and rehabilitation efforts. Her work includes public and private sector training, as well as sharing her story through speaking engagements around the world. Her heroic journey was chronicled in the national best-selling memoir, Out of the Shadows, released by Penguin in 2019. Nagy has appeared on Forbes, CNN, NBC, The Economist, CTV, The Social, CBC, and other major media outlets as a human trafficking expert.
Nagy has provided training to numerous agencies in Canada, the U.S., and Europe – reaching thousands of law enforcement officers within sex crime units and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. She was the first survivor to start teaching financial institutions in North America about the importance of joining the fight against human trafficking. As a result, she was invited to join the United Nations Financial Taskforce to End Human Trafficking, otherwise known as The Liechtenstein Initiative. Nagy has received many acknowledgements for outstanding service including the Prime Minister’s Volunteer Award, the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the International Freedom Award by Free the Slaves.
WALK WITH ME
From 2009 to 2015, Timea Nagy founded and operated Walk With Me Canada Victim Services, Canada's first safe house and 24/7 mobile crisis victim care unit for Survivors of human trafficking. For six years, she went all over the country helping law enforcement and community services rescue victims using her unique perspective as a survivor.
After years of tireless work, she was forced to close her doors due to ongoing sustainability issues. The organization was running on a shoestring budget, and when the last bit of Government funding was redirected to other causes, Timea could no longer keep Walk With Me running. She decided to take a break from the NGO world; a non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit group that functions independently of any government.
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During her time off, she created a unique model that provides consistent revenue streams to continue her work in the anti-slavery movement without relying on government funds or donations. In 2015, Timea began speaking about her experience and educating people around the world as an expert on human trafficking and keynote speaker ... that’s how Timea’s Cause Inc. was born. By sharing her Survivor story and educating the sectors impacted by human trafficking, Timea continues to build a sustainable social justice organization that educates both private and public sector workers, as well as offers never-before-seen initiatives for Survivors to pave their path to a new life beyond the trauma.
OUT OF THE SHADOWS
As Timea travelled the world sharing her story and educating a variety of groups and sectors about human trafficking, more and more people became interested in her heroic journey of survival. In 2019, Penguin House Publishing released Timea’s memoir entitled Out of the Shadows co-authored with Shannon Moroney. The book is now a national bestseller. Out of the Shadows is available through most book retailers.
Out of the Shadows is a gripping, heartbreaking and eye-opening journey deep into the underworld of human trafficking and the sex trade, told in riveting detail by one brave survivor. At once tragic and powerfully redemptive, Timea Nagy’s story will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page.
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Praise for Out of the Shadows
“Out of the Shadows . . . takes a brutally honest look at Nagy’s experience in the expansive yet largely hidden world of human trafficking while offering readers hope and information on how they can help in the fight against trafficking. . . . Out of the Shadows is a book filled with uncomfortable yet unforgettable anecdotes, keen insights and painful memories for Nagy . . . a compelling first-hand account of the murky world of human trafficking.” —The Sarnia Observer
“Timea Nagy’s harrowing story deeply reports the ugliness of human trafficking. But it’s ultimately a remarkable tale of survival and resilience, with lessons for a country that considers itself to be a safe place for immigrants.” —Pauline Dakin, bestselling author of Run, Hide, Repeat
“Out of the Shadows is a story of survival in the face of unimaginable circumstances. In a voice that is heartbreakingly innocent and honest, Timea Nagy inspires us to recognize the strength of purpose and resilience, and redemption.” —Jackie Kai Ellis, bestselling author of The Measure of My Powers
