It was New Year’s Day, 2002, when 13-year-old Alicia Kozakiewicz’s life changed forever.
After dinner but before dessert, she complained of a stomach ache and asked if she could go lie down. It was the beginning of her living nightmare.
“The next thing I knew I was in a car with this man, and immediately I feared for my life,” Alicia, now 27, tells BBC News magazine.
“He sped off down my street and past my house. I thought, ‘Maybe he’ll just drive around the block.’ Then, ‘Maybe he’ll just drive to the next neighbourhood.’ I paid attention to the street signs and they went from being very familiar names to names that I couldn’t recall being anywhere near my home.
“There are no words to explain the fear and terror of thinking this person could pull over and kill me at any moment.”
The man, who had posed as a boy Alicia’s age to groom her online, drove for five hours to his home in Virginia.
“He then removed my clothing and looked at me and said, ‘This is going to be really hard for you – it’s OK, cry’
“After that he put a locking dog collar around my neck and dragged me upstairs to his bedroom and raped me. He chained me to the floor with this dog collar next to the bed. I was raped and beaten and tortured in that house for four days.
“On the fourth day he said: ‘I’m beginning to like you too much. Tonight we’re going to go for a ride.’ I knew in that moment there was nothing I could do. I knew he was going to kill me. That day he also fed me for the first time in four days and he left for work.”
Some time later, Alicia heard the sound of shouting downstairs. It was the FBI, breaking into the house to rescue her. Her abuser had been broadcasting his treatment of her online, and someone had recognised Alicia from the missing posters and raised the alert.
“Essentially, one monster came forward about another. I’m so lucky. Had those law enforcement officers stopped for coffee, or had their car broken down, I might not be here with you now,” she said.
Alicia has now devoted her life to ensuring what happened to her never happens to another child. She travels the world visiting schools to talk to students about internet safety.
She has also found happiness in her personal life, and is soon to be married.
