Rescued Children Find a Happier Life at the Preda Victoria Home for Girls

Rescued Children Find a Happier Life at the Preda Victoria Home for Girls

Preda News

As the coronavirus pandemic continues in Metro Manila despite the efforts of the government officials and community workers to contain it and enforce stay-at home measures, the virus continues to spread. This is greatly affecting the illegal and exploitative sex industry. Sex bars, karaoke and brothels have closed down saving thousands of young people from sexual exploitation and hopefully ending their unjust and cruel enslavement and debt bondage.

Thousands of sex workers have gone home but others have been held captive by traffickers and pimps and taken into the secret “casa” system. Under this kind of brothel, the young girls are kept captive in a house and customers, contacted through social media over the phone, come by arrangement. They can view the girls of their choice and arrange to buy one on WhatsApp before they select the one they want to sexually exploit.

Eight teenagers were rescued on June 25 by the Philippine National Police- Women and Children Protection Center based in Camp Crame, Metro Manila and brought for protection, healing and recovery to the Preda Foundation home for exploited girls in Subic, Zambales. Preda has a successful working partnership with the effective child protection and rescue unit. The successful working cooperation with Preda was set up by PCSupt. William S. Macavinta (now retired). Before being rescued with the help of the police unit and Destiny Rescue, the eight minors had been held captive in a “casa” in Taguig City.

Three of the minors were 17 years old and five were 16 years old. The traffickers and pimps are two women, a 19-year old and a 23-year old woman. They are being held by the police and will be charged with human trafficking and unlawful detention. Their community is a known area for sex exploitation, human trafficking and drug pushing. The minors living there are in danger of being lured and enticed into the sex industry and they are more vulnerable to exploitation since illegal drugs are prevalent in their area.

The eight minors were brought to the Preda Foundation where they received a warm welcome and given clothes, personal needs, showers, clean beds and good food. In compliance with the safety protocol of Department of Health, these newly admitted children is under a 14-day quarantine. They all tested negative for COVID-19.

They are presently content and happy at the Preda home while going through a difficult time of adjustment and overcoming the shock of the rescue and the exploitation. There is a new better life for them where they will find their true selves, the value of their lives and be empowered to testify against their abusers and traffickers. They will find inspiration to dream of a normal life of education and dignity.

End