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Anti-Trafficking Real Stories from the Field

Breaking: 17 Girls Held in Shelter Set Free; Head Trafficker Arrested!

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By The Love Justice Team on October 22, 2024

We love sharing stories of freedom. Read on and give thanks with us for these recent stories of lives kept free!

Ethiopia: 17 Girls Held in Shelter Set Free; Head Trafficker Arrested!

Two teenage girls were lured with false promises of work in Saudi Arabia. Unbeknownst to their families, a broker transported them from their rural village to Addis Ababa, where he handed them over to the head trafficker. The head trafficker kept the girls, along with other victims, in a rented shelter for several weeks while processing their passports and visas.

The monitors met the two girls at a bus station after they secretly left their shelter in search of food due to inadequate provisions. The monitor who intercepted them was very concerned about them and the other girls in the shelter, so he asked the two girls to show him the location. He left the bus station with the two girls and headed toward the trafficker’s shelter. 

To avoid taking unnecessary risk, he observed the shelter from a distance before returning to the bus station with the two girls. He then arranged lodging and transportation services for them to return to their hometown. Later, he revisited the shelter with other Love Justice staff and several security officers. 

The security officers observed the house and recalled having been previously informed about that same location. They returned at 10:00 p.m. and arrested the shelter workers; unfortunately, the head trafficker was not present at the house at the time. The remaining 15 girls in the home were taken to a government shelter for recovery and care. Later that month, the security officers informed our team that the head trafficker, known for his connections with wealthy investors and high-ranking government officials, had been arrested.


Sierra Leone: Monitors Intercept Girl Traveling for Suspicious Job Offer

african girl wearing black scarf

While monitoring a train station, the team noticed a young girl named Kedi.* During questioning, Kedi revealed that she was on her way to Liberia, where a man had promised her a security job. However, she had no official documents to verify the job's legitimacy and was traveling without luggage, a phone, or any form of identification. Additionally, her parents were unaware of her plans. Kedi also mentioned that the man who recruited her had paid for her transportation and instructed her to travel ahead of him, telling her to wait for him at the station.

The team provided Kedi with counseling about the dangers of human trafficking and the importance of safe foreign employment. They also shared the gospel with her and prayed for her. After hearing the team's concerns, Kedi realized the risk she was in and agreed to share her mother’s contact information. When the team called her mother to inform her of Kedi’s situation, she immediately burst into tears, overwhelmed with relief that her daughter was safe. Later that day, the team arranged for Kedi’s safe return home. Her mother later called to confirm Kedi’s safe arrival and to express her deep gratitude for the team's assistance.


Mozambique: Two Men Recruited by Stranger for Suspicious Work, Intercepted Before Exploitation!

bus station at dawn

During routine monitoring activity at a bus stop, our team identified two young men, ages 20 and 21, who appeared nervous while sitting on a bench. Concerned for their safety, our staff approached to inquire about their situation.

The men shared that they were on their way to Chifunde, having been recruited by a man named Katine*. Katine had approached them in their village, claiming to be recruiting workers for sesame production in Chifunde. He offered them a monthly salary of 28,000 MZN (approximately $440 USD) per season, far above the usual pay of 10,000 to 12,000 MZN ($155 to $188 USD). This enticing offer convinced the young men to accept the proposal.

Katine instructed them to be at the bus stop before 9:00 a.m. the next day, promising he would meet them there and travel with them to Chifunde. They were waiting for Katine to arrive when our team noticed them and initiated the conversation.

As our staff spoke with the men, they highlighted several red flags in their situation. The men had been recruited by someone they barely knew and were promised an unusually high salary. They were traveling without luggage, phones, or any form of identification, and they had no resources to sustain themselves or return home if necessary. Moreover, Katine had provided no specific details about their destination, and their families were unaware of their travel plans. Given these concerning factors, our team concluded that the men were at high risk of being trafficked. They intervened and arranged for the young men to return safely home.


Liberia: Team Intercepts 18-Year-Old Traveling for Promised Education 

girl holding water bottle

The team intercepted an 18-year-old girl at a transit station. When they first noticed her, she seemed sad and nervous, so they bought her a bottle of water and asked if she needed any help.

The girl shared that she had been approached by a man in her village who offered her an education opportunity at a school in Monrovia. After she accepted the offer, he sent her enough money to cover her transportation and told her not to tell her family of her plans. While talking to our team, the girl revealed that she didn’t have enough money to stay safe or return home if needed. 

Her recruiter had told her to meet him at the transit station by 8:30 a.m. She had been waiting at the station for over two hours, but he still hadn’t shown up. When our monitors attempted to contact the man, he answered but said they had the wrong phone number. Our staff spent time counseling the girl, educating her about human trafficking and explaining the red flags in her education opportunity. After talking with them, she agreed she was in a potentially dangerous situation and decided to return home. 


Bangladesh: Team Intercepts Minor Girl Traveling for Work with Suspiciously High Salary 

girl by moving train

The team noticed Shathi*, a 17-year-old girl, sitting alone and looking hesitant at a bus station. She shared that she had traveled from her village to take a job arranged by a man named Anik*, whom she met three months earlier. They had exchanged phone numbers and talked frequently. She had confided in him that her family was poor and her father was struggling to provide for his four children. 

Anik promised her a caretaker position at a school in the city with a salary of 18,000 Tk ($150 USD), along with food and lodging, and sent money for her transportation. Shathi was excited about the prospect of being able to help support her family and eagerly accepted. Anik instructed her not to tell her family about the job because they would not let her go if they knew, and suggested instead that she tell them after she was settled when she sent them money. 

When questioned by our team, Shathi couldn’t provide details about the school or her job. Our team called Anik, who made excuses and refused to meet them, instead suggesting they send Shathi to him by bus. Further investigation revealed the job offer was fake, as caretaker salaries in the area were much lower, around 11,000 Tk ($90 USD).

Recognizing the signs of human trafficking, our team intercepted Shathi and counseled her about the dangers. They contacted her mother, who was grateful for the intervention but declined to file charges against Anik, fearing for Shathi’s reputation. The team provided lunch for Shathi and arranged her safe return home.


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*All data and statistics current at the date and time of publishing. Names and some specific locations excluded for privacy and security purposes. Images are representative, and some images made using AI. 

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