Traffiking true life story

Carol, from Zimbabwe to South Africa, Mozambique,
Zambia and finally Tanzania

In September 2006 Carol, a Zimbabwean girl aged 18, escaped from captivity of traffickers whilst in Tanzania. Carol was trafficked from Zimbabwe two years earlier when she was 16. Carol was orphaned and staying with her grandparents when this happened. One day on her way to school she was approached by two men who offered her a job. Carol was enticed by the job prospect as this would give her the opportunity to help out her grandparents, support her siblings and other relations. Carol left with the men and they took to a place where they raped her and then they transported her out of Zimbabwe to South Africa. She was drugged and placed in a coffin and crossed the Zimbabwean border. When she was in South Africa she was forced into prostitution. She was not allowed to go anywhere and was under lock and key.

She stayed in South Africa for several months before being taken to Mozambique where the abuse continued. Then she was trafficked through Zambia to Tanzania where she managed to escape. At an open market her captor left her for a few minutes to order food. Carol took the opportunity and ran off. She asked help from a woman who then took her to the Zimbabwean Embassy in Tanzania. The Embassy transported her back home and she was handed over to the police under the care of the International Organisation for Migration who offered her care under their victim support program. From medical tests carried out it was discovered that Carol had contracted HIV. The other difficulty Carol has to face is her family failing to accept her as they believe she will have a bad influence over the other children. Carol is currently staying at a centre and is receiving care.

This kind of story is hideously common. At least 2 million men, women and children are traffiked a year. This is a conservative estimate.It is time to Stop the Traffik. Visit stopthetraffik.org to find out what you can do.