Priya* and Anita,* both in their 20’s and living in Nepal, ventured to Dubai seeking foreign employment. Priya’s decision was driven by marital conflict, causing her to leave her young child behind with her husband’s family, while Anita pursued work to support her aging parents and secure her own future. They were both working at a supermarket in Dubai when approached by an individual offering a lucrative data entry job in Thailand via Telegram.
Priya and Anita accepted the offer but found themselves trapped in a Chinese criminal camp in Myanmar, where they were coerced into assuming false identities on social media platforms and engaging in online scams targeting individuals worldwide. A refusal to comply with instructions resulted in severe physical and mental abuse, including electric shocks.
After enduring three months of torment, Priya bravely sought help by sending evidence of their plight to a JVI Justice Hub partner in Nepal. An investigation revealed that the girls’ mobile phones and passports had been confiscated and that their captors had threatened them with forced prostitution if their scamming efforts did not result in meeting financial targets.
Their captors repeatedly resorted to violence, even killing others in front of Priya and Anita. Feeling utterly vulnerable and desperate, the girls had contemplated suicide.
Thankfully, swift action by the Justice Hub partner, in collaboration with the government and NGOs, facilitated their rescue and repatriation to Nepal.
Upon their return, Priya and Anita began their rehabilitation at a shelter home and were eventually reunited with their families, marking the end of a harrowing ordeal across numerous countries and the beginning of their journey toward healing and recovery.
*Name changed to protect identity
