The Bruised Life of a Mountain Girl Sold Abroad for 'Thirst' for Work
(Baonghean.vn) - Being tricked and sold to a foreign country, having to stay home to serve her husband's family and become a "baby-making machine" made Ms. May always harbor the idea of running away. After many plans, she had to leave her two young children behind and flee back to her country alone, denouncing those who tricked and sold her.
"Madam" sold people twice
At 28 years old, Ms. Luong Thi May, a resident of Bao Nam commune, Ky Son district, has had to go through a life of hardship because she was tricked and sold to a foreign country. Suffering countless hardships has made May look older than her age. Recently, she traveled a long way to the provincial court to attend the trial of a human trafficking case in which she was a victim. Wearing a dark dress, May seemed to want to hide her miserable past to start a new life.
Sitting in the victim’s seat, May looked at the people who had colluded to trick her into being sold across the border. The two defendants were Cut Thi Tu (30 years old), residing in Ta Ca commune, Ky Son district, and Lo Van Duc (33 years old), residing in Huu Lap commune, Ky Son district.
The case in which May was the victim happened more than 7 years ago. At that time, May was married but her family's finances were struggling. Therefore, when Duc invited her to work for a company in the South, May's husband agreed.
Before that, Duc and Cut Thi Tu had discussed finding girls to sell to China. Both agreed that “if they found a beautiful girl, they would get 20 million VND, and if they found an ugly girl, they would get 10 million VND”. From there, Duc approached the girls, including May.
Around the end of 2016, Lo Van Duc took May to Mong Cai City (Quang Ninh). At this time, he told May that he was going to China to get married and would pay her family 100 million VND. Because there was no other way, the girl had to agree to follow this man across the border.
In a foreign country, Tu took May to her husband’s house for about a week. After that, this “madam” sold the victim to a Chinese man to marry for 165 million VND. In this case, Tu profited 15 million VND, Duc pocketed 80 million VND.
As for the victim, after being a foreign wife, Ms. May fled back to Vietnam. On February 8, 2023, the victim filed a complaint about Lo Van Duc's behavior with the police. During the investigation, the authorities exposed Duc and Tu's human trafficking scheme. However, at this time, Cut Thi Tu was in prison for her involvement in another human trafficking case and was sentenced to 8 years in prison in 2021.
In court, the two defendants admitted to their crimes. Both admitted that they knew human trafficking was illegal, but because of greed, they colluded to trick victims into being sold to China.
The humiliating life of the victim
Attending the court as the victim, Ms. May recounted her miserable life in a foreign land. The victim explained that because of the difficult life and lack of work, she wanted to go to the city to find work. Therefore, when Duc talked about going to the South to work for a company with an attractive salary, the victim agreed because of the need to make a living. Before the departure day, she was excited because she thought she was going to the South. Only when she was almost on the other side of the border did she realize that she had been deceived.
The loveless marriage with a stranger frightened her. However, she also realized that she could not escape from a strange land when she had no money and did not know anyone. Therefore, she had to grit her teeth and accept the marriage. Life with many differences in language, customs, and lifestyle made her depressed, so she thought of returning home.
However, she could not carry out that intention immediately because within 2 years, she became pregnant and gave birth to 2 children. According to the victim, although her husband did not beat her, she only stayed at home every day to take care of the children and cook for her husband's family. She was also forbidden from contacting Vietnam, making her life as cramped and oppressive as if she were in prison.
After a period of preparation, Ms. May decided to leave her two children behind and flee back to her country alone. That was also the only way for her to free herself. She shared that she could not bring her children back because they already had papers there. Up to now, the two children are 5 and 6 years old. Although she misses them very much, she said she cannot return there.
Returning to her country to start a new life was not easy for her. Because her ex-husband had passed away, she decided to go to the North to work as a factory worker. Sharing about her current life, the woman who was a victim of human trafficking said she has not remarried. She is trying to work to take care of herself and forget the humiliating past. Because for her, those were the dark days of her life.
The trial ended with each defendant sentenced to 6 years in prison for human trafficking. As for defendant Cut Thi Tu, after being combined with the previous sentence, this defendant was forced to serve a 16-year prison sentence.
After the court hearing, Ms. May hurriedly left to catch the bus to the North. She said she was trying to forget her past of being sold and start a new life. She also reminded other girls not to be too trusting and fall into the trap of bad guys.
*The victim's name has been changed.