{"id":505,"date":"2018-12-14T22:55:18","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T22:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.couleedevserver.com\/exodus\/until-she-is-free-part-3-the-social-worker\/"},"modified":"2021-05-08T03:11:28","modified_gmt":"2021-05-08T03:11:28","slug":"until-she-is-free-part-3-the-social-worker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.couleedevserver.com\/exodus\/until-she-is-free-part-3-the-social-worker\/","title":{"rendered":"Until She Is Free (Part 3: The Social Worker)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Waiting is always the hardest part.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve supported rescue operations at least a dozen times before, but that doesn\u2019t ease the tension or calm my heart that\u2019s racing inside my chest. Every case is different. Each time, there\u2019s risk of a tip-off or some other serious complication that could compromise the entire operation. So while the chance to help a young trafficking victim embrace her freedom and potential keeps me motivated, I know there\u2019s always the chance she\u2019ll disappear. Still, I\u2019m hopeful and prepared to do everything I can to help her.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sitting in the back of an unmarked police vehicle with Officer Anuman\u2014my assigned police liaison. He\u2019ll give me updates as the operation unfolds.\u00a0If it\u2019s successful, he\u2019ll let me know when I can go in and support the victim\u2014talk to her, let her know she\u2019s safe, assure her she\u2019s not in any trouble, and explain that all this is happening so that she can be free.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If it\u2019s not successful, well, he\u2019ll let me know that, too.<\/p>\n

As Time Stands Still<\/h2>\n

I glance at the clock on the dashboard, but the numbers don\u2019t seem to be changing.<\/p>\n

11:23pm.<\/em><\/p>\n

The silence in the car is broken by occasional police chatter over the radio. I close my eyes and attempt to catch an update, any update. But nothing significant has been reported yet.<\/p>\n

I catch myself mindlessly adjusting the shawl around my neck, so I force my hands to be still. To avoid further fidgeting, I lean back in my seat and flip through my notes again.<\/p>\n

They outline the findings of DELTA team: their investigations, leads, and interviews. They also contain essential facts about the victim we\u2019re here to rescue. Her name is Nadia; she is 16 years old and being sold for sex at a small brothel. Despite our efforts, we know very little about the actual life of this young girl. But I know it would be impossible to adequately capture any life within the pages I hold nervously in my hands.<\/p>\n

As I focus on the available details, I mentally fill in the rest based on my experience. While every story is different, certain scenarios have common themes. Growing up, I frequently saw cases of what I now know to be sex trafficking. I would be playing with a friend in the village one day, and she\u2019d be gone the next. Eventually, it became so common that I just stopped asking questions.<\/p>\n

If I had known back then what I know now, I would have done something. I wish I could have done something. But I can<\/em> do something now.<\/p>\n

Back to waiting.<\/em><\/p>\n

Once the investigators have done their job and the police have made arrests, it will be my turn to step into the process. I\u2019m hoping that tonight\u2019s operation is moving forward as planned.<\/p>\n

Ready As I\u2019ll Ever Be<\/h2>\n

I sit idly for what seems like an hour, and then I hear a muffled voice come over the radio: \u201cThe payment has been made.\u201d<\/p>\n

Officer Anuman and I meet eyes for a moment; a silent understanding passes between us. I nod, and he turns the key in the ignition. The roar of the engine fills me with adrenaline.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time.<\/em><\/p>\n

We drive around the block and wait for the \u201call clear\u201d\u2014confirmation that the situation is mostly under control and we can go inside and meet Nadia. We pull up in front of the brothel. I take a deep breath and adjust my shawl one last time before stepping out of the car, leaving my notes behind.<\/p>\n

No Turning Back<\/h2>\n

I attempt to clear my mind as I step through the brightly colored door and make my way down the long, narrow bar. I take notice of the now-stilled chaos\u2014spilled drinks, debris, and cash littered across the floor. I pass it all by as if walking through frozen time.<\/p>\n

A noise rises over the steady bass of the bar\u2019s music\u2014the sobs of women. My heart breaks for them. I wish I had the capacity to comfort each and everyone, but I’m on a mission to find young Nadia.<\/p>\n

To my right, two western men pass me by, shooting me a brief glance of acknowledgment\u2014our investigators.<\/h2>\n

\"20180207-_DSC1217\"<\/h2>\n

I See Her<\/h2>\n

She’s sitting near the back of the brothel, in the last booth on the right.\u00a0Her eyes are wide and darting about the room as if searching for an escape. An officer has a hand on her arm to keep her from running. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s so common for survivors to run from the very people who are trying to rescue them. Most have been told to fear the police\u2014that they aren\u2019t good people.<\/span><\/p>\n

