Modern slavery in a medieval city

By Sallie George
BBC News, Yorkshire

The city of York attracts thousands of visitors every year

The historic city of York attracts thousands of visitors each year who pass through its cobbled streets to experience its rich cultural heritage.

But just a few streets away, women have been forced to live as 21st Century slaves after being tricked by ruthless traffickers trading in human beings.

Jiera, a 23-year-old from Lithuania, was forced by her captor to have sex with at least 12 men every day.

She was brought to York believing she had taken a job as a cleaner.

While living with her parents in Lithuania, Jiera was contacted by a woman called Ona, who told her she could get well paid work in the UK as a cleaner in a sports complex.

"She seemed very nice", Jiera said.

My trafficker would rape me every night. . . he beat me and threatened my family Jiera, trafficking victim

"She wrote a contract saying I had the job, and that I would be paid £500 per month."

Jiera signed the contract and was told the company would pay for her flight to London and organise accommodation.

She said: "I already had a passport and I flew on my own to London. I was very excited."

Sold into slavery

On her arrival in London, Jiera was met by two men, who drove her to York and sold her to a brothel.

She was immediately raped by her new "owner", and then put to work.

"I couldn't believe what was happening to me", she said.

"I had to sleep with at least 12 men per day, sometimes without a condom.

"There were lots of other women in the house with me, but we weren't allowed to talk to each other."

No escape

Jiera was forced to work all night and was locked in the house at all times.

There are no guarantees of help for people who have been trafficked into the UK Beth Herzfeld, Anti-Slavery International

"My trafficker wanted sex too so he would rape me every night," she said.

"He beat me too, and shouted all the time, and threatened my family. I was very frightened.

"I did not think I would ever be able to escape."

After four months, one of Jiera's customers called the police. The brothel was raided and the trafficker arrested.

Jiera said: "I am receiving help now, but I still have scars from the beatings. I have headaches and I am very sad about what happened to me."

'Not enough support'

Jiera found refuge with the Poppy Project, a London-based organisation funded by the Home Office. She remains in the UK and is now at college doing a computer course.

The Poppy Project provides support and housing for women who have been trafficked for sexual exploitation.

Jiera was kept prisoner and forced to have sex with 12 men every day

But there are only 35 spaces available, and Poppy is the only government-funded organisation of its kind in the UK.

Women who are referred there can only get help if they fulfill criteria set by the Home Office, which includes an obligation to co-operate with any police investigation.

Anti-Slavery International is one of the organisations aiming to stamp out slavery as the UK marks the 200th anniversary of the Parliamentary Act to abolish the slave trade.

It said cases like Jiera's were not uncommon, but said there was not enough support available nationally for victims of sex trafficking.

The charity welcomed the Prime Minister's recent pledge to sign up to the European convention against human trafficking, which would provide guaranteed minimum standards of protection for trafficked people.

But, it said, the UK needed to ratify the convention "as a matter of urgency".

Spokeswoman Beth Herzfeld said: "There are currently no guarantees of help for people who have been trafficked into the UK, all assistance is given on an ad-hoc basis.

"There is a failure really to understand how to help people, and a tendency to treat people as illegal migrants.

"The legislation guarantees a trafficked person 30 days to stay in the country and receive emergency medical assistance, specialist shelter and specialist legal advice.

"The UK has been conspicuous in its absence."