Thao’s story

Sold into slavery, her dream of going home kept Thao alive.

Thao’s story

Sold into slavery, her dream of going home kept Thao alive.

Thao was loving her studies and looking forward to finishing high school. Her plan was to study Accounting at university and move to the city where she dreamed of working for a big company.

Everything in her life seemed great – until one terrible day when her world turned upside down.

A young man Thao had known for many years invited her to go on a short trip to the next village. She hopped on the back of his motorbike thinking she would be home by dinner, but it was not to be.

Her “friend” had links to human traffickers, and he delivered Thao straight to them. Instead of going on a shopping trip, she was sold to a gang that was taking Vietnamese girls into China, where they would be sold into the sex trade.

Thao was just 16 years old.

The next few months were terrifying; she was treated brutally, beaten repeatedly, and raped more times than she can remember. But she never gave up hope.

At her first opportunity, Thao stole a mobile phone and called her family for help. Blue Dragon found out and went to find her. Our Rescue Team located Thao quickly and we helped her escape from her horror.

Thao lives in a Blue Dragon shelter now, and the scars of her experience will always be with her. She wanted to return home but found the stigma in her community too great. To continue at school, she had to leave her hometown and now studies under the protection of Blue Dragon.

With psychological counselling and ongoing support, Thao will make it through. She still has her dreams, and more than ever she wants to have her chance at a happy life.

Thao lives in a Blue Dragon shelter now, and the scars of her experience will always be with her. She wanted to return home but found the stigma in her community too great; to continue at school she had to leave her hometown and now studies under the protection of Blue Dragon.

With psychological counselling and ongoing support, Thao will make it through. She still has her dreams, and more than ever she wants to have her chance at a happy life.

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