Samantha was kidnapped from her home in South America when she was around three years old. She was trafficked into another part of the country and sold as a maid. She was sold for a variety of jobs at any time of day – her trafficker would even tell buyers that she was free at three in the morning. The trafficker also told buyers that Samantha could perform jobs such as cleaning their house, feeding their dog, and cooking their meals. The large selling point was that at the very end of the job, the buyers would have the opportunity to rape her.

This was her life for over four years.

How was she found?

One day, an older woman purchased Samantha’s services as a housemaid. She did not know Samantha’s age or situation beforehand. When Samantha was cleaning her house, this woman started noticing some things that were off. Samantha had bruises and wasn’t dressed very well. She began asking Samantha questions such as how old she was, where she was from, and if she was in school.

When Samantha said she was nine years old, she didn’t go to school, and she was from a different place, the woman immediately suspected trafficking. All of the signs pointed to exploitation and she wanted to do something about it.
The woman called the authorities and they were able to rescue Samantha out of her situation. We are incredibly grateful for this woman’s courage to recognize the signs of trafficking and speak up about it. Her courage led to Samantha’s freedom.

Where is she now?

Samantha is now safe in an aftercare home. In this specific home, O.U.R. had the opportunity to provide humanitarian support for the children, including school supplies for their upcoming school year, games for them to play during their time off, and even a suitcase for their staff to easily transport other supplies from place to place. This home will also have the opportunity to have business teach them business skills and how to create a sustainable living for them and for their families.

O.U.R. has the opportunity to support aftercare homes all over the world. We support the homes as a whole and all the children who live there. We are grateful that Samantha is safe and beginning her healing process in a good place where she can find hope.

*Samantha’s name was changed for her protection.

What can YOU Do?

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Learn how to recognize the signs of trafficking and how to report suspicious activity. Go to ourrescue.org/training to get started on our free “Signs of Trafficking Training Course” today!

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