William & Samuel’s Story
William & Samuel were rescued from Forced Labour in the UK
5 years is a long time. It was for William.
That’s at least as long as he was locked into a cycle of exploitation, moved from city to city across the UK. Every day, ordinary people passed by the house where he was painting and plastering for no pay, at the hands of violent traffickers.
After a few years he met Samuel and together they tried to survive. They went on the run from William’s trafficker but, unable to afford transport out of the area, they lived in constant fear of being found.
When William’s trafficker caught up with them they were locked in properties to work all day. At one point they were made to sleep on the freezing floor of the trafficker’s basement and it was only when William fell ill from the damp and cold that he was allowed to sleep on the floor in the main house.
William was left physically scarred after he was made to dig in the frozen ground without tools.
This is the life of a modern day slave.
Hope for Justice identified William and Samuel on the streets after a referral was made to our specialist team by an organization we had trained.
Our Investigators made sure that the pair was entered into a safehouse; an intervention that means they no longer need to live in fear of their traffickers.
More survivor stories:
Jerome’s Story
A Father re-united.
The story of a father.
‘Jerome’ was rescued by Hope for Justice after spending months trapped in a situation of forced labour. In all that time he hadn’t been able to visit his children. This was a brutal blow because providing for them was the very reason he left home in the first place.
After rescue, our Survivor Support team enrolled ‘Jerome’ in our Purpose Project. The Project helps survivors of human trafficking get back on their feet. We support them to find a stable home, we advocate for access to financial support and provide practical help with finding a new job.
Jerome also benefited from English lessons as part of the Project; language had really been holding back this fiercely independent family man. All the while he would tell our team that he wouldn’t feel truly free until he had seen his children again. After a few months in the Purpose Project, ‘Jerome’ was making great progress and successfully found a job for himself.
Week by week, this determined father carefully saved up his wages until he could afford to buy a ticket home. He’s finally had the chance to hold his children close since saying goodbye all that time ago.
This is why we do what we do – to see fathers reunited with their families.
Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters back with the people they love.
Happy Father’s Day to you and your dad.
More survivor stories:
Edward’s Story
Edward was beaten, degraded and made to work exhausting hours. One day, he watched helplessly as he was sold by one man to another man for £300. He knew he was a slave. People ask why don’t men like Edward run? The real question is why do they stay?
Amaya’s Story
Amaya was 14 when her family life went downhill and she was tricked into working at a Cambodian brothel. She was treated, she said, as if she wasn’t human. She was a slave.
