Graves, a victim of savage exploitation by a child prostitution ring, left her hometown in 2009 following her crucial testimony in a federal case against the pimps who abused her and other girls. She hoped anonymity and several hundred miles of separation would keep retribution at bay.

The 24-year-old woman still has scars — most visibly the one on her cheek left by a pimp with a potato peeler, marking her as his property. And she still steers clear of Boston, with its dark memories and, for her, special risks.

But she is no longer in hiding. Instead, Graves is speaking out, a crusader against the commercial exploitation of children.

“I got over the fear of becoming of a victim of trafficking,” she said during a recent interview. “If one girl sees my story and it impacts one girl’s life, I am doing something productive.”

She has a remarkable story to tell. At 16, Graves was recruited by a Boston pimp and spent 2½ years in and out of the “life” before freeing herself from its toxic hold. She then stepped up where many have not and testified during a six-day trial in 2009 that resulted in the conviction of two men at the center of a major child-trafficking operation. They were both sentenced to 25 years in prison. Four others pleaded guilty to prostitution-related charges and have already been released from jail.

It was a huge local breakthrough, though it made barely a dent in the epidemic of exploitation. Nationwide, tens of thousands of minors are bought and sold for sex every year, most of them by men who exert power through psychological manipulation, beatings, and rape.

Before testifying, Graves moved to Tennessee, fearing for her safety. She returned to Boston only to speak at trial. Her exile ended earlier this year, when she moved to Washington, to take a job at FAIR Girls, a nonprofit group fighting sexual exploitation. As part of her work, she recounts the tale of her harrowing past and inspiring turnaround to government leaders, law enforcement officials, and media outlets. Most importantly, she tries to connect with girls who are susceptible to prostitution, or have already been dragged into the sex industry underworld.

On a recent afternoon in Washington, Graves, dressed smartly in a tailored skirt and jacket, walked through a high school metal detector to teach a workshop. She is a slender powerhouse, with long dark hair and unflinching brown eyes. Such sessions are part of her everyday routine.

Andrea Powell, founder and executive director of FAIR Girls — the acronym stands for Free, Aware, Inspired, Restored — said Graves has a powerful impact on the young people she meets in Washington high schools, shelters, and detention centers.

“Asia is an amazing voice [who] is helping other girls speak up,” Powell said. “She has proved she can’t be owned.”

But Graves and Powell acknowledge high visibility carries risks. The group itself operates out of an unmarked building to protect the staff’s safety. FAIR Girls does not require Graves to speak publicly; she was hired to run workshops and mentor vulnerable and exploited young people, Powell said. Speaking out is her choice.

“I want her to feel like a strong professional, and not just a puppet,’’ Powell said.

For her part, Graves said, she remains in contact with police, just in case. She knows the pimps she dealt with have a network of colleagues and family in and out of prisons. The two ringleaders who went to trial, Eddie Jones and Darryl Tavares, have appealed their convictions and are awaiting a ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

But in some ways, Graves believes, being out in public is her best protection.

“If you hide in the shadows, people are going to find the need to mess with you,” she said.

Since 2004, when Graves became ensnared in sex trafficking, the problem has become more complicated in Massachusetts and elsewhere. The growth of social media and the proliferation of wireless devices connected to the Internet have made it easier for predators to discreetly set up meetings with child victims, and harder for law enforcement officials to track them down.