7 Bangladeshi women free in India, 6 traffickers arrested!

That meant that there were traffickers who got away, who could continue exploiting vulnerable women.

So The Exodus Road’s investigators continued to work alongside law enforcement to pursue their leads.

They followed the evidence until it led them to one of the traffickers who had escaped. Just two months later, he was already operating again out of rooms in one of the hotels that had been raided previously.

This time, the trafficker had no warning. He was arrested alongside two of his accomplices, and 3 women from Bangladesh were freed.

The work of freedom wasn’t done. While they were interrogating the traffickers and hearing testimonies from the newly-freed women, police and The Exodus Road’s investigators realized: more women were still out there. They were being held at another hotel-based brothel, owned by the same trafficker.

The team acted fast. Police entered the other hotel, again moving before the traffickers could be tipped off. 2 additional traffickers were arrested, and 2 more women from Bangladesh were found and freed.

Following up on leads like this is a key part of the India team’s strategy for systemic change. Shortly after the successful arrest of the 5 traffickers and liberating the 5 women, The Exodus Road’s investigators partnered with the same police department to look into a private brothel. They found 2 women from Bangladesh compelled to work there by force, physically abused and restricted from leaving the building.

Police arrested the woman trafficker who was on the premises, but another male trafficker got away. Just as they have done before, investigators and law enforcement partners are patiently, persistently following up until he too is brought to justice.

Ongoing cases like this are why our generous community of monthly donors is so vital to sustaining this work longterm. Will you join them?

*Names and images representative