Vulnerable Characters

List of all the characters in the story and the reasons for their vulnerability:

Mrs. Angustina (Mother)

Left in the dark or clueless of the whereabouts of her daughter.

Suffers anxiety, vulnerable of doing things that may or may not help her daughters
current condition, especially without proper legal advice.
Emotionally distressed, thus she is vulnerable and may fall prey to anyone with
fraudulent intent that may promise or ask for ransom in exchange of information about
her daughter.
Vulnerable because she is unsure of the facts and circumstances about the disappearance
of her daughter.

Uncle

A known relative of the victim which may become a suspect in human trafficking due to
his connection with Serapio, his friend that was last known by the mother to be with the
victim on the way to Olongapo.
May or may not have played an important role in the crime.

Nadya (The Victim)

A fresh graduate and at her young age, she might not be matured enough to think for her
own safety. Thus, she easily tends to believe and could fall prey to the dangers in social
media or the internet in general.
Vulnerable because she is the victim of human trafficking, with or without her
knowledge. Anything might happen to her, her safety is at risk.
Trusted a recruiter with a promise that she would earn money as a waitress, without being
enlightened of the true nature of the job.
Vulnerable in a sense that:
o she fears leaving the job
o she may not find any work after that.
o Recruiters may retaliate to her relatives, friends and especially her mother

Serapio

Myra

Vulnerable because of being a suspect also for he could or might have been used by a
group or syndicate that traffics women without his knowledge and unwittingly handed
Nadya to them.
Vulnerable because he could be used as a scapegoat by the true human traffickers if he is
not involved in it.

Felt alone due to the neglect of her parents.

Vulnerable because she could also be in the same situation as Nadya.
Vulnerable in a sense that she needed to survive on her own and at this point, willing to
do anything to fend for herself.
Also at such a young age, she could easily believe in anything that can be seen over the
internet and in social medias and may easily fall prey to syndicates.

Dipolog Police

Vulnerable of manipulation by the syndicate that transports women from Dipolog to

Olongapo.
May or may not involve members who are insiders of the syndicates that keeps them
under the radar.

Olongapo Police

May have been a customer of Myra and Nadya.

May have members also that keeps the operation of the club and the fact that there is
human trafficking under the radar of the authorities resulting to the prolonged operation
of said club

Other Women Working at the Nightclub

May have also been victims of human trafficking but are not even aware of the crime
done to them
Willingness to do the job and stay in it for the money
May or may not have been victims of recruitment in social media
Parents or relatives may or may not have been looking for them also

How to Counsel a Victim of Human Trafficking by Applying the 10 Guiding Principles as

Suggested by the WHO.

Nadya:
1.

Do no harm.
a) The first approach is the most essential part of the interview that would determine the
possibility whether or not Nadya would cooperate with the legal counsel concerning her
situation.
b) The counsel must perform and go through all the legal requirements and processes
needed before conducting a rescue mission/operation, due process must be observed
always.

c) It is not the job of the legal counsel to rescue the victim on their own, the legal counsel
should cooperate with the proper authority in getting/freeing Nadya from the hands of
the human trafficker.
d) Upon obtaining or recuing the victim, the best possible approach is for the counsel to
inform her that she is not being accused of any crime or any wrong doing, and that the
counsel is there to assist or help her.
e) As much as possible provide a female counsel for her, or if she requested for someone
else, do so, so as to make her feel comfortable and at ease.
f) It is important that the counsel should assure Nadya that she is there to help her, provide
for all the legal assistance they could offer and if necessary protect her as best as they
could.
2.

Know your subject and assess the risks.

a) Before conducting the interview, it is important for the legal counsel to first study the
facts at hand that is readily available to him/her.
b) Likewise, conducting some background check on the victim pertaining to her physical
condition, mental health, medical history and the likes if necessary, as well as the current
status or circumstances surrounding the events that transpired and other pertinent
information about the suspects if available.
c) The moment the counsel gets into contact with Nadya, it is of utmost importance to get
her to trust and cooperate with the counsel so that she could be placed under the
protection of the State as an essential witness to the crime of Human Trafficking.

3.

Prepare referral information. Do not make promises that you cannot fulfill.
a) Before conducting the interview, be prepared to offer a list of possible government and
private agencies or organizations that could help in solving the issue at hand.
b) Counsel should be prepared to offer or refer her to a another counsel if he/she knows that
he/she is not qualified to render such legal service.
c) Her security and protection cannot be guaranteed but there is a Witness Protection
Program by the government that may take care of her the moment she permits herself to
be a witness against the recruiters.
d) If at first she is not convinced that she will be safe and would like to think things through
before pursuing such action, referral information about the Womens help desk in the
police station, as well as our information as counsel if she would like to talk, will be
given to her should she be confused at the time.

