Raquel Liberman (born 10 de julio de 1900 in Berdichev, in the Russian empire (actual Ukraine), and die 17 of April of 1935 in Buenos Aires, Argentina). She was a victim of human trafficking in Argentina that achieve the denounce of theirs traffickers and break down of a Jewish human trafficking network named Zwi Migdal, which operated in this country around the beginnings of 1900.
Biography edit
There are two different versions that recall how Raquel get involved in these criminal network, as there are very few records of her early life.
The Jewish Women's Archive tells: As youth girl Raquel emigrate to Warsaw in Poland with their family. In 1919 according Jewish rites she maried to Yaacov Ferber a Warsaw tailor. Her husband emigrate to Argentina and she follow him with her two sons in 1922, she start living in Tapalqué Buenos Aires province. Then her husband die of tuberculosis mounts later. Needing an economical support and no knowing Spanish Raquel is obligated to leave theirs children under a foster family and look for a job in Buenos Aires. Unable to find work as seamstress she was either forced into or voluntary enter in to prostitution. Under this activity she felt on the hands of Jewish human trafficking network named Zwi Migdal.[1]
The other version tells that Raquel once in Poland meet a men named Jaime Cissinger a prosperous merchant, he promise her a good marriage and wealthy life in Argentina. Raquel emigrate with her new husband just to discover she will be sexual exploited and that her husband is implied with the Zwi Migdal. This network worked in western Europe under the semblance of a Jewish Mutual Aid Society which lure girls and youth women to exploit them sexually in Argentina.[2][3]
Once trapped by this trafficking network, she suffer all kind of molestation by the ≪caftenes≫ (Jews pimps) in many different brothels of the capital.[3]
Along ten years she was captive of the network but secretly she managed to save money to buy her liberty, with the implicitly of client friend of her, which offer to her pimp to buy Raquel to his own brothel in Mendoza. The pimp agree. With the leftover of the money Raquel bought a shop in Callao road but sooner she were detected by the Zwi Migdal. This criminal network started harass and threat her to avoid her example to be copied by other female captives. Finally the Zwi Migdal sent a ruffian (José Salomón Korn) to fool her with marriage promises. She married Salomón, an sooner this man stole her money and recluse her in a brothel.[3]
By second time Raquel escape and in 31 of December of 1929 she denounce the Zwi Migdal, this judicial complaint have evolve in the dissolution of this human trafficking network, and was the first public impact of these criminal networks in Argentina.[3]
Raquel Liberman die in 17 de April of 1935 been 35 years old because a thyroid cancer.[4][1]
Complaint and Zwi Migdal persecution edit
After Raquel escaped the second time, she contacted Julio Alsogaray a police with incorruptible reputation and in 31 of December of 1929 with him settled a complaint in court. The commissary asked if she was determined to declare to the magistrate and she affirm: "I can only die once, I won't withdraw the complaint".[5] The criminal court magistrate Manuel Rodríguez Ocampo called Raquel testify. This testify bring to light the criminal organization background, women were transported from one place to other in a forced ways, constantly abused physic and psychologically to bow down them and prevent them to denounce the organization. The magistrate ruled prosecution and custody to 108 members of the Zwi Migdal[5] and the arrest of 334 fugitive under charges of corruption and conspiracy. Along the investigation was uncover the complicity of the criminal organization with the federal police. The rule of this magistrate was appealed. Despise Raquel Liberman testimony the appeals chamber magistrate only ruled custody to three member of the organization ruling to free the other members. The appeals chamber magistrate warrant this action saying that only Raquel Liberman (despise constant threats) was encouraged to testify whereas other victims didn't.[3]
However the trial implied the dissolution of the Zwi Migdal and the public awareness of this sinister human trafficking organizations.[3]
Recognition edit
Her example inspire Semi-fictions between these authors Humberto Costantini, Carlos Serrano, Nora Glickman book "The Jewish White Slave Trade and the Untold Story of Raquel Liberman", and Myrtha Shalom wrote the book "La Polaca".[1] In Argentina since June 2010 was created the Human Rights prices Raquel Liberman devoted to people fighting violence against women.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b c Glickman, Nora. "RAQUELLIBERMAN". http://jwa.org/. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ "Trata de personas: Penalizacion del cliente" (PDF) (in Spanish). March 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Valencia, Luciano Andrés. "Raquel Liberman y Marita Berón". http://www.argenpress.info/. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ Pogoriles, Eduardo. "Zwi Migdal: filman la historia de la mafia polaca en la Argentina". Clarin.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Reconocimiento a Raquel Liberman, pionera contra la trata de personas". http://www.diarioelargentino.com.ar/. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ "La Legislatura de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires sanciona con fuerza de Ley 3460". 10 June 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2015.