A Gateway to Freedom: Assisting Victims of Trafficking in Georgia

Hailing from a small, sultry rural town in Thailand, Amara* and her two friends decided to embark on a journey of more than 6,000 km in search of better life opportunities, spurred on by a person they met online who promised them success and wealth in a faraway land on the Black Sea. 

"After a brief chat online, they offered me a job in Georgia, a country I didn't know about, with a good salary in a beauty salon by the beach. It sounded like a great chance that we didn't want to lose," says Amara. However, their dreams quickly turned into a nightmare.

Upon arrival in Georgia, they had their passports confiscated and, instead of the promised seaside resort of Batumi, found themselves in another city, trapped in a private house. Facing physical violence, psychological pressure and sexual exploitation, they were forced to “entertain” clients and their “recruiter” took most of their earnings.

“What seems too good to be true is most likely just a trap,” comments sadly one of the victims.

After two months, the local police unexpectedly raided the house, ending the tragic ordeal for these women. Their “recruiter” was arrested and later imprisoned by a Georgian court. Identified as victims of trafficking, the Thai women were accommodated in a special shelter. They were eager to return home to their families. At this point, Georgian authorities contacted the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support their voluntary return to Thailand.

“We have been strengthening the capacity of Georgian law enforcement officials, introducing to them the best practices of effective investigation and victim-centered approach to such cases. We are glad to see the result of our collaborative work. The rate of successful investigations in Georgia has steadily increased in the past few years and victims of trafficking have access to decent-quality care and protection services”, - says Sanja Celebic Lukovac, Chief of Mission of IOM Georgia.

IOM Georgia team worked with local authorities and IOM colleagues in Thailand to expedite their return and reintegration. The women received cash compensation from the Georgian government and reintegration assistance from IOM Georgia.

Thanks to the IOM reintegration grant, they are now helping their families, using the grant money to fix the roof of their house and buy various agricultural goods from a wholesale vendor to sell in the retail market. 

“Life is still hard, but at least our nightmare is over. We are back with our families and have learned our lesson,” says Amara.

IOM has been operating in Georgia for the past two decades, working closely with the Georgian government and civil society actors to introduce a victim-centered approach to counter-trafficking in persons. Since 2000, IOM Georgia has assisted around 80 victims of trafficking to voluntarily return and reintegration into their home countries, most of whom have been women from Central Asian countries.

For more information on IOM Georgia's work in counter-trafficking responses – prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships: visit here.

^{*Name has been changed to protect her identity.}