February 11, 2025 Update: Second teenager now free
Azul’s testimony gave The Exodus Road investigators and law enforcement what they needed to identify another 17-year-old who was being abused by the same perpetrators. Officials were able to meet them at the house where they were being forced to record sexually explicit videos. This second teenager is now safe, and arrests are expected soon.
16-year-old Azul* was uniquely vulnerable. As a LGBTQ+ teenager, it could be difficult for them to find belonging.
When they found a community group full of other LGBTQ+ youth in their area of Latin America, it may have seemed like they finally had a safe place. Sadly, that was far from the truth.
Adult men preyed on the teenagers in the group, grooming and then coercing them into exploitation for explicit videos. Azul was ensnared over time by a man whose interest seemed flattering — at first. It quickly turned into something dark and twisted. Azul’s abuse was filmed and sold online, and the teenager was exploited over and over with each new viewer.
The Exodus Road’s Latin American team discovered Azul’s abuser through their routine online investigation. As they learned more about the man’s predatory business, they found out that he had been in contact with and exploiting Azul for a long time.
Our team worked with officials to remove Azul and take them to safety. Despite their vulnerability, Azul courageously shared about the experiences that other young people in their community group were having. Law enforcement will be able to continue pursuing additional perpetrators to dismantle this network of exploitation.
In every country in the world, LGBTQ+ youth are one of the most at-risk groups of being trafficked. Kids like Azul deserve true belonging — not the kind that comes at the expense of their safety. Thank you for providing that for them through your support of The Exodus Road!
