International Women’s Day is a global movement fueled by collective action, celebrating women’s achievements since its start in 1911, while confronting the work still needed to achieve true gender equality.
At Our Rescue, we are proud to be a women-led organization empowering female leaders. This day is a united call to action in the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation, and we are determined to support our society’s most vulnerable.
“Women and girls across the globe are disproportionately affected by these crimes,” said Tammy Lee, Our Rescue CEO. “I’m proud to lead a team of women and men who are actively working in the fight.”
A Global Crisis: Women at the Forefront
Human trafficking victimizes all genders, but the statistics are stark with the majority of survivors being women and girls. An estimated 7 in 10 survivors of human trafficking prey on females, according to a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with nearly one-third of the victims being children.
This reality is often driven by factors such as poverty, displacement, and gender inequality. According to the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), women are disproportionately impacted by human trafficking due to limited employment opportunities, lack of financial control, restricted education, and crises such as conflict and natural disasters.
Gender-based violence also is a risk factor around the globe. The UN agency also found that 25 percent of trafficking survivors were victims of gender-based violence prior to being trafficked. In 13 percent of trafficking cases, the trafficker is the victim’s intimate partner.
This International Women’s Day, we honor women in our organization who are both partners and leaders in the fight against the horrors of human trafficking and child exploitation.
Their work exemplifies the 2025 International Women’s Day theme of #AccelerateAction, as they drive change by intervening– survivor-by-survivor–while creating systemic solutions around the globe.
Women on the Frontlines of the Fight
Ann Hurst, Our Rescue Country Manager – Spain, Bulgaria, Albania and Kosovo
Ann Hurst, Our Rescue’s country manager of Spain, Bulgaria, Albania and Kosovo, cannot shake the sight of a young Cambodian girl from her memory. The victim was sold into a brothel at just three-years-old. Ann later encountered her as a teenager still trapped in the cycle of abuse.
“It was difficult for me to watch her walk down that dusty road knowing she was going to be raped again and again. At this moment, I can hardly talk about it,” Ann remembered tearfully.
As one of the first female special agents in the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) at the Department of Justice, Ann Hurst has dedicated her life to protecting the most vulnerable. Her advocacy began at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), leading her to roles with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense. Her work aiding counterterrorism operations and dismantling human trafficking networks has taken her to the world’s most dangerous regions.
A single parent who raised two children while navigating high-stakes roles, Ann was a drama and Spanish teacher before transitioning to law enforcement. She has seen firsthand how being a woman is an advantage in aiding victims, and her compassion is an asset that allows her to help those who need it most. Many survivors feel safe with Ann and this connection allows her to make a deep impact.
A self-proclaimed workaholic, Ann tested retirement and found it is simply not her style. Drawn back into the work with Our Rescue, she believes true success is putting traffickers behind bars and witnessing survivors reintegrate into society and pursue dreams.
“This is God’s work,” she says. “And I’m going to continue doing it as long as I can.”
Charimaya Tamang, Founder of Shakti Samuha – Nepal
When the whole world was celebrating 86th Women’s Day, the founders of Shakti Samuha, were being rescued from the red-light area by Maharashtra Police on 5th Feb, 1996.
Shakti Samuha is the world’s first organization established and run by survivors of human trafficking, as noted in the 2007 TIP Report by the USA.Founded in 1996 and officially registered in Kathmandu in 2000, Shakti Samuha has been working against human trafficking. Shakti Samuha is currently working on the five thematic areas i.e. Prevention, Protection, Capacity Building, Livelihood, and Lobby and Advocacy.
“We were repatriated after which we were stigmatized, scorned, excluded and despised by society and our families. Today we are in the process of establishing ourselves as the power of human trafficking survivors, this journey of ours is Shakti Samuha,” recalled founder Charimaya Tamang.
Trafficked to India at 16-years-old, Charimaya endured nearly two years of exploitation before being rescued and returning to Nepal. She could have stayed silent. Instead, Charimaya forged ahead and became the first person in Nepal to personally file a human trafficking case with district police on December 25, 1996. She has also earned international recognition, including the 2011 Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award from Hillary Clinton, for her survivor inclusion and anti-trafficking efforts.
Our Rescue is now raising funds for Charimaya and Shakti Samuha to fund a new shelter in Nepal. Our Rescue plans to purchase and renovate the new shelter, doubling survivor care capacity up to 34 individuals. The facility will provide essential resources such as food, clothing, hygiene products, and will be connected to medical and emergency services. The shelter will also focus on long-term healing, offering in-house counseling, emotional support services, and trauma-informed care.
Charimaya hopes that her organization’s story, built and imagined by survivors of human trafficking, inspires others to find their own courage and fight for the rights they deserve.
“No matter how big the obstacle is, if human rights of an individual are violated, justice must be sought and prosecution must be initiated,” Charimaya said. “After this, there is no doubt about the ability to transform a survivor into a leader.”
Dream Hansakunathai, Our Rescue’s Digital Forensics Lab Analyst – Thailand
Dream Hansakunathai, Our Rescue’s Digital Forensics Lab Analyst in Bangkok, Thailand, made the leap from chemistry major to crime scene investigator to digital forensics whiz, and has never looked back.
She knows this role is her life’s work, and even more exciting, a chance to be a real life superhero, with proof that careers dedicated to justice can take unexpected and deeply meaningful paths.
“I grew up watching superhero movies and wanted to save people as a kid. My current job has fulfilled that dream,” she says.
Dream showcases Our Rescue’s advanced technology in extracting data, especially in phones, where perpetrators most often hide child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The female-led digital forensic teams in Thailand use cutting-edge technology to track and dismantle trafficking networks to hold criminals accountable.
