Vanessa, thirty-five, had three children with an abusive husband. She “lost her mind, started doing heroin”, after losing the children, who were taken away and given to her mother. The drugs led to homelessness and prostitution. She grew up on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, but now spends her time in Hunts Point, “trying to survive everyday. Just doing whatever it takes”.

A mahout watches the Thai animation movie Kan Kluay with his elephant in Ayuthaya province, about 80km (49 miles) north of Bangkok June 5, 2006. The movie tells the story of a young Thai wild elephant who, while looking for his father, becomes the war elephant of the Thai King fighting against Burma and restored Thailand's ancient Ayuthaya empire that existed about 400 years ago. (Photo by Sukree Sukplang/Reuters)

Debris fly into the air as foreign fishing boats are blown up by Indonesian Navy off Batam Island, Indonesia, Monday, February 22, 2016. Authorities on Monday sank dozens of fishing boats caught operating illegally in Indonesian waters as part of the country's campaign to battle illegal fishing. (Photo by M. Urip/AP Photo)

A woman and her dogs stop and look at a store mannequin wearing a dog's head mask outside a fashion shop in Nice, France, May 3, 2016. (Photo by Eric Gaillard/Reuters)

Second placed Kalex Moto2 Tito Rabat (rear R) of Spain and third placed Kalex Moto2 Alex Rins of Spain spray with champagne during the award ceremony for the Czech Grand Prix in Brno, Czech Republic, August 16, 2015. (Photo by David W. Cerny/Reuters)

A close up of ornaments of centuries-old idols of Lord Buddha during the Pancha Daan, Five donation, festival in Bhaktapur, Nepal, 30 August 2016. Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims observe the main day of the Pancha Daan also known as a five summer gifts (rice, grain, salt, money and fruits) festival which is observes for world peace and human welfare. (Photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA)

Captain George Ash lies on his back as he prepares to shoot the bowl from the clay pipe held between a blindfolded corporal's teeth. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images). 18th April 1932

Paramilitary policemen carry tyres as they take part in a training session in Zhangye, Gansu Province, China, March 1, 2016. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)