I was nearly kidnapped into a Muslim grooming gang. (UK)
25 years ago, times were different and my mum was young. I don't blame her for this. I also don't have many memories from this age but this one stuck to me like glue.
But, she went into a shop and asked 4/5 year old me to wait outside. A man came up to me, clearly Muslim, said my name 'Farah?' 'your mum sent me to come and pick you up'. I was confused and questioning it slightly. My mum came out the shop instantly, and the man basically ran, I remember us walking the opposite direction, and her telling me to walk quickly whilst I'm telling her 'but he knew my name? And he said you told him to come get me?'. I remember looking down at my hand and seeing my mum had henna'ed my name onto it at my request. Still didn't put two and two together at nearly being kidnapped until I was in adulthood. How life would have been completely different, the abuse I would have endured, where would I have ended up, would I even be alive now?
I have a half English 2 year old now. And id never get anything with her name on it first of all. But it really brings these memories back and makes them hit really hard.
Edit: I want to further add that my mum would have been about 22, and dealing with running away from a horrificly abusive arranged marriage that happened when she was 14. This is one of so many things that happened to us that my brain can't let go of.