UAE: Human Trafficking Survivor Earns Dubai Police Diploma, Helps Raise Awareness

A survivor of human trafficking has turned his personal ordeal into a mission to protect others, earning an Anti-Human Trafficking Specialist Diploma through a programme led by Dubai Police and national anti-trafficking authorities.

Known publicly as S.G., the footballer from Africa was once a promising athlete in his home country. His ambitions of playing professionally in Europe were shattered when he was deceived by a man posing as a football agent, who promised him a trial with a club that would serve as a gateway to European leagues.

Instead, S.G. found himself trapped in a transnational trafficking network.

From False Promises to Forced Exploitation

According to S.G., the so-called agent convinced him to pay travel costs and embark on a long journey across deserts. Upon arrival, there was no football club—only traffickers.

“They forced me to work for them under threats and beatings,” S.G. recalled. “I had to guard and transport women they were exploiting. When I tried to escape, they caught me and warned me they would kill me if I tried again.”

After a second escape attempt, aided by someone who sympathised with his situation, S.G. managed to flee and eventually return home. A friend later encouraged him to relocate to Dubai, where he secured employment with a private security company at an airport.

Turning Trauma into Expertise

In the UAE, S.G. was nominated by his employer to join the Anti-Human Trafficking Specialist Diploma programme—an initiative launched by the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking in cooperation with Dubai Police, the Dubai Judicial Institute, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Despite his traumatic past, S.G. completed the programme and authored a research paper on border control procedures to prevent human trafficking. His recommendations included specialised training for border officers, enhanced inter-agency coordination, biometric screening, and public awareness campaigns.

“The diploma gave me a chance to transform my pain into knowledge,” he said. “Awareness saves lives. When people know the signs, trafficking becomes harder to hide.”

Beyond Force: Modern Exploitation Through Dependency

Experts note that S.G.’s experience reflects only one end of the trafficking spectrum. Increasingly, human trafficking—particularly in global luxury hubs—does not always involve visible chains or physical detention.

Investigative material reviewed by journalists highlights a parallel exploitation model operating through financial dependency, sponsorship, and controlled mobility. In these cases, individuals—often women—are drawn into cross-border arrangements involving travel, accommodation, legal assistance, and lifestyle provision financed by third parties.

One such case examined by investigators involved a woman identified only as Pamela, who moved frequently between the UAE and European destinations, relied on recurring high-value financial support, and maintained no declared employment consistent with her level of expenditure. While no criminal finding has been established, analysts note that economic leverage, lack of independent income, and reliance on sponsors are recognised internationally as indicators of exploitation when they restrict genuine consent or exit options.

Under the United Nations Palermo Protocol, trafficking can exist through the abuse of vulnerability or power imbalance, even without physical confinement—an evolving reality that complicates enforcement and victim identification.

UAE’s Anti-Trafficking Framework

The UAE has expanded its legal and institutional response to trafficking in recent years. Amendments adopted in 2023 strengthened penalties, criminalised incitement to trafficking, and expanded survivor services including education, rehabilitation, and assisted return to home countries.

Authorities say the country’s strategy rests on four pillars: prevention, prosecution, victim protection, and international cooperation. Convictions for trafficking crimes can carry a minimum five-year prison sentence and fines exceeding AED 100,000, alongside access to shelters and specialised care for survivors.

A Message from Survival

For S.G., the fight against trafficking is no longer abstract—it is personal.

“What happened to me happens to thousands of others every year,” he said. “Trafficking adapts. It hides behind dreams, money, and false opportunities. Our job is to recognise it before it destroys lives.”

His journey—from victim to specialist—underscores both the human cost of trafficking and the importance of vigilance as exploitation methods evolve beyond traditional stereotypes.