In 1998, Samuel* was arrested and falsely charged with committing a bank robbery and shooting a police officer. Following his arrest, the police took him to the station, tied him up and hung him upside down. Then, the police began beating him with clubs.

Throughout the summer of 2006, IJM investigators documented the cases of 13 forced laborers trapped in a rice mill in South Asia. The owners of the rice mill kept more than 20 slaves, both adults and children, some of whom were born into a life of slavery. IJM staff had secured the cooperation of local police, who planned to raid the facility on August 10.

Venus lived in a shanty compound on the outskirts of Lusaka, Zambia, with her husband, five children and stepson Samson. Together they earned a meager income selling chicken and other wares from four stalls they owned at the local market. Prior to 2004, two of their children died. Then, late in 2004, Venus’ husband died, leaving behind Venus and their three surviving children.