4.

Adequately select and prepare interpreters and co-workers.

a) Since the counsel are dealing with human trafficking, consulting with the local and
national police, NBI, other concerned government and private organization, and human
rights groups that are knowledgeable about the present situation or issue.
b) Since Nadya is from Zamboang Del Norte, she might use her local dialect the chavacano
or other dialects, it would be easier if a female interpreter who knows/speaks such
dialect should be readily available to them.

c) By allowing the victim to speak in her native tongue, she would be able to express herself
clearly. This would also give her a sense of comfort and explain things accurately.
5.

Ensure anonymity and confidentiality.

a) Counsel should reiterate to Nadya that as a legal counsel they are bound to their oath as
a lawyer, to the rule on privileged communication, with respect to matters disclosed
during the interview.
b) Her anonymity is very crucial so it is important that when Nadya agrees to talk with her
counsel, she should be placed in a safe house, private place or room where she would
feel at ease and could not be observed, seen or spied upon by others most especially her
recruiters.
c) It would also be an imperative to keep all matters within the confines of the room and
reassure her that any information she would give would be confidential and her name or
identity will not be divulged to others for her protection.

6.

Get informed consent.

a) Getting her consent by asking her permission preferably in writing, before exercising or
performing any action that are related to the issue at hand.
b) Nadya must be clearly informed that the counsel intends to record her testimony and
account of what happened to her.
c) She must expressly give her consent to the interview and the recording of such.

7.
Listen to and respect each womans assessment of her situation and risks to her
safety.
a) The basic principle applicable here is that the victim is the main character
b) Counsel should understand the situation that she is in and the risk that may arise from it
and base every legal action from such assessment and understanding.
c) This is Nadyas story, this is how she feels about her situation and this is how she is
coping with it.
d) Since she is concerned with her safety the legal counsel should not force Nadya to
disclose everything she knows and allow her to proceed with the interview in her
preferred pace.
e) Counsel cannot give their own opinion nor tell her what is wrong in the situation
especially if she feels that she is in the right path or that she feels that there is nothing
wrong with it.
f) What is important is to get her perspective or side of the story. Counsel should listen,
empathize and respect the situation she is dealing with. Counsel should reassure her that
they are there to help.
8.

Do not re-traumatize a woman.

a) The last thing a counsel would want to do is re-traumatize her.
b) The legal counsel should be careful with what they tell her and be mindful of every
actions towards her. Sensitivity and empathy is the key to a successful interview.

c) The legal counsel should refrain from showing or explaining graphic scenarios that may
arise from such case.
d) The legal counsel should refrain from disclosing previous cases that are similar in nature
that resulted in the possible loss of life or destruction of properties.
9.

Be prepared for emergency intervention.

a) Contingency measures should always be considered. If in case something unexpected
happens the legal counsel must be able to cope and adopt in such situation based on the
contingency measures that he/she has prepared.
b) The legal counsel should consider the possibility that the victim might not cooperate or
might divulge information that are false or altered.
c) Her mother might even intervene in the interview, feeling sorry or very worried about her
child. Likewise, the recruiters might even intervene or other persons in authority.
d) Preparation of any such event is necessary so as the legal consel would not to be caught
off-guard and lose Nadyas trust and security or complicate further the situation.

10.

Put information collected into good use.

a) Information gathered should be properly reviewed and studied so as to present a good
case against the possible perpetrators of the crime.
b) Share the information gathered with her consent to other government and private
agencies or organizations that could help in the curtailment of human trafficking and the
apprehension of perpetrators of such crime.
c) Any information gathered from Nadya would be able to help the authorities into tracking
down the source of the recruitment in facebook as well as the identities of the recruters or
the syndicate involved.
d) If Nadya permits, such information may even be used as a basis for other victims in
another place to file additional cases against the known suspects in human trafficking.

*Note:

With regards to Myra and other individuals found in the hands of the human traffickers
the same should be applied.
However, it is important to note that each individual has their own unique circumstances
on why they ended up in the hands of the human traffickers.
Thus, it is imperative that the legal counsel should consider those facts to be able to
effectively and efficiently conduct an interview.