Object #1: Bible
The night Joy’s father died in her arms, she took his bible from his room and has carried it with her ever since.
“Having it with me serves as a sort of comfort.”
Joy was being exploited by different groups without pay. After an unrelated racial attack at a London train station, she was questioned by police when she eventually disclosed details about her trafficking and immigration status.
The police explained that I was a victim of a crime, but I had to be detained overnight for immigration reasons.
Traumatised in a police cell, Joy began reliving the assault. She was not able to see a doctor until the next day.
In the UK, victims of crime, including survivors of modern slavery can be referred for immigration checks after disclosing to authorities. On average, police share 398 trafficking victims’ details to immigration enforcement each year, according to research by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants. With the Illegal Migration Act set to come into affect, most trafficking victims are at risk of detention or deportation.
Victims of crime should not be treated as ‘immigration issues’. It makes the police blind to victims because they are not looking out for the signs of vulnerability, they are searching for ‘migrants’.
On the night Joy was detained, she was permitted to keep her bible with her as she slept in the cell.
Object #2: Bible
After securing legal advice, Joy remained in the asylum system with a succession of lawyers and advocates. Eventually, two years later, she was referred to decision makers as a potential modern slavery victim.
Joy met her mental health assessor on Zoom. She was asked what items brought her comfort. Joy held up her Dad’s bible, falling apart at the seams and held together without covers. The assessor arranged for a family heirloom to be sent to her — a pristine bible passed down from her grandparents more than 70-years-ago.
This bible reminds me that, even with everything that I’ve been through, there is a stranger somewhere who can see my tears and does something meaningful to help me escape my trouble.
I’ve experienced abuse with strangers, and with people that I’ve trusted. So for someone that I’ve never met to do this…it brings me safety.
After three years, Joy was recognised as a trafficking victim by the Home Office. During this time, she was never placed in safe housing and instead shared her living quarters with strangers, as is standard within asylum accommodation. She was frequently moved, sometimes into mixed-gender accommodation, often without warning.
The instability made her mental health worse.
For a long time, the GP could not offer me psychological support because I was ‘liable for removal’.
At one point, I thought ‘I’d rather kill myself than stay here anymore’. But after years of battling, I now had doctors, nurses, counsellor and everything. That means if I just go ahead with what was in my head, all of the efforts of all those people are going down the drain as well.
In the UK, assistance such as safe housing or case worker support for confirmed trafficking victims is decided using ambiguous, unpublished criteria. The outcomes are inconsistent. Annually, 79% of requests for support are rejected partially or in full by the Home Office.
In 2016, a coalition political parties and charities introduced legislation to grant counselling and support to survivors for twelve months. After a change in Government, the bill was shelved.
This year, changes under the Nationality and Borders Act come into effect, cutting the minimum duration of support from 45 days to 30.
Object #3: Bicycle
One morning, a cycling charity ambassador set up shop in the hostel Joy was staying in. The charity gave her a bike.
My ability to talk to you today comes from being able to ride a bike. It’s been an essential part of my healing.
I had completely given up on myself. I was not well, physically or mentally. When they gave me this bike, I did everything I could. I began to work on myself to be a better person. You can’t be absent minded whilst on a bike. You have to be present.
The bike enabled Joy to be healthy, keep in touch with friends, and retain some freedom of movement without spending money on public transport.
Joy has received both her trafficking and asylum status. But she still lives with the impact of her exploitation.
I’ve now got the freedom, but I don’t know how to use it.
It is difficult for me to build trust. It is difficult for me to build relationships with people. And sometimes, I beat myself up. I think ‘I should be out there achieving things. I should help others more than I am.’
Joy says 30 days of support is not enough for survivors to rebuild their lives.
This trauma lives with you forever.
And so the support should be on offer for life.
Under the Illegal Migration Act, further barriers prevent survivors from accessing healthcare and immigration security. Once the law comes into force, victims of trafficking will not have their cases heard in the UK, and will be at risk of deportation to a third country, like Rwanda.
The changes apply to all victims with insecure immigration status, including those forced, coerced or deceived into crossing borders without the right documents.
Traffickers already manipulate their victims by claiming they won’t receive help if they contact authorities. In an open letter sent by major safe housing charities in the UK this year, the sector warns that the Illegal Migration Bill will substantiate traffickers claims and will likely dissuade survivors from coming forward.
Objective Project 