Personal stories of slavery in london

Gheeta’s story:

Gheeta is from India and was trafficked into forced labour by a family friend

“I am from a poor part of India and when it was arranged that I should marry a man from my village and we could not afford the dowry I told my father that I was going to go and work abroad to make enough money.

My father asked a family friend who lived in London to help me find work. We trusted him completely. I met him for the first time at Heathrow airport. The first thing he did was take away my passport and he drove me to his flat in London.

He told me that I was to sleep behind a curtain in his room. I was never allowed to leave the flat on my own for the first three months except when we both went shopping. He would make sure the telephone was disconnected so I couldn’t call home on my own. I felt completely alone.

He expected me to do all the housework for him as well as cook for him everyday. He would shout at me if I made mistakes. Before long he started to hit me too. Things got really bad though after I found out my father had died. He told me that he could do anything he wanted to me now because there was no one to look after me. That’s when he started raping me.

I tried to fight back but he threatened to stab me with a knife. Once when I tried to stop him he said he would kill me, chop me up and send the pieces to the family.

I was forced to work at a local shop and give him all the money. Over nearly four years I paid him more than £22,000 pounds. I would work nearly 80 hours a week, seven days a week. I only had Christmas day off.

One day I finally couldn’t take it any longer and I just ran out the house and ran down the street to escape. I was so upset I wanted to kill myself. Thankfully the Police found me and brought in the Poppy Project to support me.

Peter’s story:

Peter is from Eastern Europe and worked on a construction site in London.

“I was promised a job in London by a friend. I came here to work and to earn money for my daughter’s education.

I started work at 7am and worked till 5pm. When I asked about being paid my boss argued with me. When I said I wouldn’t work any more he hit me round the head. I saw my boss beat up another worker.

I had to share a small room with only two beds with seven other people. We wanted to go to the police but we were kept locked in the house. It was like I was in prison. At midnight when everyone was asleep I escaped.

I didn’t expect people from my own country would treat me like this.”