HEADLINE: AP Impact: Exchange Students Abused in U.S.

CAPTION: Lured by unsupervised, third-party brokers with promises of steady work and a chance to sightsee, an untold number of exchange students experience an ugly side of the U.S. The AP's Jason Bronis explains. (Dec. 6)

((NATS-STOCK MUSIC))

((SOT-COVERED))

"It was really dark. Smokey."

((NATS-STOCK MUSIC))

((SOT-COVERED))

"There was about two stages and four girls dancing."

((NATS-STOCK MUSIC))

((SOT-COVERED))

"This feels strange. I am not supposed to be here."

((TRACK))

WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ADVENTURE FOR A BRIGHT TEEN FAR FROM HOME TOOK A DARK TURN INSIDE A DETROIT STRIP CLUB.

((SOT))

"I was just scared. No English. Zero. I didn't know how to say anything. They did write me down how you say, 'Do you want a dance?'"

((NATS))

Airplane.

((TRACK))

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE MAKE THE JOURNEY EACH YEAR.

THEY FLOCK TO BEACH TOWNS, TOURIST HOT SPOTS, AND TAKE JOBS IN RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, THEME PARKS.

THEY MAKE MONEY, MAKE FRIENDS, EXPLORE AMERICA, AND AFTER A FEW MONTHS, RETURN HOME.

EXCEPT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS WHAT HAPPENS.

IN STARTLING NUMBERS, THE YOUTH WHO COME HERE ARE BEING EXPLOITED, EVEN ABUSED, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT OPENS AMERICA'S BORDERS TO THEM SEEMS TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY.

((SOT-COVERED))

"The State Department is responsible for the program. The solution has to be with the State Department to find a way to fix the system."

((TRACK))

GEORGE COLLINS IS AN INSPECTOR WITH THE OKALOOSA COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE _ WHERE THE EXPLOITATION OF TEMPORARY WORKERS FROM OVERSEAS HAS EXPLODED OVER THE LAST DECADE.

((SOT))

"They end up getting ripped off so badly, I'm afraid the lesson they take home is that in America, the little guy gets screwed."

((TRACK))

THE STATE DEPARTMENT-ISSUED J-1 VISA FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS IS ONE OF THE MOST OFTEN ABUSED.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT RELIES ON PRIVATE COMPANIES KNOWN AS "SPONSORS" TO RECRUIT THE STUDENTS AND SET THEM UP WITH SHORT-TERM JOBS IN THE U-S.

THOSE SPONSORS THEN FARM OUT THE WORK TO THIRD-PARTY BROKERS _ MIDDLEMEN UNREGULATED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

OFFICIALS AT STATE _ WHO DECLINED INTERVIEW REQUESTS _ ROUTINELY RUBBER STAMP THE APPLICATIONS FROM J-1 VISA CANDIDATES.

SOME STUDENTS ARRIVE TO FIND THE JOBS THEY WERE PROMISED BY THE BROKERS DON'T EXIST.

FOR OTHERS WHO HAVE WORK, OFTEN THE MIDDLEMEN TAKE MOST OF THE PAY.

((SOT))

"I have seen where people have gotten paychecks that literally say zero dollars that they are going to get paid after deductions."

((SOT))

"They open the paycheck and it says zero. You have zero money."

((TRACK))

WE FOUND IEVGEN (YEV-ghen) KONDRATENKO (con-druh-TAIN-koh), AN 18-YEAR-OLD J-1 VISA STUDENT FROM UKRAINE, LIVING IN A DIRTY, BUG-INFESTED APARTMENT IN DESTIN, FLORIDA.

THE HOSPITALITY LABOR COMPANY THAT PROVIDED KONDZATENKO AND FOUR OTHER FOREIGNERS WITH JOBS DEDUCTED 75 DOLLARS EACH WEEK FROM THEIR PAY FOR RENT.

THE STENCH OF ROTTING FOOD IN THE REFRIGERATOR _ LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS TENANTS _ WAS INESCAPABLE.

EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THE OTHER FEES THE COMPANY DEDUCTED FROM KONDZATENKO'S PAY WAS FOR CLEANING SERVICES.

((SOT))

"Five people paid for the cleaning lady, so I asked them to bring the cleaning lady over and my supervisor said that the students have to do it."

((TRACK))

OVERCROWDING IS COMMON.

IN A NEARBY COMPLEX, WE FOUND FIVE TURKISH STUDENTS ON J-1 VISAS _ THREE WOMAN AND TWO MEN _ SHARING A ONE BEDROOM ONE BATHROOM APARTMENT.

ONE STUDENT TOLD US SHE WAS COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED IN THE PROGRAM AND WANTED TO GO HOME.

((STANDUP))

"But there's much more to J-1 abuse than working for little pay and living in dirty, overcrowded conditions. The A-P found foreigners on J-1 visas who worked in strip clubs, not always willingly."

((SOT))

"I thought it would never happen to me. I thought I was smart and playing it safe, but not really."

((TRACK))

KATYA ASKED US NOT TO USE HER REAL NAME OR SHOW HER FACE BECAUSE SHE STILL FEARS FOR HER LIFE.

IN 2-THOUSAND-4, A PAIR OF UKRAINIAN MEN RECRUITED HER FOR A JOB AT A RESTAURANT IN VIRGINIA BEACH.

BUT WHEN SHE ARRIVED, THE MEN TOLD HER THE JOB FELL THROUGH.

INSTEAD, THEY SENT HER TO DETROIT AND FORCED HER TO WORK AS A STRIPPER AT THIS NIGHTCLUB.

THE PAIR THREATENED KATYA AND HER FAMILY BACK IN UKRAINE, TELLING HER SHE HAD TO DANCE TO PAY OFF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THEY SAID SHE OWED THEM FOR ARRANGING HER J-1 VISA.

((SOT))

"I said that's not what I signed here for, that's not right. He said, 'Well you owe me the money. I don't care how I get it from you. If I have to sell you, I'll sell you."

((TRACK))

BRIDGETTE CARR IS A LAWYER WHO HAS WORKED WITH KATYA.

SHE IS ALSO DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING CLINIC AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL.

((SOT))

"If she didn't bring in a minimum of say 500 dollars a night, the traffickers would be very angry and sometimes they took out that anger through physical violence."

((TRACK))

SIX NIGHTS A WEEK FOR MONTHS KATYA WAS FORCED TO STRIP, HANDING OVER ALL THE MONEY SHE MADE TO THE MEN.

THEY HELD HER CAPTIVE EVEN AFTER SHE PAID THEM THE MONEY THEY CLAIMED SHE OWED.

EACH WEEK, KATYA SAYS, ONE OF THE MEN FORCED HER TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM.

((SOT))

"He said, 'How do you want this? Your way or my way? And I looked at him and there was nothing I could do. I said, 'Whatever you want.'"

((TRACK))

IN 2009, THE A-P ASKED THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR A LIST OF COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE J-1 VISA PROGRAM.

MORE THAN A YEAR LATER, THE DEPARTMENT TOLD THE A-P THAT NO LIST EXISTED.

OFFICIALS AT STATE DECLINED MULTIPLE REQUESTS TO BE INTERVIEWED AS PART OF THIS INVESTIGATION.

ADVOCATES LIKE CARR QUESTION WHETHER THE PROGRAM IS SIMPLY BEYOND REPAIR.

((SOT))

"If we can't responsibly administer the program in a way that keeps these kids _ these are kids _ safe, then we shouldn't be doing it."

((STANDUP))

"Nine months after first coming to the U.S., Katya escaped her captors with the help of a patron in the club where she was forced to work. She agreed to testify against the men, who ended up pleading guilty to charges including involuntary servitude. The man Katya says raped her is scheduled to be released from prison next year. JB, The Associated Press."

