Yen Bai seeks help to stop trafficking. Born into a poor family in Deu 1 Village surrounded by mountains and forests, San grew up quickly, hoping to one day teach Thai ethnic minority children in the northern mountain province of Yen Bai. San, who was 16 years old at the time, had no idea her aunt intended to sell her into prostitution in China. Once there, San was forced to work for two brothels servicing between five to ten men per day.
San attempted to escape the brothel twice before she actually succeeded. The third time she found her way home to Viet Nam. Less lucky than San, Lieu Thi Tu of Nghia Lo Township had her first encounter with human traffickers ten years ago when she was 17 years old.
They too took her to China. After that, she was forced to marry an old Chinese man. Ten years later, having born him three children, Tu felt disgraced and miserable. Tu said she had to work hard to earn a living to feed her children.
She waited tables and caught snails and crabs. But all the while she dreamed of returning to Viet Nam. And this year, I succeeded in returning to my home with my three children in July.
My family members are very happy, and they have helped me to settle into my new life," said Tu. However, provincial police said the total number of victims would actually be much higher than statistics suggest. Head of Police Office in Mu Cang Chai District, Ta Khac Hong, said the victims of human traffickers were young women and female children living in poor conditions and lacking education. They always promise a cushy future, and many women have been tricked," said Hong.
