At least one arrest has been made in the investigation of a major child abuse ring near Hanoi. According to news published in Vietnamese media this Monday, the police have opened a criminal investigation into the actions of a ring that allegedly pimped out underage girls to adult men.
The ring was exposed in January on Vietnamese television. According to the television program that reported on the case, up until then the police had identified 6 victims, all underage girls, although it is feared many more may have fallen prey to this ring. The girls were all aged 14 and 15 years old.
Blue Dragon first heard of this case through a journalist who was investigating it. Upon learning about these crimes, we worked together with the journalist in order to gather the facts and bring them to the police.
The resulting television program reported that members of this ring, which the police believe is “very organised”, convinced the girls by offering them good-paying jobs. Pimps would show up at schools in a small town just outside Hanoi, claiming they needed waitresses for hospitality businesses.
According to the information the police later confirmed to Vietnamese media, all the girls targeted were experiencing difficult situations at home. The girls who agreed to take the supposed jobs were then taken to several guesthouses 20 or 30 kilometres away from their homes. Once they were there, they were unable to escape.
Members of the ring would take their phones and any money they had on them, so the girls had no choice but to do what they were told in order to be able to return home. If they refused to go with the ‘guests’ or if they spoke up, they were beaten.
In addition to assisting to expose this ring, Blue Dragon is available to offer legal advice for them and any other victims who might come forward now that the case is in the public light.
The end of impunity
Blue Dragon believes this case goes to show how far the tentacles of child abuse stretch in Vietnam. However, despite this painful reality, we can see that the perpetrators no longer have impunity and will face justice for their crimes.
The fact that a ring of such vast reach is being dismantled and investigated sends the message that child abusers will not get away with abusing children.
Blue Dragon applauds the intervention by the Vietnamese authorities and is ready to support the victims with legal representation and guidance.
