Received this from a concerned reader..
Hello,
I was at the Hilton and I phoned my regular taxi driver to pick me up. He told me that he would be a bit longer than what I expected, so I told him not to worry about it and that I would catch a taxi on the street.
An American woman overheard my end of the phone call and approached me after I had hung up. She is a teacher at ASK and her husband works at the American Embassy. Recently, American CIA agents have been asked to come in and investigate a particularly disturbing kidnapping scheme that is currently taking place in Kuwait. Men are paying taxi drivers sums of money to find them female expats and take them to these villas where the women are trapped inside and very gross and disturbing acts are done unto them. There have been busts in 2 villas recently, and over 150 women were found inside. They suspect that there are still many more that they have yet to find.
I then phoned my driver back and told him that I would wait for him to come. When he picked me up I asked him what he knew about this and he told me that he had heard of this happening and the taxi drivers are offered anywhere between 15 and 100KD to find women and bring them to these villas. Apparently the drivers pretend that they do not speak English and that they don’t know where they are going. Some of these villas are in Jahra.
I wanted to pass along the message to make sure that everybody is SMART and SAFE. I was very surprised when this woman told me this story.
So I suppose my recommendations would be to:
-call your regular driver whenever you can, instead of catching a cab on the street
-carry your mobile in your hand and make sure the driver sees that you have one
-if the driver does not take the right route, get out at the next stop light
-have a male friend to accompany you on your taxi rides
If anybody else has some more suggestions, pass them along!!
Hoping everybody stays safe,
L.L.
LWDLIK- Thank you N and LL for passing this along and sharing. It's a terrifying thing to hear. Please ladies tell your friends and maids.
Hello,
I was at the Hilton and I phoned my regular taxi driver to pick me up. He told me that he would be a bit longer than what I expected, so I told him not to worry about it and that I would catch a taxi on the street.
An American woman overheard my end of the phone call and approached me after I had hung up. She is a teacher at ASK and her husband works at the American Embassy. Recently, American CIA agents have been asked to come in and investigate a particularly disturbing kidnapping scheme that is currently taking place in Kuwait. Men are paying taxi drivers sums of money to find them female expats and take them to these villas where the women are trapped inside and very gross and disturbing acts are done unto them. There have been busts in 2 villas recently, and over 150 women were found inside. They suspect that there are still many more that they have yet to find.
I then phoned my driver back and told him that I would wait for him to come. When he picked me up I asked him what he knew about this and he told me that he had heard of this happening and the taxi drivers are offered anywhere between 15 and 100KD to find women and bring them to these villas. Apparently the drivers pretend that they do not speak English and that they don’t know where they are going. Some of these villas are in Jahra.
I wanted to pass along the message to make sure that everybody is SMART and SAFE. I was very surprised when this woman told me this story.
So I suppose my recommendations would be to:
-call your regular driver whenever you can, instead of catching a cab on the street
-carry your mobile in your hand and make sure the driver sees that you have one
-if the driver does not take the right route, get out at the next stop light
-have a male friend to accompany you on your taxi rides
If anybody else has some more suggestions, pass them along!!
Hoping everybody stays safe,
L.L.
LWDLIK- Thank you N and LL for passing this along and sharing. It's a terrifying thing to hear. Please ladies tell your friends and maids.
sounds like bullshit, embassy rumors.
ReplyDeletethere are so many reasons i can disregard this
1. remember the rumor of the kid found in the carefoure restroom drugged and with a nearly shaved head in a 'kidnapping' attempt? key word was RUMOR. the us embassy/persons within unknowingly spread it without confirming it
2. the cia has no jurisdiction to supposedly do this. Think about this, is this a national security priority for them anyway?
3. a family member of mine works in a sensitive position in Min of Interior - 150 women found so far and he hasn't told me, ms. blond americano in the family, to look out? he told me quite a bit in 2003.....stuff that immediately raised my respect for the security forces of kuwait
this just doesn't pass the sniff test
Hi Anon, I have heard of maids going missing whilst using taxis. I have also heard of runaway maids being sold into prostitution and kept in brothels here. Not far from this story.
ReplyDeleteQuite often warnings are issued to nationals by their embassies. Not sure myself about the CIA being asked to look into it, but who knows?
Granted I haven't heard this warning yet from the British Embassy but it doesn't hurt to be aware and cautious!
We'll have to sniff around some more :O) Keep me posted. Thanks.
