The internet has revolutionized the way we connect, but it has also created a hidden danger for our children. Online childhood exploitation is a growing crisis that has evolved from traditional forms of exploitation, now thriving in the digital world.

With the internet's vast reach and anonymity, offenders can easily target and groom vulnerable minors, making online exploitation a very real and present threat. This is not just a possibility; it's a harsh reality that demands our attention.

Watch Part 2 of Jordan's story, a victim of online exploitation, and learn how this crisis can affect anyone. At A21, we're dedicated to preventing these crimes from happening in the first place. That's why we offer free resources on online safety, digital recruitment red flags, and more.

Join us in the fight against online childhood exploitation. Together, we can create a safer digital world for our children.

(If you missed part 1 of Jordan's story, you can watch it here.)

According to the police, these women were primarily from Latin America and were trafficked into Greece with promises of well-paying jobs and great working conditions. When it became evident that they had been tricked, they were threatened, demeaned, and forced into exploitation. These women worked long hours, even when unwell, for little to no pay, generating an estimated profit of €160,000 a month for their traffickers.

The A21 Hotline in Greece contributed significantly to the police's investigation by providing intel to the anti-trafficking police department about one of the main locations where the trafficking occurred. Over four months, we received several calls from a concerned citizen, enabling our team to submit multiple police reports with extensive information about the victims and trafficking circumstances. After months of ongoing investigation, the Hellenic Police coordinated a joint operation with Interpol, the National Police Force of Spain, and the U.S. Homeland Security Service via the U.S. Embassy in Athens. In total, 22 people were arrested and will face numerous criminal charges.

Our A21 Team has been involved since the recovery of these women by providing tailored Aftercare services. The support provided to these survivors has varied depending on their individual needs and desires. We have provided for their basic needs, sourced emergency housing, supplied legal support, and will continue to provide long-term legal representation in court for those who need it. In addition, with the support of other NGOs in various countries, these survivors have been repatriated back home and are receiving ongoing support.

After this successful operation, our A21 team in Greece was invited by the Minister of Civil Protection to a meeting with The General Chief of Police and other high-ranking police officers to discuss further collaboration. Within this meeting, we had the opportunity to share the full storyline of the case and how we got involved in supporting the pVoTs. All who were present highlighted the significance of our involvement in this operation, and the Minister of Civil Protection announced he would fully support our future initiatives to increase awareness across the nation.

Today we’re celebrating the freedom of 51 brave survivors! Because of you, freedom is possible. And together, we will end slavery everywhere, forever.

Donate today to help us expand our efforts and increase the rate at which we can reach the vulnerable, recover victims, and restore survivors.

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*Paul's Story

Paul dreamt of coming to America from the time he was a child. He grew up surrounded by gang violence and lived in fear for his and his family’s safety.

One day, a man visited Paul’s town and asked if he was interested in traveling to America. Paul felt like this was the opportunity he’d been waiting for—a chance to fulfill his dreams of creating a better life for him and his family. He decided to use his life savings and paid the man to take him to America.

But once they arrived, he was brought to a couple he knew nothing about. The man told him that in order to stay in America, Paul needed to work for this couple’s farm and restaurant. Paul agreed, but once he decided to stay, they stripped him of his identification and documents. He slept on a mattress in a shed on the farm, with no heat and little food. Even though he worked 16 hours a day, he never received any money for his work. He was told his money was going toward his lodging, necessities, a debt he owed, and his family back home. But the more Paul asked questions about his money, the more the couple threatened to call the police.

One day, Paul was working at the restaurant when he started a conversation with a customer in his native language. The customer did not feel right about the story Paul was telling, so he reported the incident to law enforcement. Eventually, law enforcement conducted an operation at the restaurant and was able to assist Paul to safety.

Afterwards, Paul was put in contact with A21. Our team was able to coordinate legal services and provide the support Paul needed to find stable employment and create a safe home so his family could come live with him.

*Survivor name and photo changed for their protection

   

*Sreyling's  Story

Born in a rural part of her home country, Sreyling dropped out of primary school at a young age to help her family on their small rice farm. As she grew into her pre-teens, there were increasing pressures put on her to help contribute financially to the family. She searched for work, from the village all the way to the nearest city. Finally, someone told her that if she needed money, she could go work abroad and they even offered to introduce her to someone they knew who could connect her to a good job. She agreed and met the employer, who promised her an income of thousands of dollars a month with free accommodation and the ability to travel home on holidays. All she would have to do is clean people’s houses. Sreyling was so excited about the job, she couldn’t wait to tell her family the good news. Her family was quick to agree that she should go.

She had no passport and no money but the employer told her they would take care of everything for her. When she arrived in the destination country, Sreyling could not understand the language being spoken. She was met by a man who took her to a house on the other side of the city and told her that she must do whatever she was told. Sreyling had been exploited and was sold to a family for domestic servitude. She was forced to work all day, and was severely beaten by the owner of the house. At night, she was sexually exploited, and unable to leave the room. She had limited access to food or water and was not allowed to use a phone. She tried to escape, but after seeking someone’s help, she was brought back to the house, where she was beaten for attempting to flee.

