Piotr’s Story

Piotr

One of our lead investigators wanted to share Piotr’s* heartbreaking but incredible story with you:

“Piotr is a single, middle aged man from Eastern Europe who was offered a job in a West Midlands car wash, with travel and accommodation paid for. Though he had a job in his home town he was told by his traffickers that he could earn £1,000 per month – almost four times what he was currently earning. Piotr was desperate for the money, as he needed to support his widowed sister and her children.

The traffickers paid for Piotr’s coach fare on the proviso that he would pay them back. As Piotr arrived in the West Midlands area this summer, he was told immediately that he owed them £500.

Over the next month, he was constantly moved around and worked in a car wash, a packing company, and a number of factories. He was exhausted, working for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and was told he would be paid £250 per week, but this was a lie, he was only ever given up to half of that, as the traffickers took the rest he ‘owed them’.

Throughout this period Piotr was only given one slice of bread and one slice of ham for food per day.

His traffickers shuttled him back and forth from work to his accommodation daily, watching him and never allowing any opportunity for escape. Finally, facing a life of slavery, Piotr managed to find a way to escape, taking the split-second chance and travelling for 13 miles, through the night, to a location where he was rescued by Hope for Justice.

All he had worked so hard for, day after day, was lost.

The Hope for Justice rescue team supported Piotr as he shared his hard story, and when asked to describe his situation he simply stated,“It is tragic!”

Piotr has since received the support and care he needs to get back on his feet and is currently housed in a safe and secure place, as he transforms from being a victim to becoming a survivor.”

 

Piotr’s story doesn’t end there, his rescue is one step on the road towards his recovery; and step by step, he will recover and be able to find the work and earn the money he needs to support his family back home, because of you and your incredible support.

 

 *Name changed to protect identity.

 

More survivor stories:

John’s Story

John had a respected job until a serious assault left him with life threatening injuries. John could no longer do his current job and was battling to support himself when he saw an advert in a local newspaper for work in a food packing factory in the UK. On arrival he worked hard but because of his reoccurring health problems, he had to leave his job and ended up homeless. That was when the trafficking began.

Empty hands close up

Magdalene’s Story

Magdalene and each of her children were kept under lock and key. She was delivered every day to a factory where she worked gruelling 12 hour shifts. Every penny of her wages was paid into her trafficker’s bank account. Despite going without food herself, she still couldn’t feed her children with the meagre amount she was given.