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Kinyarwanda
Rwandan girl rescued after two months of sex slavery in Uganda
A nineteen year Rwandan girl has been saved from the clutches of sex slavery and exploitation, in which she had been sold by a close family friend.
The young girl returned home last week, with the help of Rwanda and Uganda Police forces, and the Rwandan High Commission in Uganda, after spending over two months in the neighbouring country.
Upon her safe return, she was immediately taken to Isange one Stop Centre at the Kacyiru Police Headquarters where she received ample medical and psychological help, before being reunited with her family that eagerly waited for her arrival.
Police Spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Celestin Twahirwa, said that investigations are ongoing to apprehend the so-called family friend who lured her into sex slavery.
“This is a young and naive girl who was exploited by someone who pretended to be a friend. We are working with Ugandan Police to ensure that this suspect is brought to justice, and we request anyone with good information to provide it,” he said.
“Human trafficking is a criminal ring system based on greed, control and power which often exploits desires and ignorance amongst the most vulnerable groups with promises of riches and a good life, yet in reality, this is deception that seeks to trap people in cycle of exploitation. All Rwandans must come together and fight against this terrible crime.”
The victim is a resident of Kiyovu Cell, Ndego Sector, Kayonza District, and she was sneaked through Kagitumba Border Post on January 12 by a Rwandan woman, who had promised to find her a good job in Uganda.
“The woman told me not to tell anyone from my family if she was to guarantee me a good life. I believed her since she was known to us and then she arranged and took me to Uganda,” the girl narrated.
“However on reaching in Uganda, she took away my ID and other documents and forced me to sleep with men who would in turn pay her about 250,000 Ugandan shillings, each. This continued and I was devastated and couldn’t escape. But one day I discussed with someone from Rwanda, who connected me to the embassy and they were able to save me.”
According to the United Nations, this young girl was one of an estimated 2.4 million people around the world who are victims of human trafficking, 80 percent of whom are being exploited as sexual slaves.
Last year, 19 cases of human trafficking involving 25 victims, including foreigners intercepted in Rwanda en route to either Europe or Asia. Twenty-three of the victims were female. About 26 suspected traffickers were also apprehended in partnership with other regional police forces.
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> Since 2009, RNP has handled over 36 cases involving 153 victims, including 51 Bangladeshis, intercepted in Kigali while on transit to Mozambique (in 2009); 90 per cent of the victims are also female with 82 per cent of them aged between 18 and 35, according to Police statistics.
