Her Courage: Daria’s journey after breaking free from the clutches of her trafficker

This Spring, donations* to Justice & Care will be doubled through our match-funding campaign – Her Future, which shines a light on the disproportionate impact of modern slavery on women and girls. Donate between April 16 and May 31 to double your impact and support survivors on their journey to freedom, justice and empowerment.

When Daria** was approached by a man on Facebook, she was charmed by him and the two began a relationship.

Daria viewed herself as the family’s main pillar of support as her mother, grandmother and two cousins were struggling to live on the grandmother’s pension. So, when her boyfriend offered her hope of a better life, she had seized the opportunity to secure employment and send money home to support her family. 

It only later became clear that the relationship was a lie and the man was a trafficker using the ‘loverboy’ technique to recruit her. 

Cruelly preying on the family’s financial vulnerability, the exploiter lured Daria away from her home in Romania to Germany, where he sexually exploited her.

Tragically, Daria isn’t the only one with a story like this. Widescale poverty and limited economic opportunities mean human trafficking flourishes in Romania, where it is estimated there are nearly 150,000 victims.

Anyone can be a victim of the ‘loverboy’ scam, but women in economically, socially or psychologically challenging situations are typically targeted, according to Europol. 

Daria was left traumatised by her experience and her journey to breaking free from the clutches of her trafficker’s control has not been easy. Justice & Care has been supporting her to begin her recovery journey, but it is down to her courage and resolve that she today faces a promising future. 

Her recovery journey so far has come with many challenges. When a Victim Navigator from Justice & Care began supporting Daria, they primarily focused on medical care and other emergency needs, like making sure she had food and access to personal hygiene items.

As a result of her exploitation, Daria had contracted syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, which without treatment, can damage organs and become life-threatening. The Navigator worked with her to help her obtain health insurance coverage and get a medical evaluation and treatment. 

Similar to many survivors of modern slavery, Daria has faced challenges with her mental health and reintegrating into society. Occupational therapy, which aims to improve your ability to do everyday tasks, alongside emotional support from her Navigator has helped her to get through these difficulties and opened up hope for a successful recovery.

One huge obstacle emerged when Daria’s trafficker tried to contact her in an attempt to maintain the control he had over her.  Despite pressure from him, she stood strong, understanding the danger she faced and remained dedicated to the recovery process.

On top of these difficulties, Daria has faced issues in securing a job that works for her. The deep connection between poverty and modern slavery is well-known and our team knew it was important for Daria to find work to reduce the risk of re-trafficking. But a job that fit around her family life and took into account her recovery needs was crucial.

Daria’s first job was as a caregiver didn’t work as she struggled to meet the high level of physical effort it required, while she had to resign from a second job as her mother needed care following surgery. However, Daria has since been supported to find employment again and now has a stable job at a major retail company.

Her story highlights the immense challenges that survivors face while recovering from modern slavery. But it also shines a light on Daria’s strength in the face of adversity – and the hope that can be sparked with each step forward in a recovery journey.

*up to £235,000

**name changed to protect identity

Our Victim Navigator Programme in Romania is made possible by the British Embassy in Bucharest through the Home Office.