Yesterday more details emerged of the story of two women (one Dutch, one Venezuelan) lured to Lahore, Pakistan under false pretences by business associates they knew, who ultimately kidnapped and tortured them. The intent was to extort the women for money and drain their crypto-wallets. What transpired was much darker, with both women being raped, beaten, and forced to send pleading messages home begging for money.
Luckily, the women were able to escape but the local and international authorities had already been searching two days for them. That was thanks to a DISTRESS CODE WORD that the Dutch woman had pre-established with her family! She snuck it into the messages she was forced to send.
It’s not unheard of to be in a bind overseas and have to ask family for money. Wallets get stolen and bank cards stop working all the time. But being able to slip a distress word into a seemingly innocent message is genius! Something that goes unnoticed by a captor but instantly alerts loved ones of present danger and that help is needed – well, that’s life-saving and game-changing.
I’m sharing this today because I have now set up a safe word with my Mom and closest friends. Hopefully none of us ever need it but please do the same TODAY if you are living or travelling abroad.
All around the world, in every country, there are people with evil intent. It’s a shame that this happened in Pakistan, it could have been the U.S. or Spain or anywhere else…
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