*Alias used to protect survivor identity.
In 2023, Our Rescue supported an operation in Spain to help law enforcement take down a criminal group that was suspected of forcing 24 women from four different countries into forced commercial sexual exploitation. Six days a week, the women worked morning and night and were moved across multiple locations on Mallorca, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. What is commonly known as a vacation paradise was a very different reality for the women who were being exploited there.
On the day of the rescue operation, eight human traffickers were arrested, and all 24 women were safely assisted out from the locations where they were being held. In the days, weeks, and months following this operation, Our Rescue continued working alongside a regional partner organizations to provide ongoing survivor care and support as the women began to rebuild their lives.
Recently, a survivor from Operation Mallorca, *Cynthia, reached out to Our Rescue and shared part of her story since that day in 2023.
“When I met Cynthia in the aftermath of Operation Mallorca, she asked about my work with survivors,” says Tyra, Our Rescue Director of Survivor Care in Europe, who worked directly with the survivors following Operation Mallorca. “As I explained what I do, she told me that one day she hopes to help others too. In that moment, I saw her strength and determination so clearly. Over the past three years, she has transformed her life, and it has been an honor to witness that journey.”
Today, we are honored to highlight Cynthia’s own words, with her permission:
My name is Cynthia. I came to Europe a few years ago with hopes and expectations for a better future. However, once I arrived, I found myself facing extremely difficult circumstances that I almost did not survive. I became a victim of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Still, even then, I never stopped believing in the possibility of a better life.
During an operation, I met an Our Rescue Survivor Care staff, who from the very first day we met, believed in me and encouraged me to keep moving forward, even during the moments when I felt like giving up.
Our Rescue has supported me over the past few years. They encouraged me not to give up and connected me with local organizations that also supported me along the way. Because of this support, I am now a legal resident in Europe.
I have a safe and dignified place to live, I am studying, and I have new goals and aspirations for my future. Most importantly, I have my daughter by my side.
This week, I began an Administrative Management course. My goal is to prove to myself—and to others—that our circumstances do not define us. What matters is our ability to move forward and build something new. Even in the darkest moments, there is always a little bit of light. Choosing to see that light and focus on it is a decision each person must make. I chose to do that, and through that decision—and because of the people God placed in my life—I have begun to see the future I dreamed of all those years ago. Being in this course has shown me that I am capable of achieving the things I set my mind to. I know that I will become an excellent professional and an inspiration to others.
The road has not been easy. There were many days of exhaustion and challenges that tested my strength. But today, I carry deep gratitude.
I am very thankful for the support Our Rescue has given me. Most recently, they helped me obtain something essential to continue my studies: the very computer I am using to write this message.
I hope many more people will support this organization, because it makes a meaningful difference in the lives of women like me.
Cynthia’s story is one of strength and courage. And thanks to donor support, she has not been alone on her healing journey. Your support helps us walk alongside survivors in the days, months, and years that follow a rescue.
Please donate today to help provide ongoing care for survivors around the world as they heal and rebuild their lives.
