Project Bat Bridge

It started with a phone call. From a little girl seeking help.

This 14 year old girl was raped by an American man named Michael Roberts. Michael had fled back to his home in Austin, Texas and he left the survivor to the aftermath.

This man returned to Texas to teach school at an all girls high school.

A police officer gave her our phone number and said "this group helps girls who were hurt by Americans." She kept this phone number safe for 6 weeks while she went through the aftercare process. When she finally left, she called us.

She told us that she wanted to study, we helped her study. She told us she wanted to heal, we got her therapy. She told us she wanted justice, so we began to turn the wheels of justice.

We connected with our partners in the Colombian Police and The Department of Homeland Security in Austin, Texas. They sent their people down, and we provided a trauma informed environment for this sweet survivor to be interviewed in.

a month later in September of 2022, Michael Whayne Roberts was arrested on three counts of sex tourism and sexual exploitation of a minor. HSI and members of DIPRO preformed the arrest in Austin, Texas.