Erica didnt have a particularly bad upbringing per se. Her mother did her best to bring her up on that rough estate in Manchester, England. Working all the hours god sent to pay for the extra tuition Erica needed to get into university, determined to give her the life she never had. And it worked, she got into Liverpool university at 18 and had a successful first year. Or so she thought.
It was just growing up without a father led to a strong desire for male approval. Picture the parade of abusive, controlling boyfriends with Erica desperate to please. They led her down a depraved path of drug fueled parties where she was often the main entertainment. Soon there were degrading photos and camera phone video clips of her circulating around campus. Erica knew this wasnt the life she wanted, but she didnt know how to avoid it. Then when the latest man in her life suggested a trip of a lifetime to Thailand she jumped at the chance, maybe things were looking up.
A few months touring went well, he payed for everything. Even encouraging her to get the tattoos she'd always wanted, albeit with more of an eastern theme than she liked. Before long she was being introduced to more and more heavily tattood oriental men and women, who all wanted "things" from her. A very familier pattern was now being played out and Erica just went along with it to please. Her passport was taken from her then her boyfriend said his good byes, apparently he'd "lost her" in a poker game!
For the next four years she was a plaything of cargo ship captain, occasionaly lent out to the crew when at sea to vent their frustrations on. Or acting as hostess during his smuggling deals to grease the wheels of the deal. After a particularly rough party Erica built up the courage to say no, that she'd had enough and wanted to go home. Silence, followed by raucous laughter then the beating of her life. She regained conciousness as she hit the ice cold water in the harbour after they threw her over board like a bag of trash.
Stumbling out of the water heading towards the lights of Dead End she found her new home. With no passport, no money and no hope she had to survive doing the only thing she knew how. She survives by working the streets, hoping the clients dont want anything too unusual or rough. Always willing to do what ever she needed to to survive, weed and whisky make this easier though.