Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Several female Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in Dubai fallen victim into human trafficking schemes by fellow Indonesians and had been tricked into becoming commercial sex workers and sold to traffickers from other countries.
In a video circulating on social media, the worker makes an emotional plea to President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian government, urging them to rescue her friends who have allegedly been forced into prostitution.
“I’m begging President Prabowo and the Indonesian government to help our fellow female workers who have been sold into sex work here in Dubai by other Indonesians. They were sold to Bangladeshis and other nationals and forced to work,” she says in the video, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
“Please help my friends who’ve already been trafficked. The Indonesian Consulate in Dubai has provided very little help. I plead with you, Mr. President, to come to our aid.”
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) has confirmed that the allegations are being taken seriously. Judha Nugraha, Director for the Protection of Citizens and Legal Entities at the ministry, stated that the case has been reported to local authorities in the United Arab Emirates.
“The Foreign Ministry and the Indonesian Consulate General in Dubai are closely monitoring this case, especially given the suspected human trafficking methods that led to the sexual exploitation of female Indonesian migrant workers,” Judha said in a statement Tuesday.
According to Judha, this is not an isolated incident. Between January and March 2025 alone, the Indonesian Consulate General in Dubai recorded 19 cases involving Indonesian women trafficked into commercial sex work. Of those, seven victims have been repatriated to Indonesia, while 12 remain under legal protection and are currently housed at a consulate shelter in Dubai.
Judha explained that a common scheme involves deceiving women already working legally in the UAE with promises of higher pay. They are then smuggled away from their original employers and handed over to pimps operating illegal prostitution rings.
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To combat the growing number of trafficking cases, the Indonesian Consulate in Dubai has partnered with the Dubai Police Criminal Investigation Division to conduct rescues and pursue legal action against traffickers. The consulate has also established a 24/7 hotline and shelter services for emergency response.
As part of its prevention efforts, the consulate is conducting public awareness campaigns targeting Indonesian migrant worker communities, employment agencies, and community leaders. The Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi is also involved in supporting outreach and has helped establish a “PMI Assistance Task Force” across all seven emirates.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is urging Indonesian workers not to be tempted by promises of higher wages, especially if it means fleeing from registered employers.
“Working without legal status makes migrant workers extremely vulnerable to exploitation, including sexual exploitation,” Judha warned.
(Raidi/Agung)
