Social Support: Why It Is Important for People Who Have Survived Human Trafficking and Exploitation

In difficult life circumstances, the search for work often becomes a matter of urgency. It is not always possible to verify the conditions or the employer, and it is precisely at such moments that the risks of dangerous offers increase.

Alina is a Ukrainian language teacher with almost 30 years of experience. In 2024, her family found itself in a difficult financial situation: she lost her job, and her husband could not work because of a disability. Responsibility for supporting the family fell on her.

While looking for income, Alina came across a newspaper advertisement. It offered a position as a cleaner in a private household: UAH 1,500 per day, with free accommodation and meals. The conditions seemed clear and safe, so she agreed.

The offer turned out to be a trap. Alina became a victim of labour exploitation: her phone and documents were taken away, and she was forbidden to leave the premises. In addition to cleaning, she was forced to perform hard physical labour and work 14–16 hours without pay. Any attempts to leave were met with pressure and threats.

Due to exhaustion, her health deteriorated sharply. When she became seriously ill, no help was provided — the woman was simply driven out and left by the roadside. Thanks to caring people, she managed to return home.

It is precisely in such situations that the NGO “Dzherelo Nadii Ukrainy” works, providing psychological, legal, social, and economic assistance. The organization is a member of the Counter–Trafficking NGO Coalition and contributes to the development of systemic solutions in this field.

Psychological support helped stabilize Alina’s emotional state and gradually restore her sense of safety. Legal assistance provided an understanding of the next steps needed to protect her rights.

An important stage was restoring her ability to work. Within the framework of the project, Alina was provided with a laptop, which made it possible for her to return to teaching online and gradually stabilize her income.

The family’s basic needs were also partially covered, which reduced the daily burden and made it possible to focus on recovery.

This path was not quick, but timely support helped her get through it and move forward