When Maya* was 16 years old, she was excited to find her first job. She met a man who offered her a well-paying job in a neighboring country in Western Africa. He said that she could earn a great income as a shop attendant. Maya accepted his offer and looked forward to learning a new skill.
Upon her arrival in the new city, her trafficker revealed that he was going to force her to sell herself for sex. He demanded that she make a certain amount of money each day and that she must give it all to him. Maya’s heart filled with fear as he drove her to a brothel so she could start her “work”.
The night before she was supposed to start, she noticed a man selling phone accessories outside the brothel. He was from her home country. She decided to confide in him. She snuck out of the brothel, hoping that this man would be able to help her.
Luckily, the man acted quickly and immediately called the police. As the police and anti-human trafficking unit prepared the rescue operation, O.U.R. Aftercare and partners worked to find trusted aftercare services for Maya.
Because of Maya’s bravery, she was rescued and her trafficker was arrested. We will continue to support Maya as she navigates the court process and her return home!
