Amanda Linhot is a Canadian journalist who is known to the world for a tragedy that happened to her.
In 2008, Amanda and her boyfriend Nigel were kidnapped and imprisoned for more than 460 days during a trip to Somalia to cover the news, during which they were gang-raped several times, and then gave birth to a mixed-race child.
【Abducted Amanda】
What is shocking is that Amanda finally survived and was successfully rescued in a hellish desperate situation with her super will to survive and courage, so how is Amanda doing now?
From a female journalist to a traveler
Amanda was born in Alberta, Canada, a typical small-town girl, Amanda's family of origin was not happy, her father was an alcoholic, and often beat and scolded the children and his wife.
【Amanda】
The mother finally couldn't bear it anymore, and directly took Amanda and her younger brother to divorce and run away, the life of a single mother is difficult, Amanda is very sensible, every day after school, she will go to the block to pick up waste and sell it, and when she grows up, she will start working part-time to subsidize the family.
To some extent, Amanda's ability to survive the kidnapping and torture in the future has a lot to do with the perseverance and tenacity she developed as a child.
After graduating from high school, Amanda did not get admitted to the university of her choice, she chose to go straight to the society, but Amanda never gave up her dream of traveling around the world, and she would save up her savings to travel with friends during the holidays.
【Amanda】
It was during her travels that Amanda met her boyfriend, Nigel, an Australian and photographer, who shared a common hobby and quickly fell in love.
In 2005, Nigel was arranged by the newspaper to go to Afghanistan to shoot, when Afghanistan was in the midst of the war on terror, and Amanda had the whimsical idea to become Nigel's assistant to be stationed in Afghanistan together.
Nigel couldn't resist his girlfriend, so he had to apply to the newspaper, but he didn't expect the higher authorities to approve Nigel's request, and Amanda turned into a freelance journalist because of this opportunity, combining her hobby and work, and further realizing her dream of traveling around the world.
【Amanda】
Due to her ability and dedication, Amanda has made a name for herself in international media circles, and many seniors have spoken highly of Amanda's courage.
Amanda and Nigel also became golden partners, and they began to travel to the world's most dangerous war-torn areas, reporting the real situation here to the world, and after a few laps in the Middle East, Amanda proposed that the two could go to Somalia to try it.
Located in the Horn of Africa, Somalia is considered the most dangerous country, and even the United Nations has personally certified Somalia as a failed state, which is not recommended for citizens, journalists and government personnel from other countries.
【Somalia】
But it was also because of this that Amanda felt obligated to show the world the real situation in Somalia, and her idea was supported by Nigel, and the two eventually went to Somalia in 2008.
According to the original plan, the two would stay there for two weeks to report, and then return to Canato to compile the material and publish it, but what happened next was far more than they expected.
Nightmare 460 days
Amanda and her family settled in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, where the famous Battle of Mogadishu broke out in 1993 and where the Black Hawk Fall took place.
【Mogadishu】
Amanda and Nigel had just left the airport and got into a taxi when they were stopped by a group of Somali gunmen who were members of a local Somali terrorist group that specialized in kidnapping foreigners.
The terrorists put Amanda and Nigel in a pickup truck and took them to their lair, and in order to demand ransom, the terrorists generally do not harm the lives of the hostages, but this does not mean that Amanda and the others will be treated with courtesy.
Seeing that Amanda was in good shape, the terrorists repeatedly beat and gang-raped her, and Amanda suffered tremendous physical and mental damage.
In fact, as soon as Amanda and Nigel were kidnapped, the Canadian government learned about it and planned to rescue them.
【Amanda & Nigel】
But Canada is not a country like China and the United States, and cannot afford to send military force to rescue the two men directly from Somalia.
And because of the international refusal to negotiate with the terrorists at the time, the rescue operation has not made substantial progress, and Amanda and Nigel continue to suffer inhuman abuse on a daily basis.
What made Amanda even more desperate was that she found out that she was pregnant, and she didn't know who the father of the child was.
【Amanda】
She believes that her child will be the spiritual backbone of her life in Somalia in prison, and in 2009 Amanda gave birth to the mixed-race child, Abdullah, who awaited his release in the distant future.
Finally, in 2010, the Canadian government could not withstand the huge pressure of public opinion, but still chose to pay the ransom of Amanda and Nigel through a third party.
Only then did the two regain their freedom and fly back to Canada from Nairobi, Kenya, ending more than 460 days of prisoner life.
【Amanda & Nigel】
After learning of Amanda's plight, the international community was deeply shocked and admired Amanda, and they could not imagine how Amanda could survive in such an extreme environment without losing her mind.
After returning to Canada, Amanda and Nigel broke up peacefully, but remained friends and bonds, and Amanda is committed to helping other abused women recover their mental health.
【Amanda】
She uses her experience as a case study of how she regained a following and helped many victims in need.
Sources:
[1] Amanda Linhot.People's Daily [Citation date: 2013-09-16]
【2】Li Chongyin等. Important Role of the Somalian Cross-Equator Flow in the Onset of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon索马里跨赤道气流对南海夏季风爆发的重要作用．2002