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 theWorld Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed on 30 July, follow the journey of a woman who escaped.

On day six of the59th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC)in Geneva, the Council heard urgent updates on rising internal displacement driven by organised crime, escalating genocide risks and the trafficking of women in the domestic work sector.

Southeast Asian nations should do more to protect people from being reeled into scam farms, top independent human rights experts said on Wednesday.

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 didnt 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 couldnt escape.

Forced into labour and sexual exploitation, she lived in fear, rarely seeing sunlight, with her freedom stripped away.

IOM/Gema CortsMaria has found stability and strength, determined to turn her story into one of resilience and healing.

Held captive for months

After eight months in captivity, Maria managed to escape. It wasnt 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 hasnt 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. Its 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.

IOM/Gema CortsMaria draws strength from her two young children, now aged one and five, as she rebuilds her life.

Combatting human trafficking

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.

United NationsSDG 8

• Take immediate measures to eradicate forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking
• Protect labour rights, and promote safe, secure environments for all workers
• Sustain per capita economic growth and at least seven per cent gross domestic product growth per annum inleast developed countries
• Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technology and innovation
• Improve global resource efficiency in consumption and production
• Decouple economic growth with environmental degradation

Global unemployment is expected to fall below pre-pandemic levels, although not in low-income countries

Maria is one of many women across the region who have been lured by false promises and found themselves in situations of exploitation.

She knows theres a long road ahead, but she refuses to be defined by her past.

I want other women to know they are not alone. There is life after this, there is strength.

Her story sheds light on the wider human trafficking crisis, where women and girls are disproportionately affected. According to the2024 UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, 52 per cent of victims in Central America and the Caribbean are girls under the age of 18, and 62 per cent are trafficked for sexual exploitation.

Behind every statistic is a human being, a daughter, a sister, a mother, trying to survive and recover.

But, numbers cannot capture the courage it takes to begin again.

I am living proof that you can rebuild your life, Maria says, her voice steady now. It takes time, but its possible.

IOM/Gema CortsMaria has found stability and strength, determined to turn her story into one of resilience and healing.IOM/Gema CortsMaria draws strength from her two young children, now aged one and five, as she rebuilds her life.United NationsSDG 8