'They destroyed my life': 2 Sask. men imprisoned for exploiting woman from Bangladesh
Two Saskatchewan restaurant operators have been sentenced for human trafficking and sexual assault against a woman recruited from Bangladesh. The victim described how the exploitation destroyed her career and personal life after she was promised legitimate employment.
Why it matters
The case underscores the vulnerability of temporary foreign workers and the severity of human trafficking crimes within local labor markets.
"I can't forget them. They stopped my dream. They destroyed my life. They ruined my honour, my future, my family, my career," the woman wrote in her victim impact statement.
Mohammed (M.D.) Masum, 45, and Sohel Haider, 56, were convicted earlier this year of human trafficking and returned to Saskatoon provincial court on Thursday for their sentencing.
Masum was also found guilty of three counts of sexual assault, for actions that the judge classified "in clearer and simpler layman's language" as rapes. The victim's identity is protected by a court-ordered publication ban.
Even though her name has not been published, she said in her victim impact statement that the gossip in her home community in Bangladesh has affected her family's honour and ruined her siblings' futures.
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