The abuse went on for many years until one day someone noticed something wasn’t right and reported the suspicious behavior to the local police. When the police arrived at the house they asked for Sreyling’s legal documents, when she was unable to provide them she was brought in for questioning. The police soon identified her as a victim of human trafficking and contacted A21 for support. A21 immediately got involved and began working towards her repatriation back into her home country, helping to reunite with her family after so many years away. A21 was able to provide Sreyling with immediate medical and psychological support and assist in her reintegration back into society.

The trauma she had experienced took its toll on her and she suffered frequent nightmares and battled anxiety, but her counselor was dedicated to helping her develop emotional resilience and positive coping mechanisms to help overcome her trauma. A21 sponsored her to enroll in a vocational training program, where she could develop her skills and achieve her dream of one day opening her own hair salon. She is now living a life of independence and working towards her goals. She no longer suffers from nightmares or anxiety and has made remarkable progress over the last year in our aftercare program.

*Survivor name and photo changed for their protection

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A Teen Arrest Led to Freedom

November 2022 Recovery: Identifying minors caught in trafficking is a top priority.

Despite many attempts, Ta* struggled to escape exploitation for several years. She was trafficked as a teen through a false job opportunity abroad and forced into domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. She became pregnant and experienced severe abuse while caught in trafficking.

Until one day, Ta was arrested for not having a passport. She was identified as a victim of human trafficking and repatriated back to Cambodia. Government authorities referred Ta to A21, where our team supported her reintegration into society.

Ta was reunited with her family and developed a plan for her future. While in our Aftercare program, Ta received immediate medical, psychological, and social support to recover from her trauma.

Ta met with an A21 social worker regularly to map out her goals of becoming a businesswoman to support her family. Our team helped Ta develop a business plan, including life skills training and identifying needs within her community.

Ta successfully established a grocery store in her village, and within the first three months of operations, she earned enough revenue to expand while supporting her family. Ta was excited to enroll her younger siblings in school for the first time and become financially independent.

 

New Child-Focused Freedom Center in Cambodia

November 2022 Restore: Aftercare programs specifically for youth survivors are essential.

The launch of our newest Freedom Center in Cambodia is the first of its kind to support child victims of human trafficking. We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve children and minors specifically through our proven Freedom Center model, focusing on each survivor’s needs and desires. 

In 2022, we’ve already served 24 child survivors through the Freedom Center in Cambodia, where our team of specialists comprises the best counselors and psychologists in the area. Although this Freedom Center replicates our other locations in design and aesthetics, it focuses on child-friendly aftercare. 

Most young victims attending the Freedom Center in Cambodia are exiting sexual exploitation or forced labor. While we’ve been providing aftercare to young people for years at the Child Advocacy Center in Cambodia, we now have a space specifically designed to support the restoration and reintegration process for child survivors of human trafficking. 

One young survivor enjoyed being at the Freedom Center so much that she asked her grandad to go every day. And that’s our goal—to create a place of healing, belonging, and joy for young survivors as they reclaim their childhood and embrace the freedom they deserve.

Give to restore more young survivors in Cambodia.

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When the war started in Ukraine, Uliana* fled in fear of her life.

She was a survivor of human trafficking who traveled by train for over a week, spending nights in train stations until she arrived at a refugee camp near the border.

Her journey continued throughout Europe, where she met many refugees in a similar situation. Each person was facing new challenges, and Uliana could feel the heaviness that surrounded her. She courageously moved forward to solve one problem at a time until she found safety.

With the help of volunteers, Uliana received official documents for a temporary residence in a European country and a job to afford her basic needs. Our Aftercare Team is proud of Uliana and her resilience in moving forward amidst ongoing challenges.

In the acknowledgement of World Refugee Day, and after watching the crisis in Ukraine unfold over the last few months, our hearts break for the millions of people who have been displaced. Refugees are some of the most vulnerable to human trafficking, and the situation in Ukraine has only increased the risk of exploitation worldwide.

Traffickers strike in moments of crisis, and that’s why our team in Ukraine (many of which are also refugees) is working relentlessly to get awareness and prevention materials into the hands of vulnerable people.

The need is immense, and there’s something all of us can do to help.

Check out what our team is doing to reach refugees and support Ukrainian survivors of human trafficking both in and out of the country by watching this update from Country Manager Julia S.

 

Your support is helping survivors like Uliana receive ongoing aftercare support and reach refugees with potentially life-saving information.

Give now before it’s too late, and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

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Our educational resources are designed to keep you and your family safe.
Check them out here →

 
Online childhood exploitation is a subset of childhood exploitation that has always existed in the physical world. The advent of the internet 25 years ago opened a doorway for offenders to interact with one another and children in ways they could not before—increasing accessibility and, therefore, exploitation.

If a minor is online, they become more vulnerable to individuals who can exploit them. The following story is based on actual events.

Our goal is to prevent this type of recruitment and exploitation from happening in the first place, so we’ve created several free resources that cover topics like online safety and how to look for red flags of digital recruitment.