Most people yearn for a better life and the opportunity to work towards it. This was the case of one such girl in Lesotho, who we’ll call Cassie. Cassie had been abandoned by her mother and neglected by her father, and she wanted a way to provide for herself and her younger brother.
Cassie sought an honest living and connected with neighbors and acquaintances to find one until she heard the story of another woman in the village. The woman had been poor and dropped out of school but had a sponsor who cared for her. This was all a ruse, however, designed to get Cassie to fall into the dark world created by a trafficker.
Taking advantage
Cassie was desperate to earn a living and wanted to learn more about this seemingly golden opportunity. The recruiter shared that this sponsorship came at the cost of naked photos. Cassie, determined to support her family, agreed.
Cassie was told that her sponsor was coming from South Africa just to meet her and discuss her scholarship. She went to a local guest house where the benefactor was supposed to meet her. But when he arrived, Cassie and the recruiter were forced to sleep with him all night and then were transported home in the morning.
Keeping secrets
Cassie was told to keep the events of that night quiet. A week later, the recruiter told Cassie the sponsor had found a fully paid scholarship in South Africa for her and another friend. She was elated and found a friend who wanted to participate. They were excited and chose to leave without telling their families.
They were smuggled into South Africa through an illegal border, and to Cassie’s surprise, the same perpetrator from the previous time was there again. This time, he demanded to sleep with the girls and coerced them into taking nude photos.
Going home
In the morning, their smuggler came to the door, irate that the girls had gotten him in trouble with the police. Apparently, they had been reported missing, and the trail led back to him. He was ordered to bring them home.
When they returned, the girls were referred to the Beautiful Dream Society shelter, where they received food, clothing, shelter, educational support, and medical care. They needed to heal from this experience.
But truthfully, without additional education and resources, these girls are still vulnerable to traffickers. Cassie must further her academic studies, but her family lacks the resources to send her. She also needs legal support, as her case is still ongoing.
Beautiful Dream Society is committed to providing the things Cassie needs to become a thriving member of society that can support herself and her family. But we need your help.
Education, food, clothes, medical care, and shelter are basic human needs that must be met before a person can begin to heal. Can we count on your financial support to ensure victims of human trafficking and sexual slavery can heal and support themselves?
