A perpetrator has been jailed after a 16-year-old girl bravely gave evidence in court about how she was sexually exploited.
Momina* had been living on the streets – where children are incredibly vulnerable to modern slavery and human trafficking – when she was abused.
One night, when it was very cold, she was approached by a man who offered her shelter in a hotel.
Trusting that he had good intentions, Momina had agreed to go with him, but the man proceeded to sexually assault and abuse her.
Momina was recently supported by our team to testify against the perpetrator in court, and the man has been handed a prison sentence of six years.
Momina’s story
Momina and her older sister were raised by their parents in a suburban area north of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia.
But the family were living in poverty and their main source of income was begging. Momina’s parents separated, leaving their daughters with no option but to drop out of school and provide for themselves. The sisters managed to find part-time work and rented a property together for a short time, but the high cost of living made it difficult to survive.
Momina eventually resorted to begging on the streets and lost contact with her sister, though she made some friends on the streets. When they learned that she had been sexually exploited one night, they immediately reported the incident to the police.
Officers arrested the man and referred Momina to Deborah Lighthouse. This is one of Hope for Justice’s short-term care centres for children who have been exploited, or who are vulnerable to exploitation. At the Lighthouse, Momina had access to shelter, medical checks, catch-up education, counselling and trauma-informed care.
Based on information from the police and Momina herself, our team was also able to provide legal education and to help her prepare for a court trial. She bravely testified against the defendant in multiple court hearings. A judge finally handed down a sentence of six years earlier this summer.
Momina is now able to live independently, with some initial financial support provided by Hope for Justice. She has successfully established a small business and is self-sufficient.
What is the situation for children who are living on the streets in Ethiopia’s capital?
A report by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs estimated that there were around 24,000 homeless people in Addis Ababa in 2018, just under half of them street children.
We know that children living on the streets are incredibly vulnerable to modern slavery and human trafficking. A recent study by Ayana Chimdessa highlighted that street children in Addis Ababa “encounter widespread challenges like social network fragmentation, child trafficking, harassments, and shortage of basic needs”.
One of the main factors causing homelessness in Ethiopia is poverty. Family conflict, loss of one or both parents and abuse are also some of the key reasons for children and young people ending up on the streets. Sadly, these have been the experiences of many of the children we have worked with. This briefing note by UNICEF looks at the situation and access to services of homeless children and adults in Addis Ababa.
What is Hope for Justice doing to help children on the streets?
Hope for Justice is working in Ethiopia to reach children like Momina who are living on the streets, where they are vulnerable to exploitation. They are often targeted by traffickers who force them into sex work, domestic servitude and forced labour. Our trained outreach workers engage with potential and actual victims of human trafficking, offering them help and support.
Our specialist teams engage with children and help keep them safe. We tell them about our Lighthouses and the risks of living on the streets, helping them to make an informed choice about their future. We work to safely reintegrate children with their family, wherever possible, into family-based care, or support them into independent living.
In 2023-24, 989 children and teenagers were either reintegrated with their families or assisted into independent living thanks to our work, which is only possible because of our amazing supporters.
You can read more about our impact this year in our recently published Annual Review 2024.
*Name changed to protect identity of the survivor
