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Faith helps and hinders Indonesian victims of human trafficking

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18 December 2024
For Indonesian victims of human trafficking, religion can be both a curse and a blessing: one feels punished by God, the other feels His support. Their faith plays an ambivalent role in their experiences, according to VU PhD candidate Liliya Kurniawati Wetangterah.

Wetangterah interviewed Christian victims on the Indonesian island of Timor. She found a religious component in all their stories, from how they experienced the events to the meaning and trauma processing. "For example, faith brings confidence that things will work out, that their situation is temporary. But it can also make people feel that they are being punished or tested.”

‘Profound impact’

There are more cases of human trafficking than ever, reports the United Nations. It is also a major problem in Indonesia, especially in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, says Wetangterah. “Human trafficking has a profound impact on victims, families and communities. After interviews with nineteen victims, I analyzed their experiences according to the lived religion approach, i.e. how people profess their faith in their daily lives.”

“In all stages of their trauma and healing, religion plays an ambivalent role: it influences the experience of suffering and processing positively and negatively. This has consequences for their experience and processing of the trauma. To limit the negative consequences, I argue in my dissertation for transformative Christian education for adults, specifically in the context of human trafficking.”

On 13 January, Wetangterah receives her PhD from the VU Faculty of Religion and Theology.

Photo: Hannah Xu

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