The promise seemed simple: a job, a fresh start, a way out. Instead, Maria stepped off a boat onto a picture-perfect Trinidadian beach with hope in her heart and into a nightmare that would shadow her for years. On the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed on 30 July, follow the journey of a woman who escaped. Eight years ago, Maria left Caracas, Venezuela, driven by dwindling opportunities and the hope of completing her veterinary studies. At just 21, she accepted an offer from an acquaintance who promised work in Trinidad and Tobago, cleaning homes, waiting tables.
It seemed like a lifeline, a way to support herself and her family back home. She didn’t know then that she was stepping into a well-laid trap. “I believed in the promise of a better future,” Maria recalled, “but found myself trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t escape.” Forced into labour and sexual exploitation, she lived in fear, rarely seeing sunlight, with her freedom stripped away.
After eight months in captivity, Maria managed to escape. It wasn’t the end of her struggles, but the start of a slow, determined journey toward healing. Now 29, she lives in Trinidad and Tobago with her partner and their two young children, aged one and five. Though her days are now filled with school runs and shared meals, the trauma still lingers. She smiles when she speaks of them, but her voice carries the weight of everything she has survived. “It hasn’t been easy,” she said, her voice shaking. “But, I am building a new life, step by step.”
Back in Venezuela, her family knows nothing of what she endured. Shame and fear have kept her silent. It’s been seven years since she last saw her parents and siblings. Although she misses them deeply, the weight of what happened still feels too heavy to put into words. Maria draws strength from her two young children, now aged one and five, as she rebuilds her life. Like many survivors of human trafficking, Maria has had to rebuild more than just her physical safety. The emotional wounds run deep, and the stigma surrounding trafficking makes recovery even harder.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been by her side, offering psychosocial support, helping her find safe housing and providing the tools to rebuild her life. “We work tirelessly to combat human trafficking,” says Desery Jordan-Whiskey, reporting project assistant in Trinidad and Tobago. “Our commitment is to provide critical assistance to survivors while advocating for stronger policies to prevent exploitation and ensure justice.”
Source: The UN
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