Dream’s goal is to continue learning how to decode the digital breadcrumbs left behind by traffickers. With perpetrators increasingly relying on encrypted communication and hidden files, she applies the savvy from years of investigating crime scenes to understanding the mind of perpetrators using technology to commit heinous crimes.
Often, this leads Dream to peer into the darkest corners of humanity, and the heaviness of sorting through evidence can take a toll. Dream feels supported by her team, is encouraged to embrace self-care to do this critical work, and the shared mission connects Dream and her team as a unified force for good. They continue to break barriers in a male-dominated field, proving that technology-driven justice has no gender.
“Our team works so hard, always putting survivors first in everything we do. I am a jigsaw in my piece of the puzzle, but when you see the results, I am so happy,” said Dream. “I learn so much every day.”
Perpetual Adu-Gyamfi, Outreach Coordinator at Our Rescue Ghana – Ghana
Perpetual Adu-Gyamfi, an outreach coordinator at Our Rescue in Ghana, travels from schools to churches and remote communities speaking openly about human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Based in Accra, Perpetual has reached over 20,000 people, which is remarkable considering the challenges she encounters. In Ghana, trafficking survivors often are taken to remote areas where locals are unaware of the dangers of human trafficking. Cultural and language barriers hinder education of sexual exploitation. Survivors often are blamed and shamed, and stigma prevents some families from supporting their victimized children.
Many communities resist change. Perpetual steps in to collaborate with local leaders to facilitate communication and works with law enforcement agencies to provide security for survivors. With awareness, education and prevention, she shares how to report cases to the authorities, and has encouraged schools to integrate this awareness into their curriculum.
“I am proud to say that this awareness campaign has encouraged learners to break their silence and report cases of sexual abuse and exploitation, an essential step toward healing and justice,” said Perpetual.
One of her greatest successes came just last month. Fifteen students–12 girls, 3 boys–courageously reached out to school leaders and reported abuse occurring in their homes . Perpetual also remembers how a young girl suffering sexual abuse was bold enough to speak up for help.
To Perpetual, each chance to impact a life is a success, and these emotional outcomes only propel her mission. As a mother of a young girl, she cites her close-knit family with nurturing a love of caring for others.
“I tried to put myself in their shoes, wondering how they could escape and seek help. Ultimately, my empathy and compassion for survivors, my passion for social justice, and my desire to make a difference and give back to humanity led me to this work,” said Perpetual.
Livia Otal, Founder of Foundation for Hope – Bulgaria
Livia Otal, Founder of the Foundation for Hope in Bulgaria, is accustomed to fighting the tide. More than two years ago, she courageously spoke out to protect victims of sexual abuse and child exploitation in eastern Bulgaria. Her persistence led to the development of the Bulgarian Mobile Center Project, a collaborative effort with Our Rescue, delivering educational resources directly to children in remote neighborhoods.
Foundation of Hope, and the Bulgarian Mobile Center Project, are her ways of battling the normalization of violence in vulnerable communities. This work carries a heavy emotional weight of convincing others that children deserve better, to be treated as survivors instead of criminals.
“I feel like I’m standing alone in this battle. The lack of support from the system and the scarcity of resources make it difficult to reach out to those who need help the most. It’s disheartening when I identify a victim but have nowhere to turn for assistance. There are days when it feels like the world is against me, and I wonder if I’m making any difference at all,” said Livia.
Our Rescue is making sure Livia isn’t alone in the fight as a partner of Foundation of Hope, providing essential resources to creating the mobile unit and offering trauma-informed training. The difference she’s making is evident on the faces and within the spirits of the children she serves. She recalls a heartwarming moment for the Mobile Center, working with survivors of child labor. They collected firewood for a few cents per day and would take a break from work to visit the mobile center.
“For one hour each day, they would leave behind the weight of their responsibilities and simply be kids. They played, drew, and read, and were just happy and light as any child should be, “ said Livia. “When they smile, when they start to trust, and when they rediscover the joy of childhood, it’s like a ray of hope in a dark world.”
While Foundation for Hope supports children, the broader mission is preventing and protecting survivors of abuse and violence, including women. By providing psychosocial support and legal assistance, the foundation helps survivors take important steps toward healing.
All of this teaches Livia how to harness the power of resilience and perseverance. In the end, she says, it’s the children–and the smallest voices–who give her the courage to continue. “As we strive for a world where everybody can live without fear of violence, domination, discrimination, or oppression, remember that every small victory counts. Every voice raised, every barrier broken, and every step forward is a testament to your unbreakable spirit. It is important to know that you are not alone, we are fighting and resisting together and we don’t give up,” said Livia.
Help Our Rescue #AccelerateAction
We know this International Women’s Day, that every person, every action and interaction matters in this fight. No single organization or person can end trafficking alone. That’s why Our Rescue is committed to supporting the supporters—women-led organizations, frontline workers, and advocates making an impact around the world.
- Ann taught us that being the ‘first’ can bring lasting change to communities around the world.
- Charimaya demonstrates how survivors can become changemakers, providing refuge they once needed.
- Dream embodies her namesake spirit, showing us how to chase dreams as only a superhero can.
- Perpetual shows us to look past barriers and imagine the success stories waiting–by the tens and thousands.
- Livia reminds us that in this tireless work, women on the frontlines can feel alone, but the smallest acts bring big impact and fuel to keep fighting another day.
In the spirit of International Women’s Day, we join this movement. Our Rescue is committed to helping accelerate action toward global women’s rights, to forge a future where children, women and girls feel safe, valued, and free from exploitation.