Reader's Digest May 2008
Searching For Marita

Susana Trimarco of Argentina set out to find her missing duaghter, Marita. However, she discovered a shadowy world of human trafficking and forced prostitution.

She first realised that she was missing after she did not return from a morning doctor's appointment. When her husband were told by a girl that Marita was seen in a brothel in Ra Rioja, they went to the police, seeking help. When the police conducted a raid, Marita, however was not found. A girl stepped out and told Susana and her husband that someone had tipped the owners off about the raid as Marita had been whisked away shortly before they had arrived with the police.

Susana then knew that she had to find her daughter on her own, so she quit her job and began crisscrossing the country, looking for answers. She was often disguised as a prostitute herself, going into seedy bars to engage the girls there into conversation asking about her daughter, whether they know where she is and whether they had seen her. I think that she is a determined mother, most people would just let the police handle it, but to find her daughter, she separated with her husband, used up her savings and sold her house, Marits's house and two cars, I think that she will never give up until her duaghter is found. Although local police and officers with barking dogs tried to stop her on the bus, she never gave up.

A year has gone by, and her search started receiving media coverage and she was interviewed. Due to pressure of publicity, police also stepped up on raids on brothels and bars.

With bar owners and traffickers feeling the heat, a campaign of intimidation began against her. She got threatening phone calls and text messages and had several hit-and-run cases, and she is not afraid at all. I think that she is really brave, however she should be more careful too, if something happens to her, Marita might not be found forever. I really admire her strong will and peseverance.

As the raids continued, many girls soon came to seek help from Susana. One of them was Andrea Darrosa, she went to the police who arranged an meeting with Susana. She recounted her life as a prostitute and after hearing all the cruel things that the owner did to girls, Susana was even more determined to find Marita. She also declared that she will do everything she can to help these girls.

I feel that she is a very noble and courageous, as she was awarded an International Women of Courage Award. She also opened the Fundacion Maria de los Angeles Por la Lucha Contra la Trata de Personas in Ttucuman and Buenos Aires, which helps victims of sex trafficking by giving them medical and psychological treatment and job trainings as well as to provide food and shelter for them. I feel that this is very nice and good of her to help there girls who are not related to her at all.

All in all I think that she is a noble, courageous and a determined person as she never thought once about even giving up on her search for Marita. She is also very kind to help all those victims of sex trafficking. I believe she loves her daughter very much. I really admire her and i aspire to become a strong-willed person like her.