The Exodus Road supports their first human trafficking rescue operation in Brazil

Aline* was just 15 years old, and she was pregnant.

This did not matter to the traffickers in Brazil who were selling her for sex.

Because of limited technological resources and personnel, it is challenging for Brazilian law enforcement to find girls like Aline. Even if they become aware of cases like hers, collecting adequate evidence to build a case can be an insurmountable obstacle.

Operation Empower was different. The police department in this region of Brazil had been equipped with cyber investigation technology through a partnership between The Exodus Road and Cellebrite. The Exodus Road provided training on using the technology to combat the crime of human trafficking and identifying the signs.

That training and support empowered law enforcement to find Aline and act decisively to recover her. The situation they found was complex and intensely dangerous. During the operation, two traffickers were arrested and two others were killed. Ultimately, Aline was extracted from the nightmare of human trafficking, moved to safety for herself and her unborn baby.

After the raid’s successful conclusion, law enforcement reached out to The Exodus Road to share the impact their partnership had. Operation Empower is a clear example of the ways local communities can protect the most vulnerable when equipped with adequate resources.

That’s why The Exodus Road is teaming up with Cellebrite to launch TraffickWatch Brazil, a virtual course hosting the voices of Brazilian experts in the counter-trafficking field. Thanks to partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, 20,000 members of the police force in Brazil will be trained through TraffickWatch. Through training and partnerships, there is hope that cases like Operation Empower and freedom for girls like Aline could become the new normal.

*Names and images are representative.