WHAT IS STOP THE TRAFFIK?
STOP THE TRAFFIK is a global movement working to combat the fastest
growing global crime, people trafficking. Around the world men, women
and children are being treated as commodities—something to be bought,
sold, and enslaved.
STOP THE TRAFFIK has more than 1000 member organizations in 50
countries & a grass roots following of ordinary activists around the
world. Some of us sign petitions, wear symbols of the campaign, spread
the message, and some of us show our support through adapting our
lifestyles.
***
Masud was 12.
His parents were persuaded, tricked, to let him be taken from his home
in Bangladesh to a new life in England. He was sold -
'Trafficked'
He left his family
home with an unknown man who travelled with him to London then onto
the South West where he was abandoned in an Indian restaurant. To
survive he worked in the restaurants living in small store rooms,
sleeping next to jars of chutney and bags of onions. Sometimes when
there was no work he was forced to sleep on the streets. He was not
able to go to school and his life was controlled by the restaurant
owners.
When he was 28, with
the help of STOP THE TRAFFIK he contacted the local police and
immigration team who helped him to obtain a passport and identity
documents, resulting in him being able to return the Bangladesh to
obtain a UK visa and to be reunited with his family.
Masud is now living
legally in the UK. He is married and is building a new life away from
the restaurants.
***
In September 2006
Carol, a Zimbabwean girl aged 18, escaped from captivity of
traffickers whilst in Tanzania. Carol was trafficked from Zimbabwe two
years earlier when she was 16. Carol was orphaned and staying with her
grandparents when this happened. One day on her way to school she was
approached by two men who offered her a job. Carol was enticed by the
job prospect as this would give her the opportunity to help out her
grandparents, support her siblings and other relations. Carol left
with the men and they took to a place where they raped her and then
they transported her out of Zimbabwe to South Africa. She was drugged
and placed in a coffin and crossed the Zimbabwean border. When she was
in South Africa she was forced into prostitution. She was not allowed
to go anywhere and was under lock and key.
She stayed in South
Africa for several months before being taken to Mozambique where the
abuse continued. Then she was trafficked through Zambia to Tanzania
where she managed to escape. At an open market her captor left her for
a few minutes to order food. Carol took the opportunity and ran off.
She asked help from a woman who then took her to the Zimbabwean
Embassy in Tanzania. The Embassy transported her back home and she was
handed over to the police under the care of the International
Organisation for Migration who offered her care under their victim
support program. From medical tests carried out it was discovered
that Carol had contracted HIV. The other difficulty Carol has to face
is her family failing to accept her as they believe she will have a
bad influence over the other children. Carol is currently staying at a
centre and is receiving care.
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