Trafficked woman appeals to be left alone, continue her life

Gao takes care of students going home after school on May 13. [Photo/CFP]

Previous report: Netizens question story of trafficking victim turned model teacher

A woman who was trafficked 20 years ago to be a villager's wife has pleaded to be left alone after she found herself in midst of an online controversy, reported the Beijing News on Friday.

Gao Yanmin, who was deceived into marriage two decades ago, hit the headlines this week when many Internet users began demanding that those behind her trafficking should be punished.

Chen Shiqu, chief of the Anti-trafficking Office of China's Ministry of Public Security, said on Thursday that an investigation into the case has been launched.

"Our family is terrified. My father-in-law is over 70. What should we do if he got arrested?" Gao told a friend.

Gao's father-in-law is the person who paid 2,700 yuan ($435) to traffickers for Gao to be his son's wife.

According to her friend, police has visited her family two days in a row as part of the probe.

Gao was declared a role model by the authorities in 2006.

Gao, who is a teacher, said that she was worried that she will not be able to teach any longer, adding that those students who count on her will suffer.

Although she tried to run away from the family after she was trafficked, now after so many years it seems impossible for her to leave them. Her life is deeply intertwined with this family.

Her marriage also produced a son and daughter, and one of them is about to apply for college next year.

Initially, she tried to run away but her husband tracked her down and beat her up. During the early years she made three suicide attempts.

She even once went back to her hometown and to her parents a year later under the escort of her husband but her parents gave her cold shoulder. With huge disappointment, she went back to the family and settled down ever since.