human trafficking - The African Mirror

Dec

2020

Invisible crimes like human trafficking rise during COVID-19

VILIANT RICHEY WHEN the violence she was suffering at home escalated during the lockdown, Maria (not her real name) decided to make the gut-wrenching decision to leave. But instead of finding freedom, she ended up in the hands of traffickers, isolated and with no documents, in a factory of a foreign country. This case, recently reported to my team by a Ukrainian NGO, is but one example of the hidden consequences that COVID-19 has had on human trafficking. Since the outbreak of the pandemic and the worldwide onset of lockdown measures, numerous countries reported a sharp decline in ‘traditional' crimes…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

More children wed, risk trafficking in Rohingya camps in pandemic – U.N.

WORLD

NAIMUL KARIM CHILD marriage is on the rise in Bangladesh's Rohingya refugee camps and the risk of human trafficking grows with every day the pandemic shuts youth services, according to a U.N.-led study that was released on Thursday. Bangladesh scaled back activities in the refugee camps in April and mainly focused on providing health and emergency food to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. It also restricted the movement of aid workers and refugees. The move closed many children's services and made it harder for them to get support, said the Child Protection sub-sector, which works with the United…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Kenya woman’s ordeal highlights newly identified sex trafficking route

HUMAN RIGHTS

AYENAT MERSIE J's cousin promised her a well-paid job in India as a housekeeper. Instead, she found herself in a brothel until the United Nations brought her home to Kenya when it was alerted to the human trafficking route. "When I heard there were job vacancies in India, I was so happy," said J, asking that only her initial be used to protect her privacy. When she got there, her passport was confiscated and she was forced into sex work to pay off $9,000 her traffickers, fellow East Africans, told her she owed them for her travel and lodging, she…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Family, Mexican lawmakers call for trafficking probe of megachurch

RELIGION

CHRISTINE MURRAY THE Mexican government came under criticism from opposition lawmakers and a victim's family who said officials have not responded to their complaints of human trafficking against the Light of the World megachurch. The leader of the church is being held in U.S. custody on rape, human trafficking and child pornography charges, but a report filed with Mexican authorities in July 2019 has not progressed, they said. Sochil Martin, who complained to Mexican prosecutors and earlier this year filed a U.S. civil suit, has claimed she was abused for 22 years as she grew up in the church. She…