CLEBURNE, Texas — Julia Wells was pure joy.
“She was full of life,” said Mary Wells, Julia’s mother.
“She was an absolute rainbow,” said Gwendolyn Wilson, Julia’s sister.
She had a color personality. Her family said she had zest.
“Julia had autism, so Julia didn’t know a stranger,” said Mary. “Everyone was her friend. She was very social.”
She and her husband adopted Julia and Wilson when they were teens.
“I couldn’t imagine a day without her and now I have to go every day without her,” said Wilson.
On May 2, 2018, just four days before Julia’s prom, two state troopers came to the family’s home. They told them that there had been an incident.
“Julia had come out of a vehicle driving at a good rate of speed down the Dallas North Tollway, and she did not survive,” said Mary. “The detective told us that it was linked to human trafficking.”
Since that day, the family has been raising awareness. In 2022, the Julia Wells Act became law. It required driver education courses to include information about human trafficking.
Now, Julia’s legacy carries on in Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Cleburne’s new Sexual Assault Forensic Exam room or S.A.F.E. room.
“The grand opening is today, but we’ve already used this room three times. We’ve definitely seen a difference in victims that we can pull them out of the emergency department. We can bring them here,” said Dr. Cindy Burnette, Texas Health Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program Director.
Burnette said the new room is an alternative for survivors as emergency rooms can be overwhelming.
“If you’ve had emergency care, you know it’s a very bright place. It’s a place that has a lot of machines that make a lot of noises. There’s hustle and bustle of the staff. For a victim of sexual assault whose brain is really in hyperdrive, this kind of environment can really be traumatizing to them,” said Burnette. “The calming effect of this room allows the brain to calm down to be able to recount all of the acts that were perpetrated against them.”
There is a closet in the room in Julia’s honor, Julia’s Sacred Space. It is packed with free, clean clothes and toiletries for survivors.
“It means the world. We have worked trying to get a place, a Julia’s Sacred Space, to where victims can come [get] fresh clean clothes and not have to walk out the hospital in a plastic jumpsuit,” said Mary.
“I know she would have wanted to be a part of this. I wish she could be,” said Wilson.
In many ways, Julia is there.
Julia’s family works with Breaking the Chains of Human Trafficking to raise awareness. For more information, click here.
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