This qualitative study focuses on the mothering experiences of women from the former Soviet Union (FSU) who were sex-trafficked to Israel. In-depth interviews were conducted with 8 women who gave birth either in the FSU or in Israel. The women's stories reflect 3 experiential spheres, those of "the good mother," "the sacrificing mother," and "the mother who wants for herself." These mothering spheres were found to exist against the backdrop of a life between 2 countries, where the women's mothering is split between "here" and "there." Furthermore, it was found that the women's sex-trafficking experience continually threatened to invade the 3 mothering spheres and destabilize the balance among them. The splits and conflicts among the mothering spheres are examined from a gendered perspective with emphasis on mother-daughter relationships and on the social constructions of mothering and prostitution. © 2013 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Immigrant mothers SEXUAL EXPLOITATION motherhood Sex Industry Israel Abuse Prostitution Self-sacrifice Former soviet union Sex-trafficked mothers

personal experience former Soviet Union motherhood sex industry self-sacrifice abuse Israel human Mother-Child Relations Adaptation, Psychological qualitative research interview Humans female Mothers sexual exploitation Parenting prostitution human trafficking Article adult mother child relation sex-trafficked mothers immigrant mothers