“I know what kind of man you are. I see your heart for trafficking survivors and your passion for the cause”, the prosecutor said to our team member.
The prosecutor and our team had been fighting for 2 trafficking survivors in court all week. Their former trafficker had tracked down the ladies and learned that they had both become successful businesswomen.
He was now suing them for breach of contract.
You see, they had signed a contract years before to travel to another country for employment at a hotel. Of course they never made it to the hotel. They were brutally trafficked for 2 years before being freed.
The prosecutor continued, “we are in the midst of another trafficking situation. It’s a sting operation; and we need you to get involved, if you would be willing.” Our team member immediately pledged his participation.
The following morning, our team member headed to the local shopping mall food court and sat close to the trafficker and his latest victim. She was an attractive 20-something. He was a good bit older. Our team member listened in on the conversation.
“Just text your family right now and tell them you are leaving for France with your boyfriend to start a new life. Let’s go, right now!” the trafficker said with a wink and a smile. His victim appeared a bit nervous, but she began to send the text.
A few moments later they stood up and began walking to the parking garage. Our undercover team member sent a text to the authorities, who were waiting outside near the traffickers’ van. “They are headed your way,” he typed.
As the trafficker and his victim walked out the door, the authorities intercepted them. She was taken to safety and he was arrested. They found 4 more women’s passports in his pocket.
Next the authorities swarmed the van. When they opened the doors, they found 4 more young women seated in the van with a driver. They were about to be whisked away to their “new lives,” thinking they were about to be employed in Western Europe. The truth is they were about to be sold into slavery. Luckily, the horrors that awaited them were averted, thanks to our team member and the authorities. Now, these 5 women can receive the support they need to make sure that they never fall for a trafficker’s scheme again.
After the sting operation ended, our team member was back in court standing next to the 2 survivors who were facing down their trafficker. They won! Now they’re back to their bustling, restored lives as business women and mothers. They have young children and are desperate to be truly free of the horrors of their past. Say a prayer for them. It’s been a long journey, and we are hopeful that this court case was the last time they’ll ever have to look at a trafficker again.
In just a few short days, 7 lives were protected. 7 precious women. 7 stories of Freedom.
The door to freedom is swinging wide open. It’s swinging open because the good guys are getting organized, and we are outsmarting traffickers at their own game. Then we’re taking it a step further. We know rescue is just the beginning for a human trafficking survivor. If we really want her to stay free, she needs everything from legal support, trauma-informed therapy, family counseling for her children, education, and vocational skills.
Uncaged is making sure each survivor has everything a survivor needs and more. We are unlocking the cage, equipping each survivor for total transformation. You hold the key to making it possible.
You can unlock the cage for these women by supporting their First Steps. First Steps includes everything a survivor needs to be stabilized immediately after she’s freed, like medical care and legal counseling.