Brief summary of presentation of information made

This discussion table consisted of trafficking survivors. The focus of this session was to let the voices of survivors be heard to fuel the fire in the fight against human trafficking. Topics of outreach, intervention, prevention, survivor-care, and policy lead were discussed in a means to achieving abolition.

Karla De La Cuest, FUNDACIÓN alas ABIERTAS. PRESIDENTA

• A survivor and activist who was brought out of trafficking by Interpool. She now accompanies victims and survivors in their walk towards restoration. She also accompanies parents looking for their missing children and works with institutions on policy making.
• As a young adult woman, she was given a once in a lifetime opportunity to study at an amazing artistic organisation. This invitation to a better life turned into a scam where she was coerced into human trafficking and forced labour. There she experienced sexual, physical, and mental violence.
• When she was able to put a name to the violence she suffered, she began advocating for women in her same position. She aims to support women in their recovery process, and show them they are not alone even when the system says otherwise.

Alika Kinan, CEO, Programa de Estudios, Formación e Investigación Universidad Nacional San Martin-Directora

• Survivors put aside their tears and pain and share their stories from a place of dignity to change humanity.
• Most survivors go on to train themselves in public policy by studying, writing books, creating movies, and involving themselves with universities. “We never want to be seen as victims, but rather as survivors helping other future survivors”
• Survivors want to be included in governmental affairs. Real stories from real people can impact laws and regulations. It is time to improve criminal policies against sexual exploitation.
• Survivors have a right to health, humanity, pleasure, and human dignity. That has all been stripped away. Women can save other women, and survivors can save current victims.

Claudia Yurley Quintero Rolon, Corporacion Anne Frank, Directora

• As a young poor Black and Hispanic single mom, she left her home to work in Bogata, Columbia. She became a victim of sexual exploitation by needing to feed her children. The war conflict in Columbia led her to not being protected by the government, therefore left her vulnerable to exploitation.
• The side effects of a survivor are similar to that of a war veteran. She suffers from HPV and has had cysts removed from her uterus.
• ‘Powerful people create wars, and the women of the country suffer the consequences.’ Women need education so that they can support the construction of safer public policies on violence against women.

Christine Rangel, United Justice Justicia Unida, Founder and Direct

• Was sexually trafficked in 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a young mum at 19 years of age, she was seen as vulnerable prey to traffickers. Her partner of five months revealed to her that he was a pimp and forced her into prostitution in the casinos. Her trafficker also forced her to buy things with stolen credit cards, meaning she was labour trafficked and coerced into committing felonies on her trafficker’s behalf.
• She was eventually arrested and taken to trial; however, she was too afraid for her own life to tell the truth about her situation. She served 8 years in prison because “it was the safest place for me.” After her release from prison, she sought therapy on her own, where she was eventually comfortable enough to tell the truth about her story.
• She says, the biggest thing we can do for this work of anti-trafficking, is to believe in survivors before they believe in themselves.
• The economic crisis in Venezuela has caused one of the biggest sex trafficking incidents in the world. Venezuelan victims are being found as far as Europe and Africa.
• United Justice believe in the power of prevention, not just as a structure, but also providing the basic needs that the lack of make women and children vulnerable to traffickers.

What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?

The issue of human trafficking in Venezuela is not a new issue, however the survivors expressed multiple times the importance of giving women educations and employment opportunities. The Salvation Army, through the anti-trafficking programmes, has the opportunity to explore how women can be given more economic stability and protection?

Web links for more information

United Justice - Justicia Unida | Facebook

Rescue:Freedom International

Escuela Abolicionista Internacional (geoviolenciasexual.com)

Inicio | Anne Frank (corporacionannefrank.com)

Tags: SDG5: Gender Equality