A Brixton-based charity has launched a campaign to raise vital funds needed to support women who have been trafficked into the UK.
Eaves for Women is the UK’s leading charity supporting women who have been brought into the country to be exploited, this can include forced prostitution, being made to work without pay or organ harvesting.
The charity is looking to raise £5,800 to carry out urgent work to help up to ten women over the next two months.
Eaves have highlighted that many of the women aren’t getting the support that they need and instead are being detained by UK authorities with 28 per cent of their referrals coming from Immigration Removal Centres or prisons.
Detentions and prisons worker, Irina Do Carmo, said: “Trafficked women in prison and immigration centres suffer additional trauma when they come into contact with the UK authorities.
“They are met with a culture of disbelief where they are viewed as opportunistic migrants rather than vulnerable victims.”
Eaves have also highlighted a concern that victims are being sentenced to prison for crimes their traffickers made them commit.
A trafficking victim said: “I was trafficked and forced to work for a criminal gang involved in cannabis cultivation.
“The judge refused to take my trafficking situation into account, even though it had been proved by Poppy.
‘I was then forced to sit with my traffickers in the dock, who made threatening comments towards me during the trial. I was so scared.”
They will use the money raised to provide women with advocacy, interpreting services and specialist physical and mental health support.
You can donate to the campaign directly by visiting the Eaves website
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