Carolina Ferrari is many things: a wife, a mother, a teacher and a survivor of human trafficking. Today, she uses her voice and her story to raise awareness about violence against women and girls.
With warmth and quiet strength, Carolina speaks out wherever she can – especially in front of the camera – on behalf of those who are too often ignored or silenced.
“We are activists, authors of our own journeys, and co-authors of projects that bring real change,” she said.
Carolina’s activism began at a young age, shaped by her own experiences of sexual exploitation and trafficking during childhood. Instead of burying her traumatic past, she turned to education and community work as tools for healing and empowerment.
Now, she works with children, teens and families in some of Uruguay’s most underserved areas - communities where talking about these issues remains difficult, even taboo. But for Carolina, that reluctance is precisely why these conversations matter.
According to the 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Latin America and the Caribbean continue to be deeply affected by trafficking, with women and girls making up the majority of detected victims. In South America alone, they accounted for 62 per cent of all cases in 2022.
“Justice starts with someone believing us,” Carolina said. But for many survivors, that first step is often the hardest, blocked by stigma and victim-blaming that delay both healing and justice.
“The first person who hears our story becomes a gatekeeper. How they respond matters; warmth, understanding, and listening can make all the difference.”
This is why community support is so vital. Justice is not only something that happens in courtrooms or government offices. It is also about creating spaces where survivors can live free of shame, stigma or fear.
“True justice means guaranteeing rights within our communities where we can live, grow and heal without being defined by the violence we endured.”
Survivors like Carolina are now driving a shift in how the world responds to human trafficking, calling for a more inclusive, intersectional approach.
While past efforts have focused mostly on policing and law enforcement, survivors argue that prevention, justice, and healing must also reflect the diverse realities and inqualities faced by those affected. “Intersectionality must be at the center of these conversations,” said Carolina. “Understanding it is urgent. Only then can governments, NGOs, and institutions respond in a way that truly respects human rights.”
Supported by UNODC, Carolina met with fellow survivors from around the world. Despite different languages, cultures and countries, they share one unbreakable bond: resilience.
They laughed, cried and reflected together in a safe and supportive space. And through their shared experiences, they found new strength - not just to speak out, but to shape the future for others.
“The power of other survivors is immeasurable,” said Carolina. “Together, we found our voice and the courage to say what we truly need: justice and dignity.”
Carolina was one of the participants of the UNODC Regional Needs Assessment Workshop, held in Bogotá, Colombia. The event was the first of its kind in the region and aimed to create a safe space for assessing the needs of survivors and the overall level of engagement with them for building victim-centred and trauma-informed anti-trafficking protection responses.
UNODC survivors' workshops are part of the project “Promoting Action and Cooperation among Countries at Global Level against Trafficking in Human Beings and the Smuggling of Migrants” (PACTS) funded by the European Union.
