id: 545287 - Text: There's a lot of us struggling in life, wishing we could get a bit of help to set things straight. It can be frustrating when you see someone who gets that opportunity, a lifeline, to turn things around and throws it away.
As Mark says at the end of the video, you can point the finger at her, or the pimp, but ultimately they're products of their environment; symptoms of a bigger problem. The cards were stacked against them from birth. And yet, we have agency. We make our choices, and have to live with the consequence of our actions. It's a shame, but you did your best Mark. It's out of your hands.
id: 545293 - Text: These 3 consecutive videos should be shown to anyone considering Social work as a career.
id: 545295 - Text: Mark your hearts in a good place but you HAVE to understand. This chic has probably spent her entire life manipulating people for her advantage and as much as you or whomever wants to help these kind of people ..we can’t possibly start to understand what their going through behind closed doors. They only tell us what they want us to know. It sucks because you were definitely taken advantage of. I recommend just do these videos if you can make sure not to cross the the line in trying to be the angel to everyone on your videos (and trust me I GET IT, you wear your heart on your sleeve like myself )and TRY to save them. I think your videos are fascinating but interview them let them tell their story , thank them and move on otherwise you’re in for a lot of disappointment because as much as they “appear” to be desperate for help to get out of these lifestyles..unfortunately you can’t “buy” their way out of their unfortunate lifestyles..just not that simple 🤷🏼♀️.
id: 545354 - Text: Kudos to Asriah for making it to the interview. She had to know this would be uncomfortable. Tough start with Mark sounding like situation is affecting him in his shaky voice tone. And great for Mike calling out and addressing the lies about people's contributions.
In the previous update, there was a missing therapist piece. In that video Asriah welled up and then tried to suppress tears a few times. Asriah seemed like she was on the right path but addiction alone is hard enough to break. She had a lot more going on than just a "past" with crystal. She was vulnerable to a lot with the major shift in her routine. Kudos to Mark for doing as much as he did with Asriah up to that point.
Now Fly is in the picture and speaking for Asriah. Very simple to see what is going on now and it's sad. All we can hope for is an update.
There is now plenty of stuff out there about drug addiction relapses but not much about lifestyle relapse. Qualitative research takes a ton of time and these videos from Soft White Underbelly will make a major difference.
id: 545370 - Text: One of the elements that is going on is there is safety for her in that lifestyle. She knows it is not the best for her or her kids, but it is something she knows. She has had to hustle, and even though having a pimp has many downsides, it is a safe environment that she knows. The familiar is comfortable. Living a safe "normal" life is the equivalent of a city person going to live in rural Africa.
At the very least the Soft White Underbelly has given her a glimpse of what is possible outside of that lifestyle. THAT is very important for her to experience.
I do believe at some point she started to play you. It seemed to me that you started to catch some feelings for her, and she either got scared, or picked up on that and to protect herself from being possible being hurt, she went back to what she knew. She might have even bragged that she has this "sucker" on the hook.
I do believe that there was honesty within her when she was talking, but in the last video I could see a hardness. It was probably protective in nature.
When you extend a hand, sometimes it will get slapped away. That doesnt mean that you should stop reaching out to people. She probably doesn't trust "safe" people. With a pimp she knows what she is going to get. Good Bad or otherwise it is a known factor that she can deal with. It is tragic.
I hope she reads this at some point, and knows that life can be better if or when she has had enough. She can dip her toe into another life again, and again, until she can actually choose that other life. Right now she really is not able to.
id: 545383 - Text: It’s easy and appropriate to attach feelings of sadness for her; for all people who are literally slaves to gangs, the streets, addictions, all of it! I applaud You Mark, for what you’ve tried to accomplish here, but unfortunately your depiction of this one petite, vulnerable victim, as riveting as you’ve shown her to be, simply cannot begin to address this entire heartbreaking story. No offense intended, but anyone hoping that simply throwing money at ANY problem with such incredibly deep roots in cultures so extremely toxic and mysterious to most; sadly, it winds up actually feeding and worsening the problem. I could never resign myself to just writing them all off, that’s not how I roll; especially when there are scores of victims like her who need and deserve as many shots to try to change their lives as can be allowed, so that’s where I stand on the ‘forgettaboutit’ point of view. Obviously there’s no easy solution to what’s happening here, the message is key, truly good, but the ‘delivery system’ desperately needs to be completely revamped, with serious help from experts, far better qualified than most of us are, to give it any real chance to survive, grow wings and fly. Truth is, at times I wish I didn’t feel this way. I recently had to force myself to detach with love, from someone that I’m not sure I can live without. Complex as it may be, sometimes sacrificing in that way, is vital for the survival of one, or even an entire family, social system, or more! I’m sorry to expound so on my unsolicited thoughts here; I could easily continue, but I’ll spare you that pain out of general courtesy. I thank you for your patience, and Mark, I’m truly moved by your Herculean efforts to help all the people you’re documenting in your videos. You’ve started what could be an incredible opportunity for significant changes in the lives of so many people who have no voice, no one who understands exactly what’s really going on in their own neighborhood, their own city, county, state; even the country they live in, and that’s saying a lot as far as I’m concerned. You’ve done a solid for many many people needing help, I really thank you for that, really. My brain refuses to shut down tonight; gonna have to force it, but I hope and pray for everyone you’ve featured here, and I hope and pray that others will join you and everyone interested, in making a commitment NOT to shut down their computer in order to make the unpleasant reality of the truth about all of this just go away! WE ALL MUST PAY ATTENTION AND HEAR THE TRUTH, IF ANYTHING IS EVER GOING TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER IN THE FUTURE! Lastly, to Mark; all followers, ‘Subjects/Featured Guests’, to everyone, wherever you may be, God Bless You All, and continue to lean on those ‘in charge’ (you know who they are), to pay attention and help with doing the right thing, NOW. We must truly succeed with setting and accomplishing goals that everyone, everywhere on the planet, agrees upon, in order to continue our life on this earth! All my best, ~s~
id: 545423 - Text: sorry but she has no pimp.......i just wanted to get thqt over and its f..king discusting shese mqking out that money is for her little kids and its for her scruffy boyfriend who instead of getting a job he is bumming round a women with some1 who is looking wfter her....i cwn not belive u fell for her ive not helped 1 person who has done the rite thing i am also into addiction but nothing even on the level of this steqling and robbing is shocking and its all her doimg dont be fooled iff u get a normal person and give them wodds of money you can turn them from a normal nice person into a full blown addict cos when some1 has been usto no money the fact of money is like them ppl who win the lottery and now so many of them are dead cos they got on drugs excetra....iff this women is earning 2k a day she eva has a habbit to shopping for really expensive stuff or she is on drugs....and i se no decant cloths so ye its drugs nothing to do with her pimp a pimp can only take somet that is not there.....i can not even believe u put her on video again sheee a horrible money hungry drug taker and i am been pretty nice i think that is discusting ...yano me rite i would ravor some1 come upto me hold a 9mm to my head and say give me your money now and i pass the money over ..but them ppl who get to no you and start tryning to be your friend and pretending to be in debt or ill or pretending she has a pimp that wants her money.. she duz not hsve a pimp
id: 545429 - Text: I watched her first video you made with her and I tried finding her after that to see how she’s doing. Love the follow up 🖤 really rooting for her.
id: 545444 - Text: I feel like she’s living a lot better with marks money in her pocket since the original video. Hopefully her kids are as well, but it’s all about to end.
id: 545452 - Text: Wow what a waste of time and money for a video. There are working class people who deserve help. These lowlifes don’t want your help just the opportunity for money.