A Filipino anti-human trafficking group has appealed for help to repatriate a 13-year-old Filipino who was allegedly maltreated by her employer in Riyadh.

The young Filipino from Sarangani Province in Mindanao was apparently recruited through a Filipino agency involved in human trafficking. The agency forged a passport to facilitate her travel abroad.

The aggrieved Filipino arrived to Riyadh on April 20 to work for a family, according to information published by the anti-human trafficking group on social media platforms. The group claimed that she has been suffering abuse and maltreatment at the hands of her employers, which lead to a severe deterioration to her health. She has also suffered memory loss due to injuries sustained to her head as a result of getting her head dashed against the wall. The source said that the maid managed to escape from her employers on July 5 and sought shelter at the Philippine Embassy’s rented shelter house ”Bahay Kalinga” in Riyadh.

Maria Embry, an active anti-trafficking advocate, has brought the case to the attention of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh. She has also filed appeals to several Philippine government officials, including the vice president, congressmen and the Department of Justice.

In her letter to the Philippine Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, Embry said: “We need you to investigate the case of a 13-year-old girl who was a victim of human trafficking by an agency licensed by the Philippine government.”

“Philippine law forbids agencies from deploying maids under the age of 23 years old,” she wrote, adding, “I am sure you are aware of tests like bone, wrist scans, dental x-rays, and other procedures used by other countries to ascertain the age of young persons sent abroad.”

There have been two separate cases of abuse against Filipinos reported since May. In the first case, a Filipino sustained severe burns when her angry employer poured boiling water on her back on May 4. Nearly two weeks later on May 16, an male Filipino was allegedly raped and left dead in the desert by three unidentified males. Justice has yet to be delivered in both cases.