This is nonsense. I am embarrassed to silliness liek this posted on the net and appearing to be posted by American or other western women. Use your brains!
ReplyDeleteHi Dana, I use them all the time. There are reports every week of brothels, rapes and abductions. This may or may not be true but better women are overly cautious than find themselves in a very horrid situation. No rose-tinted specs for me.. I'm afraid :O(
ReplyDeleteThis nice things to share everyone,we need to be make awareness maids,(because mostly times its happening with maids) heard so many cases,where maids missed, while they are traveled by taxi, its sad to hear but its true, i did not heard about 150 women story or CIA. I m believe in Kuwait one or more syndicate active, who are selling & buy those missed & runway maids & put them in horrible prostitution life. stay safe all women. God bless & forgive us..
ReplyDeleteLWDLIK, Thanks for this important alert. This is horrific..paying taxi drivers money to kidnap women...There are lots of taxis outside every mall and busy areas. A lady could take cab home without realizing the dangers involved. It's better to call a known call cab and travel with a known driver if one doesnot drive or a male relative is unable to provide transport. And it's always best to give a quick call on the mobile and let someone close know before boarding a taxi alone - the name of the taxi, the number plate. One can always make a note of the number plate of even a known cab/driver before getting into the car. A lot of things happen which we are unaware of... One just have to watch out.
ReplyDeleteOh Yes all this can be TRUE as Arabs or any nationality can be Horrible to Females may they be children or Adults. Please do not ever think you are SAFE anywhere in this World No one is safe today. I do not know if you Believe that we must PRAY for Safety Security and Good Health today. Try Praying for all of God's Creation and there will be a CHANGE in these Sick Lustful Animals who are Demented Men.
ReplyDeleteHi A.M. Thanks for the comment. Yes, I hope all women will be cautious and stay safe.
ReplyDeleteHi Kuweight 64, thanks great tips. And remember call 112 for police. Apparently this number will work on a mobile even if you don't have credit. Which was why it was changed. I remember blogging about a women who called 112 when she was being abducted (an Arab woman I believe) and the police managed to find her. Will have to check back for the post, was a while ago.
ReplyDeleteHi Anon, glad you added all nationalities :O) Only I happen to feel safer here than anywhere else in the world. Yes there are scary moments and some crazy stuff going on. But still feel safer here. Let's hope they find these heinous characters soon and throw them in jail for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteIt seems someone has tried to address this issue in the past, but personally I have not seen any pink taxis here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NjEzMTQ1NzE=
http://elanthemag.com/kuwait-cabs-for-women-paint-the-town-pink/
I agree that it's important to be cautious, but I also think the American, or your friend reader relaying the story, or both, are very misinformed, or misheard information from whatever source they claim to have heard it. The U.S. embassy has issued no warnings on this matter to their citizens.
There have been instances of maids being abducted, and women who are here illegally have no recourse, so things like this have happened to them as well. Good to be cautious, but I wouldn't go about spreading rumors (I'm saying this to the original story-teller, and your reader who sent you the letter) without having a definite, legitimate, official source. Just my two cents.
Hi Anon, thanks for your two cents, seemed like more :OD
ReplyDeleteTrue, not good to spread rumours. It is difficult to verify some rumours and I've seen nothing in the newspapers. So not sure either way if it's true but would hate to think I didn't pass on this info and women really were being abducted as the 'rumour' reports.
Would love to see those pink taxis on the road, and being driven by women, that would certainly make many women feel more comfortable about using them. But sadly haven't seen them either.
Always best to be cautious. I, on many occassions, won't even get in a lift with a single male or all males. Overly cautious? Maybe, but it's served me well so far.
These predators prey on women who they know are financially distressed and their favorite targets are women waiting for public transportation.
ReplyDeleteA Sri Lankan lady I know who works in my fitness center who makes around 70 KD a month told me she was approached by a "Fancy Car" where an Arab man told her to get in and waved 20KD at her.
She was actually flattered when she told me what happened to her because she is single and said the man was good looking.
After reading your story and several others in the newspapers, I can surmise that this sort of thing is the trap that gets women into these vehicles.
They are vulnerable and are most often lonely and with everyone in Kuwait seeming to just come here for the KDs, it is an effective way to lure these women willingly into the vehicles for the promise of a better life but little do they know that it is to become a sex slave/prostitute.
Hi Anon, it's a sad, sad situation. Thanks for your comment.
ReplyDelete