Former sex worker *Linda said the intended victim is unaware she is being targeted for prostitution. Photo: Terry Haywood

YOUNG girls are being snatched from the streets of Durban daily and forced into an underworld of prostitution and drug addiction.

The modus operandi is standard: a girl is charmed, taken, drugged and beaten, until her daily “wake up” (a dose of crack cocaine) takes the edge off the mind-numbing reality of 10 punters a night.

Last Friday, two Nigerians were arrested for human trafficking and kidnapping after a joint operation by the Organised Crime Units from Durban and Gauteng.

Their victims, who can not be named for protection purposes, were two girls who went to a well-known Durban shopping mall where they met two men. They had drinks with them – and woke up in Potchefstroom.

Both were taken to Joburg and held hostage in a flat where they were sexually exploited and forced to take drugs. One is under-age.

Both girls refused to work as prostitutes, so they were sold to another pimp where they, once again, endured force-feeding of drugs and beatings over a number of days.

14/07/2010 Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela during an interview at her office in Hilcrest. Picture: Phill Magakoe

INLSA

They gave in and started to work as prostitutes, until the older girl managed to escape.

The Organised Crime Units moved in and three arrests in total have been made and one warrant of arrest for a fourth suspect has been issued.

The older girl was taken home this week while the under-age girl has not been found.

The Umgeni Community Empowerment Centre (UCEC) works to identify girls who have been trafficked. It assists in rehabilitating sex workers and reuniting them with their families.

The UCEC is a member of the Human Trafficking, Prostitution, Pornographic and Brothels (HPPB) Provincial Task team which combats human trafficking and related issues.

A spokeswoman for the centre said: “The extent of human trafficking needs to be exposed. Our children need to be protected; it could be your kid who’s taken next,” she said.

The Independent on Saturday interviewed two former sex-workers at the centre. According to the girls and UCEC centre staff, eight out of 10 sex workers have been trafficked.

NGOs have highlighted that if arrested, a prostitute’s background is usually not investigated.

Former sex worker *Linda said the intended victim is unaware she is being targeted for prostitution.

“You meet this guy and don’t realise he’s a pimp, just that he seems madly in love with you – they are very convincing,” she said.

The other most common ploy is an offer of employment.

Both girls said crack cocaine is used to get the girls addicted and they are moved around the country so they are isolated, have no access to money and can’t run away.

“I can tell you, there is no enjoyment at all – it is all about business and money,” said Linda.

She said it reaches a point where girls are addicted to drugs, are frightened of being beaten up by their pimp and too ashamed to go back home.

For more information on the UCEC, see www.ucec.co.za.

*Not her real name.