Fifteen-year-old Stephanie* cried in her small, dark room in Honduras’ capital, Tegucigalpa. She was only eight hours away from her small town, but it seemed much farther. Stephanie had left her home a few months earlier after an acquaintance promised her a good job as a maid in her home. Stephanie had some developmental disabilities and never went to school, so she thought this job would be a great opportunity to help support her parents and six siblings.
Stephanie Tells Traffickers: “I Won’t Be Silent!”
October 29, 2015
But, what really awaited Stephanie was hard physical labor from sunup to sundown, sexual abuse by her “boss,” and no paycheck.
Stephanie felt trapped, until one day a kind neighbor, who was suspicious about how Stephanie was being treated, helped her to escape from the house and took her to a children’s home.
That’s when ASJ (formerly known as AJS) got a call. The home’s staff knew that ASJ lawyers, investigators, and psychologists worked with authorities on particularly difficult cases of sexual abuse and trafficking, especially when survivors can’t pay for a lawyer themselves.
Soon, an ASJ psychologist, Ada, visited Stephanie in the children’s home, and when Stephanie was ready, Ada introduced an ASJ lawyer, Cristian.
Together with the team’s investigator, Joel, and the police detective assigned to the case, they put together enough evidence to get an arrest warrant issued.
The arrest of the woman who had brought Stephanie to Tegucigalpa was relatively easy, but her husband, who had sexually abused Stephanie, quickly went into hiding. Joel had to work overtime on stakeouts to finally catch the suspect on a busy street in Tegucigalpa.
Once he was arrested, it was Cristian’s turn to build up the case for the sexual abuse trial in May 2014. During the trial, the suspect pled guilty and was sentenced, much to the relief of Stephanie and her family. The trial for the woman charged with trafficking is scheduled for later this year.
In the meantime, Stephanie is back with her family, and, according to Ada, “She is doing great! And she is so happy to be back with her family.”
Ada added with a smile that Stephanie’s family has become advocates in their community to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. Stephanie’s dad told Ada, “Our neighbor’s daughter was invited to go to Tegucigalpa for a maid’s job. I told her to be really careful — that things often don’t work out as you think. And you know what? In the end, she didn’t go!”
When Stephanie was crying in her room, she never thought she would see justice. But thanks to her bravery and ASJ’s support, traffickers and abusers received a clear message: vulnerable people will not remain silent!
*Name changed and photo blurred to protect the individual’s privacy and security
Choosing defiant hope over fear.
Earlier this month, The Banner published a story written by Our Shared Ministr y by Karina Guevara and Elmer Salinas . The authors showcase the work that ASJ-Honduras is doing to help and support students in Honduras. Karina and Elmer tell the story of Genesis Garcia, an 8-year-old, whose family struggles to find consistent jobs. "Genesis Garcia Baquedano is 8 years old and lives with her older brother, Anderson, and their parents in Honduras. Her parents work hard to support their family. Genesis’s father is a painter who struggles to find consistent work, and her mother is a street vendor who spends long hours away from home." According to Karina and Elmer, although Genesis is a good student, she was struggling with reading, writing, and math. This is where the ASJ-Hondurans' program, Strong Communities , comes to be a blessing. "Through God’s grace, Genesis and her family were able to join the Strong Communities program facilitated by World Renew’s local partner, Association for a More Just Society (ASJ, because the Spanish translation is Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa). Through the program, Genesis attended academic support sessions, where she impressed her tutors with her perseverance and enthusiasm. Now, Genesis’s teachers praise the program for the significant progress Genesis has been making at school." We are blessed to be able to help kids like Genesis and her family to be able to achieve their dreams and goals. You can read the full story HERE and learn more about the ASJ-Honduras Strong communities program HERE
Highlights from our 25th Anniversary Celebration in Grand Rapids, MI
MY EMPTY VILLAGE / HOW IMMIGRATION AFFECTS A COMMUNITY (by Sara Pineda)
Young Hondurans have stepped up for democracy (by Blanca Stephanie Elvir)
Reflecting on 25 years of seeking justice together (by Jo Ann Van Engen)
From the Executive Director
What does paused international aid mean for ASJ?
Something Worth Waiting For
Will you walk with us for a more just society?
