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Sex trafficking survivor shares message of hope as Minneapolis launches new campaign

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Sex trafficking survivor shares message of hope as Minneapolis launches new campaign


A human trafficking victim is sharing a message of hope as the City of Minneapolis gets ready to launch a new public awareness campaign.

The Minneapolis Departments of Health and Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are using the Sex Trafficking Thrives in Silence campaign to raise awareness and provide resources to those in “The Life” and those who are at risk.

“I’m hopeful that victims/survivors will see me and see there is a way out,” said Joy Friedman, a survivor from Minneapolis, who is helping amplify the message of the initiative.

The 61-year-old has used the last couple of decades to redefine her life. She launched a consulting business called the Missing PEACE and wrote a memoir about her experience.

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Friedman was caught in a cycle of sex trafficking and exploitation that started when she was a teenager. She explained her siblings watched her while her single mother worked.

“I ended up hanging around the wrong people and they saw my vulnerabilities,” said Friedman.

Friedman said she was raped, beaten and held captive for 24 hours, just a block and a half from her mother’s home when she was 15 years old. For the next 22 years, she was in and out of the life.

“I didn’t see a way out,” she said.

Friedman received help for substance use disorder more than a dozen times but it wasn’t until she was in her 30’s that she was introduced to a program specifically for sexually exploited individuals.

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“Would it have made a difference at the beginning? Yes,” she said. “I never saw what I was in as trafficking, I never knew. I thought I was a willing participant because there were no chains on my hands. Why didn’t I leave? Why didn’t I go to the police? There’s a lot of reasons, fear for one.”

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, about 1,500 people received services related to sex trafficking state-wide between April 2021 to March 2023.

“That’s just a small number,” said Shunu Shrestha, a senior advisor for the City of Minneapolis. “There are many people who are not within the Safe Harbor system who are receiving services from other organizations.”

Shrestha explained the words and art being used in the new campaign were created in collaboration with survivors to ensure it reaches individuals who need it the most. It focuses on sexual exploitation and the role substance use disorder plays.

“Traffickers often exploit individuals by using drugs, something to control and manipulate them,” she said. “We’re trying to shine the light on these two intersecting topics. Making people aware that people are so vulnerable and really remove that stigma from people so they are more open to accessing services.”

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Posters will go up next week in bathroom stalls at 30 locations city-wide. The campaign will also feature billboards and advertising on bus shelters, inside buses and on light rail platforms.

“Especially to victims, we want to get this message to victims that there are services available, there are resources available and we’re here to help,” said Shrestha.

It also highlights signs of trafficking, including missing school or work regularly, telling inconsistent or rehearsed stories and unexplained gifts or new possessions.

Friedman, who left the life when she was 37 years old, hopes those who are being trafficked know healing is possible.

“We’re people’s daughters, sons, we’re people’s moms,” she said. “I want the victims to know we can get out and we can have a wonderful life and there is a way out, all you have to do is reach out.”

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Click here for human trafficking education and resources.



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Minneapolis, MN

Truck driver dead after crash sends Metro Transit bus into home in south Minneapolis

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Truck driver dead after crash sends Metro Transit bus into home in south Minneapolis


It happened early Monday morning in Minneapolis.

One person is dead and another is hospitalized after an early-morning crash in south Minneapolis on Monday that sent a Metro Transit bus into a home.

It happened at around 4 a.m. at 10th Avenue South and East 38th Street, just a few blocks east of George Floyd Square.

A spokesperson for Metro Transit police tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that a truck was speeding down 10th Avenue when it hit the back of the bus, ripping a tire off the bus and sending it into the front of a home.

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The driver of that truck died, according to Metro Transit police, while the driver of the bus was taken to a hospital but is expected to be OK.

Officials say nobody besides the driver was on the bus at the time, and the home the bus hit was also empty at the time.

Investigators are still at the scene, working to clean up all of the debris and determine exactly what led up to the crash.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is at the scene and working to learn more. Download the KSTP app and follow 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS on social media for the latest updates.

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Atlanta Dream survive thriller in Minneapolis, edge Lynx 91-90 to open 2026 WNBA season

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Atlanta Dream survive thriller in Minneapolis, edge Lynx 91-90 to open 2026 WNBA season


The Atlanta Dream trailed by double digits, fought back twice and still needed Angel Reese’s game-saving block in the final seconds to survive. 

