Fourth conviction in UK sex trafficking case
Human Trafficking
January 2024
Antonia*, a young woman IJM supported to get justice and compensation after she was sexually exploited in the UK, has just achieved another milestone in her pursuit of justice.
A trafficker has just been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay 10,000 Euros in moral damages to Antonia. This means that, since 2020, four leading members of an organised crime group have been convicted for exploiting Antonia.
“This last defendant and his family tried many times to intimidate Antonia, who stood courageous. This is an incredible result.” - Shawn Kohl, Director of IJM’s European Anti-Trafficking Programme
It’s hard to imagine what this conviction means to Antonia. This is the man who tricked her into leaving her home in Romania when she was just 19 years old, under the false pretence of a factory job in the UK.
The trafficker even put Antonia in contact with a Romanian woman who supposedly worked in the factory, making the offer appear legitimate.
His lies enabled three traffickers to forcibly take Antonia on arrival in the UK and sexually exploit her. Multiple men paid to abuse her every single day for eight months. Antonia had a baby as a result of the exploitation.
This trafficker thought he could get away with it. He was wrong.
Nothing can make up for the horror that Antonia experienced. But now she can rest in the knowledge that all four traffickers are being held to account and they can’t harm more women.
Today, Antonia is a mother to three children. IJM will continue to support her as she recovers and pursues her dreams for the future.