Amita (16) is born in a family of 6 that makes money through farming. Currently, she is in 9th grade. The household that she lives in is poor, yet relatively ordinary with no major issues at home. However, Amita had been spending too much time on social media through her phone. One day, she met a man through it. He claims to live in India.
The stories that we highlight here frequently start with one friend request from a stranger, and end into no good. The Indian man was no different. He won her over by sweet-talking and promises of a life of romance and luxury—skilled enough to know that anyone they attempt to victimize will fall for it. The man let the courtship marinate before asking her for any big moves. A little while after, he proposed! He asked her to marry him and they could settle in India, living the life he had promised to give her. Amita, sick and tired of her impoverished, and romanceless life, said yes without letting her parents know about it.
He instructed her a few things which could be easily seen as red flags. First, he asked her to meet him at the border, without even intending to meet his parents to let them know she would be safe. Second, he asked her to bring only one set of clothes so that the size of the bag would not raise suspicion from authorities. And lastly, he told her to lie about her whereabouts when questioned by the authorities, as he would not be accompanying her while she crossed the border alone.
Amita must have felt that something was not right in her gut, so she changed her mind. When she expressed this, the man turned into verbal violence and threatened her that if she did not go to India, he would post their private conversations, intimate pictures and videos. Afraid of tarnishing her reputation, she went as planned.
When at the border on a rickshaw, Amita was questioned as expected. Now that she knew that the man she spoke with was not up to anything good, she shook in anxiety and refused eye contact. When asked where she was going, she said she was going to buy clothes when she crossed the border. When further questioned, her story changed and she said that she would be meeting her brother in India who would pick her up at the border. Now suspicious, our staff asked to call her parents to confirm this, and her father immediately told how she had been missing for several days, and had no knowledge of this “brother” she was referring to.
Our staff and the police acted fast to catch this boy, while Amita was reunited with her family. She expressed her gratitude towards us and hoped for continued support in the future since she is still paranoid that the man could ruin her reputation online. We reassured her that everything is going to be fine, and many young women who had experienced this kind of nightmare in the past, had gone out of the situation stronger and better. This gives her the utmost comfort.
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