Anna's journey

Anna is from Albania where she lived very happily with her parents and enjoyed studying and work until one day all that was stripped away from her.
“My life in Albania was just a normal life. It was beautiful. Sometimes life takes a hard turn at the moment you least expect it.”

A criminal gang targeted her because she was bright and spoke several European languages. She was forcibly removed from her home town, without her parents knowing what had happened, given a false passport and taken to several European countries where she was repeatedly raped and forced into sex work under the control of her traffickers.

“All the time I was getting raped. First in Albania and then in every country they moved me to - Greece, Spain, Germany. I didn’t know what to do because in Albania nothing works to protect you. There was no point in going to the police. I didn’t want to do what they told me to do, but I didn’t have any other option. All the time they threatened me, my life and that of my parents. My parents are old and I am their only child. I couldn’t worry them.”

Anna was controlled by the gang at all times.

“They bought me plane tickets and gave me false documents and were watching me at every moment. It was not my choice. With them, nothing was ever my choice.”

It was only when she was brought to England that Anna found a way to escape. However she was then homeless and constantly in fear of her life and that of her parents as she knew her traffickers would be looking for her.

“At first I couldn’t talk to anyone and was struggling with thoughts of suicide.  But thank God, I found a friend and The Salvation Army.”
Anna’s friend persuaded her to contact The Salvation Army and she is being supported through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract and is seeking asylum in the UK. She is still very frightened about her safety but extremely grateful to The Salvation Army who she describes as “the only people who protect me and make me safe. They provide everything for me – money; protection; support. I’m really glad I found them.”

Although Anna would rather be back in Albania with my life as it was before, she fears if she returned she would be murdered.

“People in Albania are not ready to accept a girl who has been raped because they have the old-fashioned mentality. If the UK Government take away my protection, then they take away my life.”

“I hope everyone who needs help goes to The Salvation Army. I will be grateful to them for all my life.”