The Cape Town teenager almost trafficked into sex slavery still fears her recruiters will come after her again, according to her mother.
Weekend Argus reported last weekend the 19-year-old, who does not want to be named, was persuaded not to leave Cape Town just before she was about to get on a flight to Joburg.
She had been offered a job as a receptionist there, but local NGO Activist Networking against the Exploitation of Children (Anex) confirmed the company recruiting her was operating a brothel.
The teen’s mother confirmed on Friday her daughter was safe:
“She is not staying with us at the moment.
“We’re trying to keep her away from our residence because our address is on her CV, which she sent (the recruiters).
We feel they will come back for her. They are a syndicate and they will come back looking for her because she cost them money.”
Anex executive director Claudia Smit said they would assist the teen with counselling.
She was concerned the police had not yet started investigating.
Western Cape police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk said they could not investigate until the teen laid a complaint.
“She needs to report the matter to police for an investigation to be instituted. We cannot act on the grounds of what a third party says.”
Smit said it was unlikely the teen would lay a complaint.
“Women are not reporting these matters because the police are not sympathetic.
If that girl goes to the police station alone today who will believe her? And this country is one of the most violent in the world.”
Saturday Argus