Libya: Migrants sold as sex slaves

Brut America

Sold as sex slaves and tortured for months, these women migrants were rescued from illegal detention centers in Libya.

Transcript

00:00They kidnapped me. I stayed with them until July.

00:06There was a Sudanese man and five Libyans.

00:10They raped me. It was a bit difficult.

00:16The Sudanese man said to me,

00:19Azul, why doesn't he think of giving me money?

00:23Why doesn't he tell me?

00:25He said to me, when the kids come to work with you,

00:29they will pay him.

00:31He is a businessman.

00:34I hope that when he comes to work with these five people,

00:39he will benefit from me.

00:42He will get the money.

00:55I had a hard time.

01:07I had a hard time.

01:09But at the same time, I was pregnant.

01:13I was a bit tired.

01:15I had to take care of the kids.

01:20I felt like I was going to die.

01:24For lack of being actually present

01:48on those underground detention sites,

01:51it's very difficult to know what exactly they are.

01:58Many of whom, when they're out,

02:01carry the stigmas of those periods.

02:07Physical stigmas, but also psychological stigmas.

02:11They share their stories of that massive exposure to violence.

02:19Those deemed places where they are being violated,

02:26beaten, undernourished, of course, on a daily basis.

02:38It is an incredibly painful experience to leave

02:43for the thousands of migrants who experience

02:46that reality of, let's say,

02:50clandestine underground detention.

02:54A reason why a big part of what we're trying to do

02:59is to provide some sort of psychological assistance to the migrants.

03:10Even if you had the possibility to escape,

03:13you can't, because at the door, there are people with weapons.

03:16What are you going to do?

03:17Every morning, they hit you.

03:20At night, like during the day, they hit you.

03:23They torture you.

03:32I'm sorry.

03:35I'm sorry. Help me.

03:37Help me. I'm sorry.

03:39I'm sorry. Help me.

03:44The migrants are being held by the police.

03:52They hit me on the back.

03:54They hit me on the back.

03:56They broke my back.

03:57They hit me.

03:58They grabbed me.

04:00And they hit me on my face.

04:04They grabbed me and hit me.

04:06But it was a very strong hit.

04:10They want more money.

04:12They want $13,000.

04:14They hit me.

04:15They hit me for 24 hours.

04:17At night, I couldn't sleep.

04:19I couldn't sleep at night.

04:21I couldn't speak.

04:23I couldn't do anything.

04:24I was tired.

04:25That's why, in the end,

04:29they brought me here.

04:31They put me here and left.

04:33They left because they brought me here.

04:39They left because they brought me here.

04:50There is obviously a business of migration in Libya.

04:53I would say that there are actually businesses of migration in Libya

04:56because they are different businesses.

04:58You cannot compare the business of trafficking

05:04and that of the detention center.

05:07Different types, different natures, different bodies.

05:10For sure, there is a business of trafficking.

05:15These smuggling houses are for money.

05:22But then there is also a business for keeping the migrants in the detention centers.

05:28There are caterers providing food.

05:35There are salaries to be paid.

05:38This is bringing money to people.

05:42There is also a business related to the Libyan coast guard

05:47that are paid and trained by the European Union,

05:52Italy in particular,

05:56to intercept and return migrants

06:01who are attempting to cross the sea back to Libya.

06:08This is another business, if you want.

06:14The migrants are part of the economy of Libya,

06:19as oil is or the traffic of weapons.

06:25It brings resources to quite a big number of people right now.

06:33People who are either working within a legitimate entity

06:42or totally embroiled in global crime.

06:54For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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