HEADLINE: AP Impact: Exchange Students Abused in U.S.

CAPTION: Lured by unsupervised, third-party brokers with promises of steady work and a chance to sightsee, an untold number of exchange students experience an ugly side of the U.S. The AP's Jason Bronis explains. (Dec. 6)

((NATS-STOCK MUSIC))

((SOT-COVERED))

"It was really dark. Smokey."

((NATS-STOCK MUSIC))

((SOT-COVERED))

"There was about two stages and four girls dancing."

((NATS-STOCK MUSIC))

((SOT-COVERED))

"This feels strange. I am not supposed to be here."

((TRACK))

WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ADVENTURE FOR A BRIGHT TEEN FAR FROM HOME TOOK A DARK TURN INSIDE A DETROIT STRIP CLUB.

((SOT))

"I was just scared. No English. Zero. I didn't know how to say anything. They did write me down how you say, 'Do you want a dance?'"

((NATS))

Airplane.

((TRACK))

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE MAKE THE JOURNEY EACH YEAR.

THEY FLOCK TO BEACH TOWNS, TOURIST HOT SPOTS, AND TAKE JOBS IN RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, THEME PARKS.

THEY MAKE MONEY, MAKE FRIENDS, EXPLORE AMERICA, AND AFTER A FEW MONTHS, RETURN HOME.

EXCEPT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS WHAT HAPPENS.

IN STARTLING NUMBERS, THE YOUTH WHO COME HERE ARE BEING EXPLOITED, EVEN ABUSED, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT OPENS AMERICA'S BORDERS TO THEM SEEMS TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY.

((SOT-COVERED))

"The State Department is responsible for the program. The solution has to be with the State Department to find a way to fix the system."

((TRACK))

GEORGE COLLINS IS AN INSPECTOR WITH THE OKALOOSA COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE _ WHERE THE EXPLOITATION OF TEMPORARY WORKERS FROM OVERSEAS HAS EXPLODED OVER THE LAST DECADE.

((SOT))

"They end up getting ripped off so badly, I'm afraid the lesson they take home is that in America, the little guy gets screwed."

((TRACK))

THE STATE DEPARTMENT-ISSUED J-1 VISA FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS IS ONE OF THE MOST OFTEN ABUSED.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT RELIES ON PRIVATE COMPANIES KNOWN AS "SPONSORS" TO RECRUIT THE STUDENTS AND SET THEM UP WITH SHORT-TERM JOBS IN THE U-S.

THOSE SPONSORS THEN FARM OUT THE WORK TO THIRD-PARTY BROKERS _ MIDDLEMEN UNREGULATED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

OFFICIALS AT STATE _ WHO DECLINED INTERVIEW REQUESTS _ ROUTINELY RUBBER STAMP THE APPLICATIONS FROM J-1 VISA CANDIDATES.

SOME STUDENTS ARRIVE TO FIND THE JOBS THEY WERE PROMISED BY THE BROKERS DON'T EXIST.

FOR OTHERS WHO HAVE WORK, OFTEN THE MIDDLEMEN TAKE MOST OF THE PAY.

((SOT))

"I have seen where people have gotten paychecks that literally say zero dollars that they are going to get paid after deductions."

((SOT))

"They open the paycheck and it says zero. You have zero money."

((TRACK))

WE FOUND IEVGEN (YEV-ghen) KONDRATENKO (con-druh-TAIN-koh), AN 18-YEAR-OLD J-1 VISA STUDENT FROM UKRAINE, LIVING IN A DIRTY, BUG-INFESTED APARTMENT IN DESTIN, FLORIDA.

THE HOSPITALITY LABOR COMPANY THAT PROVIDED KONDZATENKO AND FOUR OTHER FOREIGNERS WITH JOBS DEDUCTED 75 DOLLARS EACH WEEK FROM THEIR PAY FOR RENT.

THE STENCH OF ROTTING FOOD IN THE REFRIGERATOR _ LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS TENANTS _ WAS INESCAPABLE.

EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THE OTHER FEES THE COMPANY DEDUCTED FROM KONDZATENKO'S PAY WAS FOR CLEANING SERVICES.

((SOT))

"Five people paid for the cleaning lady, so I asked them to bring the cleaning lady over and my supervisor said that the students have to do it."

((TRACK))

OVERCROWDING IS COMMON.

IN A NEARBY COMPLEX, WE FOUND FIVE TURKISH STUDENTS ON J-1 VISAS _ THREE WOMAN AND TWO MEN _ SHARING A ONE BEDROOM ONE BATHROOM APARTMENT.

ONE STUDENT TOLD US SHE WAS COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED IN THE PROGRAM AND WANTED TO GO HOME.

((STANDUP))

"But there's much more to J-1 abuse than working for little pay and living in dirty, overcrowded conditions. The A-P found foreigners on J-1 visas who worked in strip clubs, not always willingly."

((SOT))

"I thought it would never happen to me. I thought I was smart and playing it safe, but not really."

((TRACK))

KATYA ASKED US NOT TO USE HER REAL NAME OR SHOW HER FACE BECAUSE SHE STILL FEARS FOR HER LIFE.

IN 2-THOUSAND-4, A PAIR OF UKRAINIAN MEN RECRUITED HER FOR A JOB AT A RESTAURANT IN VIRGINIA BEACH.

BUT WHEN SHE ARRIVED, THE MEN TOLD HER THE JOB FELL THROUGH.

INSTEAD, THEY SENT HER TO DETROIT AND FORCED HER TO WORK AS A STRIPPER AT THIS NIGHTCLUB.

THE PAIR THREATENED KATYA AND HER FAMILY BACK IN UKRAINE, TELLING HER SHE HAD TO DANCE TO PAY OFF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THEY SAID SHE OWED THEM FOR ARRANGING HER J-1 VISA.

((SOT))

"I said that's not what I signed here for, that's not right. He said, 'Well you owe me the money. I don't care how I get it from you. If I have to sell you, I'll sell you."

((TRACK))

BRIDGETTE CARR IS A LAWYER WHO HAS WORKED WITH KATYA.

SHE IS ALSO DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING CLINIC AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL.

((SOT))

"If she didn't bring in a minimum of say 500 dollars a night, the traffickers would be very angry and sometimes they took out that anger through physical violence."

((TRACK))

SIX NIGHTS A WEEK FOR MONTHS KATYA WAS FORCED TO STRIP, HANDING OVER ALL THE MONEY SHE MADE TO THE MEN.

THEY HELD HER CAPTIVE EVEN AFTER SHE PAID THEM THE MONEY THEY CLAIMED SHE OWED.

EACH WEEK, KATYA SAYS, ONE OF THE MEN FORCED HER TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM.

((SOT))

"He said, 'How do you want this? Your way or my way? And I looked at him and there was nothing I could do. I said, 'Whatever you want.'"

((TRACK))

IN 2009, THE A-P ASKED THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR A LIST OF COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE J-1 VISA PROGRAM.

MORE THAN A YEAR LATER, THE DEPARTMENT TOLD THE A-P THAT NO LIST EXISTED.

OFFICIALS AT STATE DECLINED MULTIPLE REQUESTS TO BE INTERVIEWED AS PART OF THIS INVESTIGATION.

ADVOCATES LIKE CARR QUESTION WHETHER THE PROGRAM IS SIMPLY BEYOND REPAIR.

((SOT))

"If we can't responsibly administer the program in a way that keeps these kids _ these are kids _ safe, then we shouldn't be doing it."

((STANDUP))

"Nine months after first coming to the U.S., Katya escaped her captors with the help of a patron in the club where she was forced to work. She agreed to testify against the men, who ended up pleading guilty to charges including involuntary servitude. The man Katya says raped her is scheduled to be released from prison next year. JB, The Associated Press."