First Steps to Freedom for Trafficking Survivors

We know that human trafficking is a global, massive problem. It's called “organized crime” for a reason.

Now, it’s time for the good guys to get organized. Look at the way freedom resounds when we do. In just a few short weeks we:

• Took down an online trafficking platform with 400,000 users

• Rescued 3 children from trafficking as part of a collaborative sting operation.

• Defended 2 survivors in court against their traffickers

• Freed 5 survivors just before they were trafficked to a foreign country and sold into slavery during an operation with international authorities.

• Aided in the arrest of 1 trafficker, who had been posing as one of the survivor’s boyfriends.

10 survivors protected in almost as many days. Freedom resounds when we fight this evil together.

We know that for survivors like these, rescue is just the beginning. Immediately after rescue, survivors need support to stay safe and start to heal. Our team across Europe is making sure these survivors take their First Steps to Freedom. That means we’re connecting them to medical treatment, legal counsel, and emergency care, just as we have for dozens of other survivors tucked in safe houses across Europe. It takes a total of $2970 to fund each survivor’s First Steps. Then, as soon as travel bans lift, she will go to our Sanctuary in Romania to continue her journey in our world-class, trauma-informed program. Will you act today and equip these survivors to take their First Steps to Freedom?

Look at the impact we can have when we work together to end this evil. In a few short days, 10 survivors' lives were transformed. The door to freedom swings wide when the good guys get organized. Thank you for being one of the good guys.

Taking Down an Online Trafficking Platform

In April, our Europe Team participated in an operation in Western Europe to take down a ring of traffickers who ran an online pornography network. The network had 400,000 users. Investigators said it was “one of the world’s largest platforms containing child sex abuse materials.”

We had seen this ring before. It turns out they were the same trafficking ring that exploited Oceana, one of the child survivors in our care right now.

Even more incredibly, this operation freed 3 more children from trafficking. During the operation, our team encountered a survivor who knew where other trafficking victims were being held. This survivor drew a map on a napkin to show our team how to locate them. Our team used the map to find 3 other children who were being exploited. They are safe now! Let’s take it a step further and bring these children the wraparound support they need for total restoration. It takes roughly $16,000 per year to provide holistic support to a survivor of any age. Support from people like you go towards providing everything from food and clothing to art therapy and medical care.

Will you prayerfully consider coming alongside Oceana and child survivors everywhere by supporting Uncaged? Support from people like you goes towards providing everything from food, medical care, clothing to trauma informed therapies such as art and equine therapy. Together, we are bringing freedom and transformation to hundreds, even thousands of captives.

5 Survivors Were Freed Before It Was Too Late

“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.

5 Survivors were rescued from a van like this one.

“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.

Our European Director holds up a "V" for victory at court!

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.

Click here to equip a survivor to take her First Steps to Freedom!