As I draw nearer, a change falls over Nadia. She seems to calm down a little; her face goes stoic. The officer takes my arrival as a cue to leave and slides out from the booth to leave us alone.<\/p>\n

Building Trust<\/h2>\n

As the police finish clearing out the brothel, the noise around us fades. It’s now just the two of us\u2014Nadia and me. This girl is no longer just a name and narrow description on a piece of paper, but a meek, terrified teenager sitting in the midst of chaos.<\/p>\n

I sit down beside her and smile. Slowly, gently, I let her know that I\u2019m not here to hurt her. \u201cHello,\u201d I say in the native language. Nadia\u2019s eyes lock on mine.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Alma and I\u2019m here to help you. Can you tell me your name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNadia,\u201d she says timidly. Her eyes seem to look straight through me, desperately trying to navigate the situation and understand what\u2019s going to happen to her next.<\/p>\n

I try to tell to her that this is a rescue operation and that I\u2019m here to take her away from this place forever.\u00a0As I attempt to explain everything in a way she will understand, I assess her current condition. I noticed bruises on her face. They\u2019re faint, and while her makeup covers the color, the swelling under her smudged blue eyeshadow tells me it hasn\u2019t been long since she was assaulted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She listens intently as I speak and occasionally sips on the drink in front of her, which I imagine must be warm by now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gathering Details<\/h2>\n

In an attempt to gather more of her story before we see the police, I begin to ask her some questions. This helps me confirm the information in my report. I ask her questions like, \u201cWhat was your home like? How long have you been here? Where is your family? How did you get here?\u201d<\/p>\n

I learn that she and her twin brother were trying desperately to help their mother earn enough money to sustain life on their family farm. When her father died after getting sick, the debt collectors came more often. Nadia eagerly accepted the offer of a high-paying nanny job in the city.<\/p>\n

She was promised free room and board in exchange for her work, as well as a monthly payment she intended to send back home. In the end, she only received a small percentage of her earnings; after her traffickers deducted the charges for her food and rent, she was left with nothing.<\/p>\n

Her family never saw a penny.<\/p>\n

A Familiar Story<\/h2>\n

As Nadia continues trying to speak to me in a language she barely knows, I feel a weight growing inside my chest. These are things no one should have to go through. Traffickers preyed on her desire to provide for her family\u2014using it as bait to lure her into this nightmare.<\/p>\n

For just short of two months, Nadia was forced to service anywhere from 8\u201312 customers a day, raped for a mere $30 every time.<\/p>\n

No longer.<\/h2>\n

\"20180207-_DSC1060-1\"<\/h2>\n

Time To Go<\/h2>\n

We both stand up. I take her hand and tell her to stay close as I lead her toward the exit.<\/p>\n

As we make our way to the front door, I notice Nadia is shivering, in spite of the summer heat. It causes me to take stock of her for a moment. She is clothed in a short red dress that\u2019s plainly intended to objectify her and age her beyond her years. I notice she\u2019s also barefoot, her shoes abandoned somewhere along the way. I remove the shawl from my shoulders and place it around hers. As I wrap it around her petite frame, her image transforms back to that of a child.<\/p>\n

I wonder what she\u2019s thinking, but I refrain from asking. As I reach for the door, she looks at me, as if to ask for reassurance that everything is going to be okay. \u201cI\u2019m right here with you,\u201d I say warmly. I feel she believes me because she smiles in response, ever so slightly, and follows me outside.<\/p>\n

As we walk toward the flashing police car that\u2019s waiting for us, neither one of us is tempted to look back. I pray silently that she will never have to set eyes on this place again.<\/p>\n

She slips into the vehicle, and I slide in beside her and take her hand. I meant what I said\u2014I will remain by her side, and we will embark on this new journey together.<\/p>\n

I want to be like a mom to her. I want her to feel safe. I want to give her comfort and courage.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Alma means \u201ccaring\u201d and\u00a0Anuman means \u201cpatience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

This is the third of four parts in the series entitled, \u201cUntil She Is Free.\u201d The narrative was inspired by interviews with TER investigators, TER social workers, and stories of human trafficking survivors The Exodus Road works to help. Creative liberties were taken.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Social workers are among the first contacts survivors meet on their paths to freedom. They provide much-needed support, guidance, comfort, and care. We are so grateful to our social workers who work day and night, caring for men, women, and children when they need them most.\u00a0We are dedicated to employing and supporting national social workers in all of our countries of operation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Donor<\/a>\u201d\u00a0is the fourth and final installment of the series.\u00a0If you missed part one, you can read it here: \u201cThe Investigator<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0Catch part two here: \u201cThe Survivor<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

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