Alicia Kozakiewicz: Safeguarding Others by Sharing her Story
by Alicia Kozakiewicz:

Alicia Kozakiewicz is a true survivor. When she was just thirteen, Kozakiewicz was kidnapped by a middle-aged man who had befriended her online. The brave young girl was held prisoner, chained to the floor in a Virginia townhouse and sexually abused for four days before being rescued by the FBI — thanks to a tip from a man who had seen a video of the teen made by her captor. The convicted computer programmer is currently serving a prison sentence of nineteen years and seven months.

Now more than seven years later, Kozakiewicz speaks out about her ordeal to help keep other kids safe from online predators. Although she has gone through counseling, part of her own recovery process involves talking to youth groups as well as producing Internet safety videos alongside her family.

“I think she’s made remarkable progress in that she’s able to stand up and speak about these things, but she’s going to carry an inner pain forever,” her mother, Mary informed People magazine back in 2007. “I don’t think you can survive that kind of terror and not be scarred.”

In the state of Virginia where she was held captive, Kozakiewicz worked to create “Alicia’s Law” to establish taskforces targeting Internet predators. Current budget concerns have placed the funding for this law in jeopardy, so Kozakiewicz has gone back to work pushing for its inclusion in the Virginia 2010 budget.

She’s even testified before Congress imploring tighter laws and more finances to aid in battling cyber offenders.

“I discovered that the boogeyman is real, and that he lives on the Web,” she informed the Congressional judiciary committee.
Kozakiewicz was presented the Courage Award by The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the inspiring advocate wants to eventually work with the F.B.I. as a forensic psychologist.
“I’d like to be someone who helps rescue the child,” Kozakiewicz told People magazine, “and then helps recover the child’s soul.”

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