Breaking news: The BDS Lesotho team intercepted a female traveling to meet an online boyfriend before exploitation could occur!
Beautiful Dream Society provides transit monitoring services as part of our commitment to prevent and combat human trafficking in Lesotho. We watch for warning signs of a potential trafficking situation and take appropriate actions for suspicious circumstances.
A promise that sounded too good to be true
Because of transit monitoring, we saved a young female from a life of sex trafficking, forced labor, or any number of devastating consequences. We intercepted the woman on her way to Johannesburg. She was traveling to meet her “boyfriend,” but she had never actually met the man before. They had been chatting online on WhatsApp for the last two months, and this was their first encounter.
After a brief interview, it was evident that she did not know many details about her alleged boyfriend, including his occupation, home address, and previous romantic relationships. She mentioned he had facilitated her travel expenses, sending her R15,000.00 (950 USD) to cover her transportation costs. Our staff found this suspicious because it only costs about R300.00 (19 USD) to travel to Johannesburg. Furthermore, the man suggested that the money he had given her was just the start of much more lucrative opportunities.
The woman’s family was unaware of her trip and only found out about it when our office contacted them. When our team called the alleged boyfriend, he mentioned that he was a white man in his early fifties. He was reluctant to shed light on what he did for a living and said he could not come to Lesotho to meet her because he was “always busy.”
Our team spent considerable time counseling the female about human trafficking, warning her about the potential dangers of dating sites and the predators that hide behind the promise of love. We explained the red flags in her situation and then told her we believed the relationship was too good to be true. After talking with her, we took her to the immigration office for further assistance and repatriation.
Why Lesotho women often fall prey to human trafficking
Scams like this are far too common in Lesotho, which is why we’re so passionate about transit monitoring. These women are naïve, under-educated, and looking for ways to support themselves and their families. Any income opportunity is promising for them, even if it’s too good to be true. Our experts help educate these women about risks and dangers, giving them the tools to avoid trafficking altogether.
Learn more about what our work in Lethoso looks like.
