Two young Colombian women, ages 21 and 22, thought they were leaving home for stable jobs in a textile factory in Peru. But instead of opportunity, they walked into the hands of a violent trafficking network.
As soon as they arrived in Lima, their documents were taken, their physical appearances were altered, and they were forced into sexual exploitation. The traffickers operated from a multifamily property in an area controlled by a faction linked to the Tren de Aragua, one of Latin America’s most dangerous criminal organizations.
The women were watched constantly. Their movements were controlled. And the person overseeing their abuse was not only managing their schedules but allegedly recording content and presenting herself as a social media influencer.
What the traffickers didn’t expect was that the girls would find a way to fight back.
In a moment of courage, one of the women found a phone and secretly sent her mother a photo of the building where they were being held. The message was brief but urgent: “They’ve kidnapped us and they’re forcing us to have sex.”
The mother didn’t wait. She contacted authorities in Colombia, who worked quickly with Peru’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division to locate the building. After days of surveillance, undercover officers confirmed what they feared, the two women were being forced to leave the property each day to meet the sexual work demands.
In April, the building was raided by police. Both women were rescued. Two traffickers were arrested, who authorities believe were part of the “Los Hijos de Dios” faction of the Tren de Aragua.
That night, Our Rescue’s team in Peru was called in to assist. We provided emergency support to help ensure the survivors were transferred to a government shelter for safety, trauma-informed care, and vocational training.
One of the women was in critical condition, mentally and physically. She required hospitalization and received medical attention at a local hospital. Our Rescue helped provide medications and ongoing support during her recovery.
As this survivor’s strength returned, one request remained constant: she wanted to go home to her mother.
Because of her health condition, her medical team advised that she not travel alone. This month, after careful coordination between Peruvian and Colombian authorities, our Survivor Care team in Latin America was able to accompany this courageous survivor home to Colombia, accompanied by a medical professional.
Now, after weeks of healing, coordination, and courage, one of the young women is finally home. She didn’t just survive, she fought her way back. And today, she gets to wrap her arms around her mother again.
This is why we do what we do.
Every rescue. Every partnership. Every step of the journey we take TOGETHER, so families can be whole again.