Atlanta opened the 2026 WNBA season with a 91-90 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday night, powered by Allisha Gray’s 24 points, Te-Hina Paopao’s pull-up jumper with 12 seconds remaining, and a performance that left little doubt about what this team intends to do this season.

Reese’s block on Emese Hof’s layup attempt in the closing seconds sealed one of the most dramatic opening-night wins before 10,821 fans at Target Center.

When Minnesota pushed its advantage to 13 points in the second quarter and the Dream looked like they were in serious trouble, Allisha Gray took over. The veteran guard finished with a game-high 24 points on 7-of-18 shooting, going a near-perfect 9-of-11 from the free throw line to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

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Gray’s ability to get to the line and convert kept Atlanta within striking distance throughout a game that could have spiraled out of control multiple times. She scored 11 points in the third quarter alone as the Dream chipped away at Minnesota’s lead.

Rhyne Howard was equally important on both ends, finishing with 15 points, five assists and three steals. Jordin Canada ran the offense efficiently with 12 points and six assists, and Paopao added six points and four assists in a composed performance off the bench.

With Atlanta trailing 85-87 and the clock winding down, Naz Hillmon stepped back and drained a 22-foot three-pointer with 2:44 left to tie the game and silence the fans in the Target Center. It was the shot of the night, and arguably the play that won Atlanta the game.

Hillmon finished with 15 points on an efficient 6-of-10 from the field, adding seven rebounds in 33 minutes. She was the Dream’s most reliable scorer off the bench and delivered her best basketball when Atlanta needed it most.

Rookie Madina Okot also impressed in her WNBA debut, scoring eight points on 3-of-6 shooting with four rebounds in just 10 minutes, showing the poise and physicality that earned her a roster spot out of training camp.

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Angel Reese’s first game in a Dream uniform was complicated. She shot 4-of-11 from the field, committed five turnovers and picked up a first-quarter technical foul that gifted Minnesota a free point. At one point in the first half, she missed three consecutive shots on the same possession.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MAY 09: Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream blocks a shot attempt by Emese Hof #25 of the Minnesota Lynx during the fourth quarter at Target Center on May 09, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Ellen Schmidt / Getty Images


But Reese also grabbed 14 rebounds, nine on the offensive glass, blocked three shots, came up with two steals, and made the most important play of the game when it mattered most. Her block on Hof’s layup in the final seconds was the kind of athletic, instinctive play that changes games and defines seasons.

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That is the player Atlanta acquired this offseason. On opening night, in the most pressure-packed moment of the game, she showed exactly why.

Minnesota had every opportunity to win this game and couldn’t finish it. Olivia Miles finished with 21 points on 6-of-14 shooting and eight assists to go along with eight free throws made. Kayla McBride scored 20 points and hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:11 left that looked like it might be the dagger.

Courtney Williams added 14 points and six assists, and the Lynx shot 50 percent from the field, a number that should have been good enough to win.

But 15 turnovers and an inability to execute in the game’s final minute proved too costly. Minnesota had chances to put Atlanta away in the fourth quarter and couldn’t. The Dream made them pay every time.

Atlanta continues its opening road trip Tuesday against the Dallas Wings before returning home for the May 17 opener against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at State Farm Arena. Minnesota hosts Atlanta again on May 27.

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Woman dead after argument leads to shooting in Minneapolis

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Woman dead after argument leads to shooting in Minneapolis


A shooting in south Minneapolis left a woman dead Saturday night. 

Fatal shooting on Pillsbury Avenue South

What we know:

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According to Minneapolis police, officers responded to a report of gunfire near Pillsbury Avenue South and West 25th Street around 5:30 p.m. 

A woman was found at the scene with life-threatening gunshot wounds. She was taken to the hospital where she later died. 

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Police believe that an argument inside an apartment led to gunfire. 

The suspected shooter fled the scene before police responded. 

What we don’t know:

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Police did not say what led up to the shooting or if they made any arrests. 

The woman has not yet been identified. 

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What you can do:

Anyone with information on the shooting can call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or click here to submit a tip. 

The Source: A press release from the Minneapolis Police Department. 

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