Three exploiters jailed for life after survivor’s 13-year wait for justice

Three exploiters have all been sentenced to life in prison after trafficking a 13-year-old girl into domestic servitude.

The child was physically and mentally abused while being forced to work at a family home in India, before she escaped after three months.

The legal case had remained at a standstill for more than a decade until our team gave the survivor legal support and brought forward three witnesses whose testimonies were instrumental in the successful convictions.

The long wait for justice concluded after the survivor, now in her twenties, bravely testified against her traffickers at a tribunal. Alongside life behind bars, the traffickers have also been fined ৳500,000 (£3,610) each.

The girl was promised an artisanal job in a bordering area within Bangladesh in 2011. But she was tricked and taken to India to work for a family in order to pay off made-up debts.

All communication with her family was completely cut off, and her exploiters took strict measures to prevent her escape, such as locking the door behind them every time they went outside. 

After three months living as a slave, the girl managed to break out of the house and sought help from police.

She stayed in an India shelter home for two-and-a-half years before finally being brought home safely. 

Justice and Care became involved a few years ago after the prosecutor referred the case to our legal team. 

The survivor has since been married and now lives with her new family.