Steel and Silence: The Rising Toll of Sex Trafficking at Yekepa

Michiel Van Der Merwe, Chief Executive Officer, ArcelorMittal, Liberia
 

Allegations of sex trafficking at ArcelorMittal’s Yekepa concession in Liberia have ignited a storm of outrage, as whistleblowers and victims begin to speak out. Behind the gleaming promises of industrial expansion lies a darker reality—one where vulnerable individuals, including children, are reportedly being exploited in the shadows of corporate infrastructure. The mining site, once hailed as a beacon of economic growth, now stands accused of harboring systemic abuse.

The Government of Liberia faces mounting pressure to act. Civil society groups, survivor advocates, and international observers are demanding a full investigation into the alleged trafficking and labor violations linked to ArcelorMittal Liberia. Yet despite the gravity of these claims, official accountability remains elusive. Victims continue to suffer in silence while corporate and governmental actors deflect responsibility.


The 2025 U.S. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report paints a damning picture. Liberia remains on the Tier 2 Watch List, having failed to convict a single trafficker for two consecutive years. Victim identification remains inadequate, and the national anti-trafficking hotline is reportedly unreliable. These gaps in enforcement and protection create fertile ground for exploitation—especially in remote, under-monitored regions like Yekepa.

If Liberia is to rise from the ashes of impunity, it must confront the complicity embedded in its economic partnerships. If ArcelorMittal seeks to retain its license to operate, it must answer not just to shareholders but to the children whose lives are being shattered beneath its steel.

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