A woman rests on a pile of plush toys at IKEA store in the shopping district of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong on November 3, 2024. (Photo by Mladen Antonov/AFP Photo)

Izzy Paskowitz helps Nixee Grace Chanowsky, 4, catch a wave Monday, August 18, 2014 at Wrightsville Beach, N.C. during the Annual Surfers Healing event for children with autism. Hundreds of people made their way to the beach to watch and cheer on the camp that was founded by Israel and Danielle Paskowitz. (Photo by Mike Spencer/AP Photo/The Star-News)

Corporal of Horse Andy Radford prepares to mount his horse in the parade square at Hyde Park Barracks on April 15, 2011 in London, England. Members of the Household Cavalry gave a behind the scenes tour of many of the duties performed as part of their daily routine, including special preparation ahead of the forthcoming Royal Wedding. The Household Cavalry will perform several ceremonial duties during the summer, including the Royal Wedding on April 29, and the Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) in June. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

German model Alena Gerber poses wearing a full chocolate dress during the presentation of chocolate dresses designed by German bakery group Lambertz on January 21, 2010 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)

Bella Hadid attends “The Unknown Girl (La Fille Inconnue)” Premiere during the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2016 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP Photo)

2016 Rio Olympics, Judo, Final, Women, 48 kg Bronze Medal Contests, Carioca Arena 2, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 6, 2016. Otgontsetseg Galbadrakh (KAZ) of Kazakhstan and Dayaris Mestre Alvarez (CUB) of Cuba react. (Photo by Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

Workers from the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium and Imagine Exhibitions put together an animatronic spinosaurus outside the science center in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, October 27, 2015. The giant spinosaurus is part of the Dinosaurs Around the World exhibit, set to open on November 1. (Photo by Maria Lorenzino/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP Photo)

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”.