Human trafficking victims are potentially in the most vulnerable position of their lives. If they fight for their lives and confide in officials for help, they are putting their lives at risk and the lives of their loved ones at risk. Some people work through this fear and decide that their priority is to prosecute those who have taken advantage of them.
One person who actively fought through this fear is an unidentified Nigerian woman who was trafficked to Spain, the second largest female trafficking hub in the world, exploiting women into prostitution. This woman, while undergoing deportation procedures upon her European arrival, reported the threat of the human traffickers to the Red Cross. She was instructed to report to officials the threat of having to pay a “debt” through prostitution. [1]
This brave woman, in a foreign country and undoubtedly afraid, saved her own life and the lives of possible future victims, as the human trafficking ring that threatened to exploit her was detained. On top of this victory, she was granted asylum in Spain. Officials claim that this Nigerian victim is the first to ever be granted asylum in Spain due to human trafficking. [1]
After being raped, being forced out of her country, and being threatened to be sexually exploited further, she is safe. This is a rare human trafficking case where the innocent get what they deserve and the guilty get what they deserve. This is a powerful message for those who will unfortunately undergo this torture in the future. It will never be easy, and the circumstances may not make freedom as possible as it was in this scenario, but everyone has a voice and, sometimes, this powerful tool can bear justification.
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