Muna (16) lives with her parents and two older brothers. To survive, her parents relied on farming to ensure that she and her brothers could survive. Unlike the other girls that we rescue, Muna was not treated as the third parent in her family due to her gender. She is the younger daughter and treated preciously. In fact, she was not required to do much housework. In her free time, she played an online game called Free Fire and talked with some strangers there.
One of those strangers is a 22-year-old Indian man. She found his gaming skills impressive, and he could hold a conversation. From the game, the two exchanged chat contact details and talked every day, even when they were not playing. Through these frequent chats, Muna developed some attachment towards him. The man reciprocated her feelings and also expressed his romantic feelings towards her.
When chatting was no longer enough, the man offered to meet in person, which, of course, Muna accepted. The catch? The man said he worked as a cook at a small food stall in Gorakhupur and cannot travel to her in Nepal. Instead, he asked her to come to him.
Knowing that her parents would not approve of the meetup, Muna told her parents that she needed extra cash for an after-school outing, and her parents gave her NPR 1,000 (USD 7). It was just enough to cross the border and meet up with the man. She set out on her journey.
However, while riding an auto-rickshaw at the border, her presence alone raised suspicion among local authorities. When questioned, she initially claimed she was going shopping. However, during further counseling and inquiries with her family, it became evident that they were unaware of her travel plans.
Muna is of minor age, and travelling alone as a girl is already too dangerous for her. Immediately, the police intervened and contacted her parents. Since her family was not immediately available to take her home, she was placed in our safe home for protection until her parents could pick her up.
Muna’s case is one of the many examples of the dangers of online interactions that could likely lead to human trafficking. She may not realize it at first, but through our counseling, she realizes the bigger problems that arise from speaking with strangers online. She also knows now how she is a very vulnerable target to human trafficking. Rest assured, Muna will spread the word to her friends and family—never to play with fire at Free Fire again.
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