It's late Friday afternoon in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, a town of about 45, located about 25 minutes from Antigua, which is the home base for The God's Child Project. As tourists, we are encouraged to walk the streets here, past the doorways where prostitutes stand, waiting for customers but our camera is not welcome.
The photographer follows in an unmarked van. We see girls and boys, one or two per door, and lurking in the shadows behind them are their pimps. This man stands outside with a gunβ¦which could mean the actions inside involve illegal sex with children or kidnap victims. He may be afraid the prostitute will try to run. Sophia is 20 years old, and has been a prostitute for four years. She left home thinking she'd find a better life, but soon realized she had few options if she wanted to eat.
She says she would get out if she could but believes she can't get away. Atkinson says hers is a classic case of human trafficking. I need him, but if I leave him, he'll kill me," said Atkinson. Sophia does have a dream. She says in a different life, she'd be a veterinarian. But she doesn't think it will happen.
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Combating human trafficking in Guatemala. Posted: Wed PM, May 03, Changes to Renaissance Zone tax exemption. Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below.
