Articles

Katya's Story

Katya, from Russia

My mother had two consecutive operations. I wasn’t working at the time and then was offered an opportunity to go work as an au-pair in Germany for a month or two. I agreed not because of the money – I knew I wouldn’t be paid much – but because I wanted to see the country and then go back home.

Upon arrival to Germany, I came to a woman who arranged everything. She was Russian. She promised to find a position for me with some of her Russian friends living in Germany. She took my passport saying she needed to show it to the prospective employers. As I realised later, this was the moment when I lost all rights, including the rights to freedom of movement and freedom of choice.

I didn’t get the au-pair job. The woman told me that there were no vacancies, that the people didn’t like me and thought the child wouldn’t like me either. Then she offered me another job and took me to a bar. 

She told me I could wash dishes or do something else while waiting for an au-pair position. Why not use the time profitably now that I was in Germany. When I came to the bar with her I realised that the only work I could expect was forced prostitution.

I knew only a couple words in German, and I hadn’t thought I would need any because I was going to live among Russians. These were the two main problems: loss of freedom and the language barrier. I couldn’t explain myself or ask for help. I was constantly pretending in order to avoid work.

I was told that I had a debt to repay and a major part of my wages was taken away from me. Seeing how the girls were behaving in these circumstances, I started thinking that I needed to be calm. I couldn’t leave and I couldn’t think of any way out.

There was no way to escape from the bar. They had video cameras and security everywhere. We were not allowed to go out.

Often the girls with me were very young, 18-22. They had finished school. They were from disadvantaged families, families with abusive fathers. The girls didn’t really have a choice. They couldn’t live at home, couldn’t stay with friends for too long. Why not go someplace else? Everything is paid for. Later they realise this wasn’t the best choice. But because returning could be even worse, they stay. Many become addicted to alcohol and drugs, with no prospects in life. At any moment they can be beaten up or even killed.

Girls are promised good money. I can’t remember the exact figure, but it could be in the area of several thousand Deutschemarks per month. Perhaps, with enough clients, a girl can earn this much, but most of it will be taken by the bar owner and the pimp. Some of them would never see any money at all. I knew a girl like that who were only given food, no money. She was regularly beaten up and made to work in such a state.

The consequences of sex trafficking are very serious indeed. I am still in shock. A normal person couldn’t live with the effects of what I’ve been through - Psychological, moral effects, loss of self-esteem, freedom. Everyone has his or her own values, but for me this is very important.

Every person is different in how he or she reacts to events in his or her life. Some are easy-going, some not. Some can go through periods of reliving their experiences from time to time. This can ruin their lives...

It’s possible to settle down, find a job, change one’s appearance and internal composition. But I believe it’s impossible to forget something like this and it will haunt one for the rest of one’s life.