Mother accused of prostituting daughter in Suriname

Paramaribo, Suriname: A 38-year-old mother was apprehended for human trafficking and matchmaking after she allegedly forced her 15-year-old daughter into prostitution in Suriname.

As per Suriname police, they have arrested a 34-year-old civil servant as he was identified by a victim with whom she was forced to have sexual relations for payment.

The officers further added that the Kwatta agency to the Youth Affairs department had transferred this case, which determined that this involved human trafficking.

Later, it was called into the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) department.

Further on, a shocking fact came to highlight during the investigations that the victim was sexually abused from the age of 13 years by her step-brother, against whom no case was reported to the police.

“Furthermore, in 2023, the mother took her daughter to the various nightclubs in the Nickerie district, where, on the woman’s instructions, she had to go with the customers to have sex with them for payment. She then had to give the money immediately to her mother”, the statement given by TIP.

Moreover, the authorities added that this incident occurred in the west of Suriname and ‘it cannot be ruled out that several suspects will be arrested.’

Noting this, the investigation of the case is ongoing by the TIP and Youth Affairs Police.

As soon as this terrifying incident spread over social media platforms, many people reacted to this news by commenting on the news.

One such comment, by a person named Patsy Lewis, read, “What a despicable person, your own mom becoming a pimp. Shameful.”

Another person by the name of Chandroutie Maharaj wrote, “People like them don’t deserve to have children.”

Additionally, as per UNAIDS records, it has been mentioned that there are approximately two thousand two hundred twenty-eight (2,228) prostitutes in the country. Prostitution in Suriname is illegal but widespread, and the laws are rarely implemented and enforced.

Although prostitution is not legal, the country issues temporary work permits to migrant prostitutes who are travelling through Suriname en route to another country.