Soon after arriving in Slovenia, it became clear that her employer held different expectations than what she initially anticipated. He told her she would need to reimburse him for the expenses related to her trip to Slovenia and arranging the work visa and accommodation, placing her in what is known as a debt dependency. To pay off this debt, keep her job, and also earn enough to support her family, she would have to provide sexual services to the nightclub’s customers.

Modus operandi

The employer demanded complete dedication from her. He monitored how many times she went to the bathroom in one night, how often she failed to smile, and how many times she drank water. At the end of the month, he penalised her for the “mistakes” he claimed she had made (e.g., not smiling enough at customers, drinking too much water), forcing her to pay him back out of her salary.

She was receiving a monthly salary directly into her official bank account, had her passport with her, and was living in a suitable environment. Therefore, from an outside perspective, everything seemed fine and in accordance with the law if the police or inspectors arrived.

Forced criminalisation

Eventually, her employer began to pressure her to recruit new victims from her country of origin. When she resisted, he showed her a picture of her son, revealing that it had been taken on that very day, just outside his school. By doing this, he forced her to comply with his demands and continue working in the difficult circumstances.

Whenever she complained, he responded by saying that she was being paid for her work and that she was complicit in recruiting new victims from her country of origin. He added that, since she had a passport, she could leave at any time if she wanted to.