Meet the Heroes

A domestic worker from Indonesia, Nirmala Bonat suffered at the hands of her employers, until she brought them to court.

As a Chief Police Inspector with the Croatian Police, Katrin Gluic has prosecuted traffickers, assisted victims, and educated other law enforcement professionals.

A Policeman in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Sattaru Umapathi has rescued victims, prosecuted traffickers, and worked extensively with local NGOs.

A high-ranking Police Officer in the South of Mongolia, Major Tumenbayar has been crucial to the fight against cross-border human trafficking.

Marcelo Colombo is the head prosecutor in Argentina for trafficking cases. His dedicated efforts makes sure traffickers face justice.

Javier A. Morazan, a public prosecutor, and Juan V. Ruiz, a police officer, have created an incredibly effective prosecutorial and investigative team.

The Deputy Police Commissioner of Aruba, Jeanette Richardson-Baars has taken steps to help victims, and to build awareness of human trafficking.

Jhinna Pinchi survived being trafficked for sexual exploitation, and took her traffickers to court in Peru. Two of the three are now in prison.

As a prosecutor in Ecuador, Lucy Blacio courageously pursued the first cases to be prosecuted under Ecuador’s anti-human trafficking statutes.

Patience Quaye joined the Ghana Police Service in 1977, and now serves as the Director of its Anti-Human Trafficking Unit.

Working with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Laura Germino began fighting against modern-day slavery in the Tomato picking industry.

Hearing that girls from his home country of Mozambique were being enslaved in Pretoria, Inacio Sebastiao Mussanhe took action.

A world-renowned expert on human trafficking, and an ex-Scotland yard detective, Paul Holmes trains and educates about policing human trafficking.

A world-renowned expert on human trafficking, and an ex-Scotland yard detective, Paul Holmes trains and educates about policing human trafficking.

A District Court Judge in Nepal, Tek Narayan Kunwar has pioneered the implementation of the Nepalese anti-trafficking law, while maintaining a victim centered approach.

Magistrate Chauhan has worked through an incredible backlog of cases in administering the ITPA as part of Mumbai’s specialized court.

The first woman to become an army officer in Burundi, Ms. Sabiyumva has taken a stand against the sexual exploitation of children.

She secured the first conviction for Trafficking in Persons in Mexico, a landmark in their fight against modern-day slavery.

Elisabeth Sioufi, a lawyer, was incredibly influential in forming and drafting Lebanon’s anti-trafficking policy and legislation, and provides training on the laws of human trafficking.

When Gary Haugen created IJM in 1997, he was one of the first to recognize a world-wide problem: human trafficking.

Major George Vanikiotis of the Hellenic Police has been an incredible asset to anti-trafficking activists in Greece.

Moses Binoga leads a government task force in Uganda to combat modern-slavery. He actively advocates for better policies and cooperation.

Ms. Miruškina is the lawyer for a Latvian NGO that provides critical services and runs Latvia's human trafficking hotline.

Ms. Miruškina is the lawyer for a Latvian NGO that provides critical services and runs Latvia's human trafficking hotline.

Despite juggling an average case-load of 300 criminal cases, Prosecutor Darlene Pajarito has still managed to bring traffickers to justice.

Ivana Radović is the Head of Policy and Learning at ASTRA, one of Serbia’s leading grassroots anti-trafficking NGOs.

Kim Jong-chul is the founder and former Director of the Advocates for Public Interest Law.

Yanira Violeta Olivares Pineda leads a team of prosecutors dedicated to holding human traffickers accountable and delivering justice to victims.

As President of the National Authority to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Raoudha Laabidi has been the driving force behind the government’s efforts to implement a new law to combat trafficking in persons.

Holding human traffickers criminally accountable and assisting victims in attaining justice in Cabo Verde

A driving force in increasing awareness of human trafficking in Hong Kong

A leading advocate for increasing efforts to combat trafficking in Bhutan.

Guillermina Cabrera Figueroa has a track record of championing the rights of trafficking victims as the specialized prosecutor for human trafficking for the State of Mexico.

Rocío Mora-Nieto has worked for over two decades to combat the sexual exploitation of women and sex trafficking in Spain.

Mohammed Tariqul Islam is an advocate for victims of human trafficking whose work has helped increase the Bangladesh government’s capacity to investigate and prosecute traffickers.

Major Mohammad al-Khlaifat has striven to eliminate human trafficking in Jordan by leading the Public Security Directorate’s Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU).

Through the tireless efforts of his Anti-Human Smuggling Unit, Zaheer Ahmed helped drive the modernization of Pakistan’s anti-trafficking and anti-smuggling laws and implementation of a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling.

Sandra Paola Hittscher has been a key figure in the fight against human trafficking in Loreto, Peru since 2016, overcoming limited funding and minimal staff to make significant strides to advance investigations and seek prosecutions of human trafficking cases.

Samson “Sam” Inocencio has devoted over 20 years to fighting human trafficking with the International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines.

Oumou Elkhairou Niaré Samaké has revitalized Mali’s anti-trafficking efforts.

Marcela Martinez is an accomplished Bolivian lawyer from La Paz and a leading anti-trafficking activist.