Pregnant woman safe from trafficking after IJM government training

July 2024

Earlier this month, government officials in South Asia brought four people to safety from trafficking in a brick kiln, including a six-month pregnant woman.

The survivors had been forced to work at the brick kiln for over a year to repay a loan of 150,000 rupees (about £1,400).

Despite feeling weak and exhausted, the pregnant woman was forced to work and denied medical care and rest.

Together with her husband, the expectant mother bravely managed to escape and reached out to the local government for help.

An IJM-trained senior official immediately acted, directing his team to lead a surprise inspection at the brick kiln.

Thanks to his swift action, the government brought more survivors to safety and formally cancelled their false debts.

This operation highlights the direct impact of IJM’s training. The senior official leading the operation had only attended IJM’s training in February and has already identified and combatted trafficking.

One IJM staff member said, “The District Collector has done a fantastic job by acting immediately.”

The fact that the survivors reached out to the government for help also marks an important milestone. In earlier cases, perpetrators had manipulated survivors into believing that they would be sent to prison for not repaying their loans.

Thanks to awareness initiatives and consistent reporting of similar cases in the media, survivors now know that it is safe to reach out to their local government.

IJM will continue to support the government in providing psychological and legal support to the survivors.

*Stock image of actress used to depict survivor