Reflection by Jing Ting

Searching for Marita
(by Daniel Rome Levine, Reader’s Digest May 2008 pg 90)

This article is about a woman named Susan Trimarco, mother of Marita de los Ángeles Verón, who has been reported missing since the 3rd of April 2002.

It talks about how Susan bravely went in search of her missing daughter in parts of Argentina, such as Tucumán and La Rioja. It began when Marita did not return from a doctor’s appointment. As days went by, Suasan and Marita’s husbad, Daniel, grew increasingly concerned. Usually, Marita would call and inform them if she was going to be late. However, Marita had not done so. After searching for Marita in the hospital and around her neighbourhood, they still could not find Marita and filed a missing persons report with the local police.

The pair, not faltered by the lack of cooperation from the police, organized a search party consisting of some 50 friends and family of Marita. They handed out homemade posters with photographs of Marita and some contact phone numbers all over Tucumán.

Susan, worried for her daughter, started taking action. Disguised as a prostitute, she would talk to the girls in decrepit bars and asked for information about Marita.

Sadly, they have not found Marita, but, Susan’s courageous act led to some 200 girls being set free from the shadowy world of prostitution and human trafficking.

Susan has shown immense valour. Despite several threats from panders or their underlings, she did not give up and persevered on to help complete strangers who were forced into prostitution.

I believe that such acts truly deserve praise. Not many people would commit such a dangerous act, even for a loved one. It is also appalling to know that even in this day and time; such inhumane crimes (i.e. forced prostitution and human trafficking) are still carried out. Honestly, these people have no consciences. However, if no customers patronized the bars and brothels, nobody would kidnap the poor girls because there would be no profit in it. It makes me wonder, why is prostitution still legal in some countries? Is there that much profit in the trade that people are willing to risk committing such crimes and abusing humanitarian right? I hope that this will change somewhere in the near future. Though, I do not think it is very likely. I hope that Susan’s effort will be rewarded someday by the return of her daughter and like Condoleezza Rice said, “ Your brave fight makes me proud to be a woman.” (I’m still a girl but you get the point.)

Reflection by Tan Jing Ting (20)