Victim of Sexual Exploitation Network Escapes After Two Months of Abuse in Bahrain

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A woman’s journey to Bahrain turned into a living nightmare that lasted for two months. Initially lured by promises of work in a women's salon as a massage therapist, she found herself trapped by a horrific network of sexual exploitation.

The victim was coerced into engaging in sexual activities with up to 20 men a day, under the threat of having explicit photos of her shared. She was beaten, had her passport and phone confiscated, and was denied the freedom to leave. It was only when she managed to escape one day that she sought help from the police, leading to the dismantling of the human trafficking network.

The First High Criminal Court convicted three Asian nationals involved in trafficking the victim for sexual exploitation under the guise of a legitimate job at a women's salon.

The court sentenced the first defendant to five years in prison, while the other two were sentenced to three years each. In addition, each defendant was fined 2,000 Bahraini dinars, ordered to cover the victim's repatriation costs, and banned from re-entering Bahrain after serving their sentences.

The case dates back to November 3, 2024, when the victim, who had agreed to work in Bahrain as a massage therapist, arrived in the country. She was taken to a hotel in the Exhibition Area, accompanied by other women.

The following day, she was shocked to learn that one of the women had secretly taken compromising photos of her. She was then forced into prostitution, with 12 to 20 sexual encounters daily, all under the threat of her explicit images being shared. Her passport and phone were confiscated, and she was not allowed to leave.

The victim was then moved to another hotel in the Juffair area by the second defendant, in collaboration with the first, who physically assaulted her. The third defendant played a key role in transporting the victim to engage in prostitution and bringing clients for sexual services.

On January 2, 2025, the victim managed to escape and reported the incident to the authorities, leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.