In December of 1989 I was traveling in Italy alone, but I had contacts that my boyfriend in Canada had set up for me in different cities in Italy. I left friends in Rome to go to Naples specifically to see Pompeii. When I arrived in Naples my contact had moved and couldn’t be reached, I was disappointed but I was on a mission.
A man on a scooter who spoke moderate English said he could help me, that he worked with the tourist board and could help me find a hotel, what price range was I looking at. Since he was on a scooter I thought to myself if he tried anything I could easily jump off, so I left with him to find a hotel, he drove up and around as if to give me a tour but also to confuse me about Naples. He took me to a pensione, I registered and then he offered to take me to a restaurant that was owned by a Canadian, thinking that it would make me more comfortable, so I took his suggestion and went to dine alone, the meal good, but I was offered wine that I didn’t order and then the tourist guy(Felice Pizza) walks in all dressed up and sits at my table asking me to go to a party with him, the famous Maradone would be there, I declined said I was tired and going back to my hotel to sleep, then he accused me of being cold and unfriendly, “so be it please leave” I said and he did. I went to pay for my restaurant bill but it was paid for and I couldn’t even leave her a tip, I insisted and she told me she couldn’t accept any money from me.
Puzzled I left the restaurant looking for a cab to take me back to my hotel there are two cabs, one is a woman driver, so I go with her, she tells me to sit in front, I begin thinking to myself, what’s a woman going to do to me, nothing so I sat up front. She sped off and at the first light Felice Pizza jumps in the back seat, puts his arm around my mouth and tells me he has a gun pointed at my back, to keep quiet and I won’t get hurt. Up and up the hills of Naples she Francesca drove to a spot where it looked just bushes, hedges and trees, I was forced to get out and felt something hard in my back, what looked like a hedge opened up a gate and behind a small courtyard and a house. I was told to sit in the big room and offered drinks and food but I ate and drank nothing thinking it would be drugged. I looked for a phone but there wasn’t one, I asked why was I brought here, told it was for my own good, then it was obvious to me several hookers walked in to provide a good time and I was expected to do the same, but I had a lot of fight in me and wasn’t going to do anything that they wanted me to do. I heard them speak in Italian that they would get heroine the next day and that would take care of me. I got up to see all the doors were guarded, no kitchen just a playroom and many bedrooms and bathrooms, so I went into the bathroom and drank water after being held for 5 hours. Upon my return to the big room it was closed off and I was told I couldn’t go back in, I walked into an empty room and Felice came in and tried to throw me onto the bed, but I knew a little akido and maneuvered him onto the bed, then the door burst open with two more guys ready to jump in, I saw a beer bottle on the table and broke it and threatened to cut them if they touched me. I could see that they were confused about the situation and thought I might be crazy enough to stab them, but I was full of adrenaline and wanted to get away. He assured me that nothing was going to happen just to relax don;t be so uptight and frigid. Francesca had to do her job and mine too since they weren’t chancing on me cutting one of them up. I had to stay there until she was done about 5:30 in the morning, my hands were tied and i was taken back to the cab and Francesca was instructed not to leave my side. She took me back to the penzione and stayed in my room, I asked her why? She didn’t understand me, that it was an honor and I should be proud that I was chosen. I pretended that I was asleep, after an hour she rose and spoke to me but I didn’t stir. She left the room, as soon as she got out I grabbed my things and demanded they return my passport or I would scream and wake everyone in the penzione, the clerk reluctantly returned my passport, as I was leaving the phone in my room was ringing, but I ran, I didn’t know where I was running I just ran and found the train station. I was lucky a train was leaving for Rome in 5 minutes, with my Eurailpass I just jumped on the train with my stomach in my throat. The train was leaving and I saw Felice running on the platform trying to see all the passengers, I sank in my seat praying that he didn’t see me or get on the train. I was never more relieved as when I got to Rome and explained what happened to me, that I was lucky because the Camara kidnap many women into sex slavery, they are turned into addicts and sold all over the world. I was so scared, I never did anything about it, I shortened my European trip and returned home shortly after the incident. I regret that I didn’t report it, I might have saved many women, but at the same time the police may not have helped me in Naples, but may have returned me to my kidnapper.
— Irusia, age 56
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