To “Hell” And Back: Ex-Stripper On Crusade

You probably haven’t heard of the Spokane Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families.

But you may remember its founder: Kimberly Drake.

Drake is the former Deja Vu stripper who provided county commissioners with some very compelling - and personal - testimony in 1997. She talked about dance-hall drug use and touching during lap dances. She urged them to pass a tough new adult entertainment ordinance.

Now, she’s back.

The Valley resident and mother of three is forming a nonprofit group to fight pornography. She’s pushing for even stricter regulation, and for better enforcement of current laws. She wants to help victims of the adult entertainment industry - including dancers, consumers of pornography and families of porn addicts.

“They are not bad people,” the 35-year-old said. “I (also) was in denial that this has been a problem in my life.”

More than a year after testifying before county commissioners, she’s telling her story again - to church groups, PTAs and anyone who will listen. And she’s looking for volunteers.

So far, most of her support has come from the religious community. But her goal is to broaden the effort. She wants to make pornography a community-wide issue, similar to domestic violence.

Spousal abuse once was considered a private issue, she said. But that has changed. Maybe the public’s view of pornography can, too.

After spending several years working in strip joints - and frequenting them with her husband for entertainment, Drake says she’s learned the hard way that they aren’t harmless pastimes.

Her new group, the Spokane Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families, is affiliated with the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families.

Both groups claim to “totally support” the First Amendment. But, they reject the argument that the First Amendment protects hard-core pornography, and can prevent the enactment of legislation to protect children from being exposed to it.

Drake admits her own three sons have been exposed to much that she’s ashamed of.

Her past includes teenage pregnancy, abortion and marijuana use. Later, after her marriage, she struggled with a cocaine habit that led to criminal charges, unemployment and bankruptcy.

She auditioned for work as a dancer at the Deja Vu because her family needed money. She and her husband actually went to the club beforehand, she said, to see if it was “classy enough” for her to dance in.

They had been to such clubs before, to spice up their sex life. In 1995, at the age of 32, she became a “showgirl.”

She stripped for more than two years, earning from $250 to $400 a day by giving as many as 20 lap dances.

Her life began to slowly change after an Easter visit to Valleybrook Community Church. She went to the service only to appease her mother. But something kept her going back.

“All of a sudden, I felt guilty,” she said. “God began to demand that I adjust my life.”

That’s the abridged version of the story.

Leaving drugs and pornography behind will be a lifelong struggle for Drake, one she compares to being “pulled out of a pit of hell.”

Drake says she’s been drug free for more than a year. She continues to receive therapy - both for herself and with her family.

She expects her personal struggle with pornography and drugs to be life-long. Just like her effort to fight these problems in the community.

Her strength, she said, is her willingness to give a personal face to these issues. She’ll be doing just that on March 19 at a workshop she’s holding at the Christian Workers Conference. The 3:45 p.m. workshop will be held in the Spokane Convention Center.

Drake says she knows she’s very lucky. Most of the dancers and drug addicts she once knew didn’t have a family. Much less a supportive one.

Her church also supported her, even before she gave up dancing.

“Sadly, most churches don’t want to deal with people in that lifestyle,” said Valleybrook pastor Justin Morris.

“The external changes came easy. She’s now working on internal changes,” he said.

“I think it’s very exciting. She’s just extremely willing and eager to share her story.”

Those personal confessions might be painful for some families, but Drake says her children aren’t embarrassed.

Actually, they’re proud of her.

They’ve watched my life go to hell,” Drake said. “Now, they’re watching me make some wise decisions.”